Verbs: Continuous State

01

Ongoing Actions

For most active verbs, this pattern indicates that an action is in progress at this very moment.

• 지금 음악을 듣고 있어요.

  ji·gŭm ŭm·ag·ŭl dŭd·go iss·ŏ·yo.ji·geum eum·ag·eul deud·go iss·eo·yo.ji·gŭm ŭm·ag·ŭl dŭd·go iss·ŏ·yo.ci·kum um·ag·ul tud·ko iss·e·yo.

  I am listening to music now.

• 친구가 밥을 먹고 있어요.

  chin·gu·ga pab·ŭl mŏg·go iss·ŏ·yo.jin·gu·ga bab·eul meog·go iss·eo·yo.chin·gu·ga pab·ŭl mŏg·go iss·ŏ·yo.cin·ku·ka pab·ul meg·ko iss·e·yo.

  My friend is eating a meal.

• 밖에는 비가 오고 있어요.

  bakk·e·nŭn pi·ga o·go iss·ŏ·yo.bakk·e·neun bi·ga o·go iss·eo·yo.bakk·e·nŭn pi·ga o·go iss·ŏ·yo.pakk·ey·nun pi·ka o·ko iss·e·yo.

  It is raining outside.

02

Continuous State (Wearing Verbs)

A unique feature of Korean is how this pattern behaves with verbs related to clothing, such as 입다 (ib·daib·daib·daib·ta) - to wear/put on clothes, 쓰다 (ssŭ·dasseu·dassŭ·dassu·ta) - to wear/put on headgear, or 신다 (sin·dasin·dasin·dasin·ta) - to wear/put on footwear.

When used with these verbs, -고 있다 (-go iss·da-go iss·da-go iss·da-ko iss·ta) usually describes the resultant state (what the person is currently wearing), rather than the action of putting the item on.

• 저는 안경을 쓰고 있어요.

  jŏ·nŭn an·gyŏng·ŭl ssŭ·go iss·ŏ·yo.jeo·neun an·gyeong·eul sseu·go iss·eo·yo.jŏ·nŭn an·gyŏng·ŭl ssŭ·go iss·ŏ·yo.ce·nun an·kyeng·ul ssu·ko iss·e·yo.

  I am wearing glasses. (State)

• 그 남자는 코트를 입고 있어요.

  kŭ nam·ja·nŭn kʰo·tʰŭ·rŭl ib·go iss·ŏ·yo.geu nam·ja·neun ko·teu·reul ib·go iss·eo·yo.kŭ nam·ja·nŭn k'o·t'ŭ·rŭl ib·go iss·ŏ·yo.ku nam·ca·nun kho·thu·lul ib·ko iss·e·yo.

  That man is wearing a coat. (State)

03

Emphasizing the Action

If you need to specifically describe the action of putting something on (rather than the state of wearing it), or if you want to emphasize that you are in the middle of an action, use the pattern Verb Stem + -는 중이다 (-nŭn jung·i·da-neun jung·i·da-nŭn jung·i·da-nun cung·i·ta). This literally means "in the middle of [verb]ing."

Compare the difference:

• 양말을 신고 있어요.

  yang·ma·rŭl sin·go iss·ŏ·yo.yang·ma·reul sin·go iss·eo·yo.yang·ma·rŭl sin·go iss·ŏ·yo.yang·ma·lul sin·ko iss·e·yo.

  I am wearing socks. (State)

• 양말을 신는 중이에요.

  yang·ma·rŭl sin·nŭn jung·i·e·yo.yang·ma·reul sin·neun jung·i·e·yo.yang·ma·rŭl sin·nŭn jung·i·e·yo.yang·ma·lul sin·nun cung·i·ey·yo.

  I am putting on socks. (Action)

04

Honorific Forms

When describing the actions of someone senior to you (like a parent, teacher, or boss), you must use the honorific version of the verb 있다 (iss·daiss·daiss·daiss·ta), which is 계시다 (kye·si·dagye·si·dakye·si·dakyey·si·ta). The pattern becomes Verb Stem + -고 계시다 (-go kye·si·da-go gye·si·da-go kye·si·da-ko kyey·si·ta).

• 아버지가 신문을 읽고 계세요.

  a·bŏ·ji·ga sin·mu·nŭl ilg·go kye·se·yo.a·beo·ji·ga sin·mu·neul ilg·go gye·se·yo.a·bŏ·ji·ga sin·mu·nŭl ilg·go kye·se·yo.a·pe·ci·ka sin·mu·nul ilg·ko kyey·sey·yo.

  Father is reading the newspaper.

• 선생님이 기다리고 계십니다.

  sŏn·sæng·nim·i ki·da·ri·go kye·sim·ni·da.seon·saeng·nim·i gi·da·ri·go gye·sim·ni·da.sŏn·saeng·nim·i ki·da·ri·go kye·sim·ni·da.sen·sayng·nim·i ki·ta·li·ko kyey·sim·ni·ta.

  The teacher is waiting.