안녕하세요! 🤗 Today, you'll learn about the ending(expression) to mean the progressive form in Korean; 고 있다. I'll show you the detailed grammar, examples, and free worksheet!
If you are a beginner and want to focus on basic grammar, you can check out my beginner-level progressive lesson.
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1. V고 있다 Grammar
Korean progressive tense is expressed by the ending/expression "V고 있다". It is an ending that can express a motion or action is continuing. So, it can be only attached to verb stems, not to an adjective stem! (Just like English😊!)
저는 공부를 하고 있어요. I'm studying.
You may know that you can also express the progressive meaning with the informal polite present tense. It can mean both "simple" or "progressive" forms in that time. But with this progressive ending, you can definitely mean "progressive" meaning.
저는 운동을 해요. I exercise. OR I'm exercising.
저는 운동을 하고 있어요. I'm exercising.
Also, by changing the "있다" part, you can express past and future progressive tense or more or less polite sentences as well! I'll explain the details in the following conjugation section.
2. Conjugation Information
The expression "-고 있다" consists of two parts. Let's see the conjugating information. I'll show you each one to help you understand.
-고 part
The vowel or final consonant is not important! No matter what, you will simply attach 고 to the stem. There are no exceptional irregular rules in this part! How easy is that?
먹다 to eat → 먹고
마시다 to drink → 마시고
하다 to do → 하고
놀다 to play → 놀고
듣다 to listen → 듣고
돕다 to help → 돕고
짓다 to build → 짓고
있다 part
Depending on the politeness, tone, and tense, this 있다 can be changed in many versions. In modern Korea, three levels of politeness are commonly used.
Informal Polite Endings
First, let's look at the informal polite versions of 있다. They are polite yet friendly. So, they are the most commonly used ones in daily life. Click the link if you want to learn the details of each tense.
Tense | 고 있다 | Example |
고 있었어요. was/were Ving | ||
고 있어요. am/are/is Ving | ||
고 있을 거예요. will be Ving |
The question form of this ending is pretty easy. You can simply replace a period with a question mark! No need to change any spelling whatsoever―well, in writing-wise. When you speak, you have to change the intonation. The ending will go up at the end. Listen to the examples!
Tense | 고 있다 | Example |
Past | 고 있었어요? | |
Present | 고 있어요? | |
Future(Guess) | 고 있을 거예요? |
Formal Endings
This version is used in public and official situations. That is why it is called a "formal" ending! You can hear this version in the news, presentation, or public speech. It is a very polite and strict ending and has no friendly vibe at all.
⚐ Lesson Link: Formal ending statement ㅂ니다/습니다.
Tense | 고 있다 | Example |
Past | 고 있었습니다. was/were Ving | |
Present | 고 있습니다. am/are/is Ving | |
Future(Guess) | 고 있을 것입니다. will be Ving |
Watch out for the question forms! The formal ending has a different statement and question ending. You can click the link below to access my free formal ending question form lesson!
⚐ Lesson Link: Formal ending question ㅂ니까/습니까?
Tense | 고 있다 | Example |
Past | 고 있었습니까? | |
Present | 고 있습니까? | |
Future(Guess) | 고 있을 것입니까? |
Informal Casual Endings
This ending is casual and the most friendly ending. It is not polite at all. So, you are allowed only to use this to people of the same age or younger than you. Also, you can use it for someone who holds lower social status than you.
⚐ Lesson Link: Informal Casual 아/어/여
Tense | 고 있다 | Example |
Past | 고 있었어. | |
Present | 고 있어. | |
Future(Guess) | 고 있을 거야. |
The question form is the same. You can simply put a question mark at the end of the sentence and raise the tone when you talk.
Tense | 고 있다 | Example |
Past | 고 있었어? | |
Present | 고 있어? | |
Future(Guess) | 고 있을 거야? |
3. Sentence Information
Here are more pieces of information that are related to "고 있다" grammar. The A section is very important so please check it out! If you are a beginner, lightly read the B and C section. You can always come back to this post and study further as your Korean skills improve!
A. Related words
The adverb "지금" means "now." It is often used together with "고 있다" to emphasize the 'progressive' meaning. For example, you can say 책을 읽고 있어요 to mean "I'm reading a book." But adding 지금 to it and say 지금 책을 읽고 있어요. That will mean "I'm reading a book now."
The noun 요즈음 or 요즘 also can be often used. It means "these days" or "nowadays". As you can guess, 요즘 is a shortened version of 요즈음. And 요즘 is more often used in daily conversation. How can we say "I'm reading this book these days." in Korean? You'll say, "요즘 이 책을 읽고 있어요."
B. Honorific version
In Korean, some words or expressions have more polite versions. Those are called honorific versions. You'd better use the honorific version when you talk about someone way older than you or who has a higher social status. I'll show you the present and past tense here.
The present progressive tense: V고 계세요. am/are/is Ving
The past progressive tense: V고 계셨어요. was/were Ving
할머니가 책을 읽고 계세요. My grandmother is reading a book now.
할아버지가 티비를 보고 계셨어요. My grandpa was watching the TV.
C. The negative sentences
There are many ways to make this "고 있다" into a negative sentence. First, you can use the expression "V고 있지 않다" or "V고 않고 있다".
You can also add the negative adverb "안" and say 안 V고 있다. The adverb one is usually used in a spoken language because it is shorter.
V고 있지 않다
Present: V고 있지 않아요.
Past: V고 있지 않았어요.
V지 않고 있다
Present: V지 않고 있어요.
Past: V지 않고 있었어요.
안 V고 있다
Present: 안 V고 있어요
Past: 안 V고 있었어요
Here are some examples using 눈이 오다 (to be snowy). They'll all mean "It's not snowing now." They are just different ways to say in Korean.
지금 눈이 오고 있지 않아요.
지금 눈이 오지 않고 있어요.
지금 눈이 안 오고 있어요.
4. Examples
We can use "뭐" to ask what a listener is doing. 뭐 means "what" in Korean. It was originally 무엇 but people use this shortened version 뭐 more often in daily life. Here are some examples using 뭐 and the target grammar of the day, "고 있어요".
1
Q: 지금 뭐 해요? What are you doing now?
A: 밥을 먹어요. I'm eating a meal.
It is not required to use V고 있다 in order to indicate the progressive form in Korean. You can use the present tense form and deliver "progressive" meaning with the context. This context is often revealed with the word "지금(now)."
2
Q: 지금 뭐 해요? What are you doing now?
A: 밥을 먹고 있어요. I'm eating a meal.
By using today's expression "고 있다" you can definitely mean a "progressive" sentence! So, the first and second examples are the same. They are just different ways to say it in Korean! Interesting, aren't they?
3
Q: 지금 뭐 하고 있어요? What are you doing now?
A: 요리하고 있어요. I'm cooking.
요리하다 is a verb, meaning "to cook" in Korean. It is a combination word. 요리 is a noun and 하다 is a verb changing this noun into a verb! Anyway, the stem of this verb is "요리하." So, you add 고 after it and make 요리하고.
4
Q: 수지 씨, 뭐 하고 있어요? Suji, what are you doing?
A: 친구를 기다리고 있어요. I'm waiting for my friends.
기다리다 means "to wait". The stem of the verb is "기다리". You can simply attach "고" to the stem to make the progressive tense! Well, and don't forget 있어요 as well!
5
A: 뭐 하고 있었어요? What were you doing? / What have you been doing?
B: 음악을 듣고 있었어요. I was listening to music. / I've been listening to music.
"고 있었어요" is the past progressive tense. In Korean, there is no perfect present or perfect past tense. But, if you use this past progressive "고 있었어요," you can deliver a similar meaning of perfect tense!
6
조심하세요. 지금 바람이 많이 불고 있어요. Watch out. It is very windy now.
바람 is a wind. When it is windy right now, you can use the progressive tense! So, you can talk about non-living things as a subject with this ending, just like English!
5. Wrap-up & Worksheet: Korean progressive tense ending
Let's review the lesson! Please read the important summary. I'll show you the most commonly used ones in daily life.
V고 있다: an expression that shows the progressive tense.
The present progressive tense: V고 있어요. means "am/are/is Ving."
The past progressive tense: V고 있었어요. means "was/were Ving."
The future/guess progressive tense: V고 있을 거예요. "will be Ving."
What are you doing now? 지금 뭐 하고 있어요? Can you say or write your answer using the expression you've learned today?
Don't forget to download the free and printable PDF worksheet! Print them and practice the "고 있어요" grammar! It has an answer sheet as well. So, check your writing on your own!
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