📘 Grammar 21: How to Use ~고 있다 – Present Progressive in Korean

📘 How to Use ~고 있다 – Present Progressive in Korean

Want to say “I am studying”, “She is eating”, or “We are watching a movie” in Korean?

In Korean, the present progressive (something that is happening right now) is expressed using the grammar structure ~고 있다.

This lesson will guide you through how to use ~고 있다 naturally, with correct conjugation, real examples, and how it compares to simple present tense.

---

📌 What Does ~고 있다 Mean?

~고 있다 literally means “to be doing” something. It is the Korean equivalent of the English “-ing” form when describing an action in progress.

Examples:

• 공부하다 → 공부하고 있다 – to be studying
• 먹다 → 먹고 있다 – to be eating
• 일하다 → 일하고 있다 – to be working

🔤 Conjugation Rule

• Verb stem + 고 있다 → base form
• Polite present: 고 있어요
• Past tense: 고 있었어요
• Future tense: 고 있을 거예요

📊 Grammar Summary Table

Verb	~고 있다 Form	Meaning	Romanization
가다	가고 있어요	I am going	ga-go it-seo-yo
먹다	먹고 있어요	I am eating	meok-go it-seo-yo
자다	자고 있어요	I am sleeping	ja-go it-seo-yo
보다	보고 있어요	I am watching	bo-go it-seo-yo

📘 Example Sentences

• 지금 공부하고 있어요 – I am studying right now
  ji-geum gong-bu-ha-go it-seo-yo
• 뭘 먹고 있어요? – What are you eating?
  mwol meok-go it-seo-yo?
• 그녀는 집에서 자고 있어요 – She is sleeping at home
  geu-nyeo-neun jib-e-seo ja-go it-seo-yo
• 우리는 영화를 보고 있어요 – We are watching a movie
  u-ri-neun yeong-hwa-reul bo-go it-seo-yo

📌 Tip: Difference Between ~고 있다 and Simple Present

• 먹어요 – I eat (generally, habitually)
• 먹고 있어요 – I am eating (right now)

Use ~고 있다 for ongoing actions only.

📌 Negative Form

Add 안 before the verb phrase:

• 안 자고 있어요 – I am not sleeping
• 안 보고 있어요 – I am not watching (it)

❗ Common Mistakes

• ❌ 공부해 있어요 → ✅ 공부하고 있어요
• ❌ 먹고 하다 → ✅ 먹고 있어요
• Always use 고 있다 after the verb stem!

🧪 Mini Quiz – Test Yourself!

1. How do you say “I am studying” in Korean?
   a) 공부해요
   b) 공부하고 있어요
   
   Click to Show Answer

   ✅ b) 공부하고 있어요

2. Translate: “He is sleeping now.”
   a) 지금 자요
   b) 지금 자고 있어요
   
   Click to Show Answer

   ✅ b) 지금 자고 있어요

3. What is the correct negative form of “I am watching”?
   a) 안 보고 있어요
   b) 보고 안 있어요
   
   Click to Show Answer

   ✅ a) 안 보고 있어요

✅ Conclusion

Now you can express what you’re doing right now in Korean using ~고 있다!

• Use with verb stems to say you’re currently doing something
• Conjugate for past, present, and future
• Add 안 for negation

Practice by describing your actions throughout the day:

• “I am eating breakfast” → 아침을 먹고 있어요
• “I’m talking to my friend” → 친구랑 이야기하고 있어요

📘 Coming Up Next

Next lesson: How to Use ~으려고 하다 – Expressing Intention or Plan in Korean
Learn how to say “I’m planning to…”, “I intend to…” with this useful grammar!

---

Related Keywords:
learn korean, korean grammar, 고 있다, present progressive, ongoing action in korean, korean sentence structure, romanized korean