Page 224 - Easy Japanese - Learn to Speak Japanese Quickly! (TUTTLE)

Itte imasu does not mean someone is on his way to some place. Similarly, kite
imasu means someone has come here (and is here) or someone comes here
regularly over a period of time. Compare the two responses.
Honda-san wa imasu ka. Is Mr. Honda here?

Hai, kite imasu. Yes, he is here (he has arrived
already).

Ima kimasu. He’ll come soon (but is not
here yet).

Note that in casual speech, i of iru or imasu often drops. Thus you have the
following.
Nani shite (i)ru no? What are you doing?

Mēru mite (i)masu. I’m looking at e-mails.

GRAMMAR NOTE Shitte iru = Know

The verb shiru (U-verb) is an instantaneous verb meaning “find out; get to
know”. Its te-iru form means a state of having found out something and having
knowledge of something, namely “know”. Although the affirmative is in the te-
iru form, the negative “I do not know” is NOT in the te-iru form.

Ano hito shitte imasu ka. Do you know that person?
Formal: I’ie, shirimasen. I don’t know.

Informal: U’un, shiranai. I don’t know.

Kore, shitte imashitaka. Did you know this?

Formal: I’ie, shirimasen No, I didn’t know.
deshita.
Informal: U’un, shiranakatta. No, I didn’t know.

Itsu shirimashita ka. When did you find out?
Formal: Kinō shirimashita. I found out yesterday.

Informal: Kinō shitta. I found out yesterday.

The polite form (Honorific), which you use to describe the action of someone
above you, is gozonji, a noun.