Korean grammar · Elementary (A2)
-고 있다: doing now, and wearing
How to say what someone is doing right now with -고 있다, the honorific -고 계시다, wearing verbs as states, and -는 중이다.
-고 있다: in progress
Add -고 있다 (-go itda) to any action verb stem, with no changes to the stem: (meokgo isseoyo), I'm eating; (gongbuhago isseoyo), I'm studying. Only changes for tense: (jago isseosseoyo), I was sleeping.
It describes an action happening right now, or over a period that is still going on: (yojeum hangugeoreul baeugo isseoyo), I'm learning Korean these days. The simple present can also describe now ( (mwo haeyo?), what are you doing?), so -고 있다 mainly stresses that the action is in progress. It isn't used with descriptive verbs such as or .
- 지금 뭐 하고 있어요?Jigeum mwo hago isseoyo?What are you doing right now?
- 셔츠를 찾고 있어요.Syeocheureul chatgo isseoyo.I'm looking for a shirt.
- 전화했을 때 뭐 하고 있었어요?Jeonhwahaesseul ttae mwo hago isseosseoyo?What were you doing when I called?
- 밖에 비가 오고 있어요.Bakke biga ogo isseoyo.It's raining outside.
Honorific: -고 계시다
When the person doing the action is someone you respect, replace with its honorific (gyesida): (jigeum hoeuihago gyeseyo), she's in a meeting right now. The form 하고 있으세요 is also heard, but is the standard choice when someone is in the middle of doing something.
With honorific verbs, both parts are honorific: (halmeonineun jumusigo gyeseyo), Grandma is sleeping.
- 과장님은 지금 통화하고 계세요.Gwajangnimeun jigeum tonghwahago gyeseyo.The manager is on the phone at the moment.
- 아버지는 신문을 읽고 계세요.Abeojineun sinmuneul ilgo gyeseyo.My father is reading the newspaper.
Wearing: different verbs for different things
Korean has several verbs for putting things on, chosen by the kind of item. With -고 있다 they describe what someone is wearing, a state: (kkaman koteureul ipgo isseoyo), he's wearing a black coat. The same sentence can also mean “he's putting on a black coat”; the situation makes it clear. The past tense can describe a state too: (angyeongeul sseosseoyo), she's wearing glasses (she put them on).
To take something off, use (beotda) for clothes, shoes, hats, glasses and gloves, and (ppaeda) for rings and contact lenses.
| Verb | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (ipda) | clothes: shirts, trousers, coats, dresses | (koteureul ipgo isseoyo) |
| (sinda) | shoes, socks, boots | (undonghwareul singo isseoyo) |
| (sseuda) | glasses, hats, masks | (angyeongeul sseugo isseoyo) |
| (kkida) | rings, gloves, contact lenses | (banjireul kkigo isseoyo) |
| (chada) | watches, belts | (sigyereul chago isseoyo) |
| (maeda) | ties, things you knot | (nektaireul maego isseoyo) |
| (hada) | scarves, necklaces, earrings | (mokdorireul hago isseoyo) |
-아/어 있다: a state after an action
Some verbs describe an action that leaves a state behind: sitting down, standing up, opening. For the resulting state, Korean uses -아/어 있다, not -고 있다: (anja isseoyo), she's sitting; (seo isseoyo), he's standing; (muni yeollyeo isseoyo), the door is open.
Don't use -고 있다 for these states: 앉고 있어요 would mean “she is in the process of sitting down”. The honorific is -아/어 계시다: (harabeojineun anja gyeseyo), Grandfather is sitting down.
-는 중이다: in the middle of
-는 중이다 (-neun jungida) after a verb, or (jung) after a noun, means “in the middle of”: (ganeun jungieyo), I'm on my way; (hoeui jungieyo), she's in a meeting. It is common in messages and on signs: (gongsa jung), under construction; (unjeon jung), driving.
- 지금 가는 중이에요.Jigeum ganeun jungieyo.I'm on my way now.
- 김 과장님은 지금 회의 중이세요.Kim gwajangnimeun jigeum hoeui jungiseyo.Mr Kim is in a meeting right now.