3 Sentence Summary of This Lesson:
- The present continuous "-고 있다" attaches to verb stems to express ongoing actions (e.g., 먹고 있다 = I am eating).
- Korean often uses simple present tense instead, with context words like "지금" indicating the action is happening now.
- Using "-고 있다" emphasizes the action is actively occurring at this moment.
To say that you are in the middle of doing something or that something is ongoing at the moment, you would use the present continuous form, which is “-고 있다.” This would be attached to a verb stem.
e. g.)
먹다 → 먹 → 먹고 있다 (I am eating).
생각하다 → 생각하 → 생각하고 있다 (I am thinking).
자다 → 자 → 자고 있다 (I am sleeping).
Whether the preceding letter has a batchim or not, just add “-고 있다.”
The present continuous, or 현재진행형, is used to describe an action that is happening at this moment.
However, in Korean, we often use the simple present tense instead of the present continuous to mean that something is happening right now. The time words would define the context of whether the action is happening right now or it is just a factual statement.
e.g.)
→ 철수 지금 밥 먹어.
Chulsoo is eating right now.
→ 철수 지금 밥 먹고 있어.
Chulsoo is eating right now.
The word “지금” defines that the action is happening right now.
You can freely use the two. Using the present continuous would even be an emphasis on the fact that something is happening at the moment. Otherwise, using present simple tense is more common.
Try the following exercise.
Conjugate the given verbs into the present continuous.
- 과자를 _____ (먹다).
Answer
먹고 있어요.
- 그림을 _____(그리다).
Answer
그리고 있어요.
- 책을 _____(읽다).
Answer
읽고 있어요.
- 요리를 _____(하다).
Answer
하고 있어요.
- 가방에 _____(넣다).
Answer
넣고 있어요.
- 공원에서 _____(걷다).
Answer
걷고 있어요.
- 이빨을 _____(닦다).
Answer
닦고 있어요.
- 집에서 _____(쉬다).
Answer
쉬고 있어요.
- 춤을 _____(추다).
Answer
추고 있어요.
- 모기를 _____(잡다).
Answer
잡고 있어요.
* For more practice exercises, visit the ‘Practice Hub’.
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