Japanese Texts Using 〜ていた (was doing (past continuous))
6 free Japanese reading texts that use the N4 grammar point 〜ていた (was doing (past continuous)), graded beginner to advanced. Furigana on every word, tap-to-look-up, and an English vocabulary & grammar breakdown on each text.
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でんしゃで うとうと
Asleep on the Train
Yomimaru
Read
ゴムフウセン
The Rubber Balloon
桜間 中庸
Read
うさぎと二人のおじいさん
The Rabbit and the Two Old Men
小川 未明
Read
約束
The Promise
夢野 久作
Read
怪人の眼
The Strange Man's Eye
田中 貢太郎
Read
微笑
The Smile
夢野 久作
解説Background
About the grammar point 〜ていた
〜ていた (was doing (past continuous)) is a N4 grammar point. This shelf collects 6 free Japanese texts that use 〜ていた in real context — graded from beginner to advanced, with furigana above every kanji — so you meet the pattern in living sentences instead of an isolated textbook example.
Every read on Yomimaru pairs the Japanese with an English study layer — key vocabulary, the grammar it uses, and a short comprehension check — plus tap-to-look-up on any word. Seeing 〜ていた across many stories is one of the fastest ways to turn a memorised rule into something you recognise on sight.
質問Questions
〜ていた: questions & answers
What does 〜ていた mean?
〜ていた (was doing (past continuous)) is a N4-level Japanese grammar point. The 6 texts on this shelf show it used naturally, each with an English breakdown so you can see exactly how it works in a sentence.
What JLPT level is 〜ていた?
〜ていた is typically introduced around JLPT N4. The reading texts here span several JLPT levels, so you can practise the pattern at, below, or slightly above your current level.
How can I practise 〜ていた by reading?
Read a text from this shelf a little above your comfort level, lean on the furigana and instant lookups to stay in the story, then review how 〜ていた was used afterwards. Free to read in full — a free account adds saved progress and AI study tools.