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N2

つつある

-ing, Be -ing

日本にほんでは物価ぶっかが上あがりつつある。

Prices in general are rising in Japan.

Explanation

Attach it to the verb stem. It says a change is under way and moving toward completion: 「景気は回復しつつある」 (The economy is gradually recovering). Use verbs of change, such as 「回復する、減少する、改善する」. It is written-style, common in news and reports.

Mixed up with

It cannot follow an ongoing action with no direction of change: not 「×本を読みつつある」 or 「×ご飯を食べつつある」.

「景気は回復している」 only says it is in a recovered or recovering state; 「回復しつつある」 stresses it is moving step by step toward recovery, not finished yet.

「ていく」 extends from now into the future; 「つつある」 looks at the trend forming right now.

Examples

  1. 大だい流行りゅうこうしたインフルエンザの猛威もういも、今いまは落おち着つきつつある。

    The fury of the widespread influenza is now calming down.

  2. おかげさまで、病気びょうきは治なおりつつあります。

    Fortunately, my disease is healing.

  3. 毎年まいとし、年金ねんきんの受給額じゅきゅうがくが減へりつつあるので、生活せいかつに困こまっている高齢者こうれいしゃが増ふえてきている。

    Every year, more and more elderly people are having trouble making ends meet because their pension benefits are decreasing.

Tested 3 times in past papers

N1 · Dec 2017, Q34N2 · Dec 2014, Q44N1 · Dec 2010, Q32