Actions in Progress and States: -고 있어요, -아/어 있어요
Describe actions in progress with -고 있어요 and resulting states with -아/어 있어요, and learn which verbs take which form.
Mr. Gaon · Grammar, vocabulary & TOPIKWhat you will learn in this lesson
- Say what someone is doing right now with -고 있어요
- Describe a state that remains after an action with -아/어 있어요
- Know which verbs can take -아/어 있다
- Understand the special case of clothing verbs like 입고 있다
Hello! Today we compare two forms that both translate as 'is -ing' in English, but mean quite different things. This one is easy to mix up, so let’s compare carefully. By the end, you will see the logic clearly.
Action or state?
Look at these two English sentences: 'She is sitting down' (the movement of sitting) and 'She is sitting' (she is in a seated position). English uses -ing for both. Korean separates them.
- -고 있다: an action that is in progress. The action is happening now. - -아/어 있다: a state that remains after an action has finished. The action is over, but its result continues.
So 문을 열고 있어요 means 'I am opening the door' (my hand is moving now), and 문이 열려 있어요 means 'The door is open' (someone opened it, and it stays open).
is doing (an action in progress, or a continuing activity)
- Attach -고 있다 to any action verb stem. No batchim rules: 가다 → 가고 있다, 먹다 → 먹고 있다.
- No irregular changes, because -고 begins with a consonant: 듣다 → 듣고 있다, 만들다 → 만들고 있다.
- Past: -고 있었어요 'was doing'. Future: -고 있을 거예요 'will be doing'.
- Honorific: -고 계세요. 할머니께서 주무시고 계세요.
- Also used for an activity over a longer period: 요즘 수영을 배우고 있어요 'I’m learning to swim these days.'
- Not used with adjectives. Do not say 예쁘고 있어요.
- 지금 뭐 하고 있어요? [지금 뭐 하고 이써요] jigeum mwo hago isseoyo?What are you doing right now?
- 친구를 기다리고 있어요. chingureul gidarigo isseoyo.I’m waiting for a friend.
- 전화했을 때 저는 샤워하고 있었어요. jeonhwahaesseul ttae jeoneun syawohago isseosseoyo.When you called, I was taking a shower.
- 아버지께서 신문을 읽고 계세요. [아버지께서 신무늘 일꼬 계세요] abeojikkeseo sinmuneul ikgo gyeseyo.My father is reading the newspaper.
is in a state (the result of an action continues)
- Use the -아/어 form: 앉다 → 앉아 있다, 서다 → 서 있다, 남다 → 남아 있다.
- Irregulars follow their -아/어 form: 눕다 → 누워 있다, 붓다 → 부어 있다.
- Used with intransitive verbs (verbs with no object): 앉다, 서다, 눕다, 가다, 오다, 붙다, 남다, 피다, 살다 (to be alive).
- Also used with passive verbs: 열리다 → 열려 있다, 닫히다 → 닫혀 있다, 켜지다 → 켜져 있다, 쓰이다 → 쓰여 있다.
- Never with a verb that takes an object (을/를). 문을 열어 있어요 is wrong.
- Honorific: -아/어 계세요. 할아버지께서 의자에 앉아 계세요.
- 교실 창문이 열려 있어요. gyosil changmuni yeollyeo isseoyo.The classroom window is open.
- 아이가 소파에 누워 있어요. aiga sopae nuwo isseoyo.The child is lying on the sofa.
- 냉장고에 우유가 조금 남아 있어요. [냉장고에 우유가 조금 나마 이써요] naengjanggoe uyuga jogeum nama isseoyo.There is a little milk left in the fridge.
- 벽에 지도가 붙어 있어요. [벼게 지도가 부터 이써요] byeoge jidoga buteo isseoyo.A map is stuck on the wall.
Which form? A quick table
| Verb | -고 있어요 (action) | -아/어 있어요 (state) |
|---|---|---|
| 앉다 | 앉고 있어요 | 앉아 있어요 |
| 서다 | 서고 있어요 | 서 있어요 |
| 눕다 | 눕고 있어요 | 누워 있어요 |
| 오다 | 오고 있어요 | 와 있어요 |
| 열다 | 열고 있어요 | ✘ (this verb takes an object) |
| 열리다 | 열리고 있어요 | 열려 있어요 |
| 켜다 | 켜고 있어요 | ✘ (this verb takes an object) |
| 켜지다 | rare | 켜져 있어요 |
| 먹다 | 먹고 있어요 | ✘ (this verb takes an object) |
열다 and 켜다 mean 'to open' and 'to turn on' (something). 열리다 and 켜지다 mean 'to be opened' and 'to be turned on'. 앉고 있어요 means 'is in the middle of sitting down' — possible, but much less common than 앉아 있어요.
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Pairs to compare
- 동생이 불을 켜고 있어요. dongsaengi bureul kyeogo isseoyo. My sibling is turning on the light. Action. 켜다 takes an object (불을).
- 불이 켜져 있어요. buri kyeojyeo isseoyo. The light is on. State. 켜지다 is the passive verb, so it can take -어 있다.
- 버스가 오고 있어요. beoseuga ogo isseoyo. The bus is coming. It is on its way now.
- 버스가 벌써 와 있어요. beoseuga beolsseo wa isseoyo. The bus is already here. It came and it is still here.
- 꽃이 피고 있어요. kkochi pigo isseoyo. The flowers are blooming (opening now). The process of blooming.
- 꽃이 피어 있어요. kkochi pieo isseoyo. The flowers are in bloom. They have opened and stay open.
Here is my favorite test. Ask: 'Is something still moving?' If yes, use -고 있다. 'Did the movement stop, and the result stays?' Then use -아/어 있다. And remember: if the verb has an object with 을/를, it cannot take -아/어 있다.
The special case: wearing clothes
Clothing verbs are an exception. Verbs like 입다 (wear clothes), 신다 (wear shoes), 쓰다 (wear a hat or glasses), 끼다 (wear gloves or a ring), 메다 (carry on the shoulder) and 들다 (hold in the hand) all take an object. So they cannot use -아/어 있다.
Instead, Koreans use -고 있다 for both meanings:
- 코트를 입고 있어요 can mean 'I am putting on a coat' (action) or 'I am wearing a coat' (state).
In real life, the state meaning is much more common. Context makes it clear. If you want to stress the action, you can add 지금: 지금 코트를 입고 있으니까 잠깐만 기다려 주세요 'I’m putting on my coat right now, so wait a moment.'
Describing people and places
- 까만 모자를 쓰고 있는 사람이 제 동료예요. [까만 모자를 쓰고 인는 사라미 제 동료예요] kkaman mojareul sseugo inneun sarami je dongnyoyeyo. The person wearing a black hat is my coworker.
- 그 여자는 반지를 끼고 있었어요. geu yeojaneun banjireul kkigo isseosseoyo. That woman was wearing a ring.
- 학생들이 줄을 서 있어요. haksaengdeuri jureul seo isseoyo. The students are standing in line.
- 가게 문이 아직 닫혀 있어요. [가게 무니 아직 다처 이써요] gage muni ajik datyeo isseoyo. The shop door is still closed.
- 책상 위에 편지가 놓여 있어요. chaeksang wie pyeonjiga noyeo isseoyo. There is a letter lying on the desk.
- 표지판에 '금연'이라고 쓰여 있어요. pyojipane 'geumyeon'irago sseuyeo isseoyo. The sign says 'No smoking'. 쓰이다 (be written) → 쓰여 있다
- 요즘 한국 요리를 배우고 있어요. yojeum hanguk yorireul baeugo isseoyo. I’m learning Korean cooking these days. A continuing activity over weeks or months
- 동생은 지금 서울에 가 있어요. dongsaengeun jigeum seoure ga isseoyo. My younger sibling has gone to Seoul (and is there now).
Dialogue: On the phone
Check quiz
Q1. Choose the correct sentence: 'The window is open.'
Q2. Fill in the blank: 할머니가 침대에 ___ 있어요. (눕다)
Q3. How do you say 'He is wearing glasses'?
Q4. What does 손님이 벌써 와 계세요 mean?
Q5. Which sentence is wrong?
Q6. When I arrived, my friend was already sitting at the table. Which is best?
Well done! Look around you and describe what you see: what is open, what is lying on the table, what people are doing. That is the best way to make these two forms feel natural.
Key points
- -고 있다 = an action in progress or a continuing activity (요즘 배우고 있어요).
- -아/어 있다 = a state that remains after an action (앉아 있어요, 열려 있어요).
- -아/어 있다 works only with intransitive or passive verbs, never with an object.
- Clothing verbs (입다, 신다, 쓰다, 끼다) use -고 있다 for 'wearing'.
- Honorific forms: -고 계세요 and -아/어 계세요.
- Neither form is used with adjectives.
Recommended official free resources
- Korean Language Teaching & Learning Center — National Institute of Korean Language
- Everyone’s Korean (모두의 한국어) — Ministry of Education
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