Korean grammar patterns › Level 1
-고 있다
be doing (progressive); be wearing
Level 1 · TOPIK I · beginner
How to use it
1) An action in progress: 'be doing'. It can also describe an ongoing situation (요즘 서울에 살고 있어요). 2) With wearing verbs (입다, 신다, 쓰다, 끼다, 메다) it also means 'be wearing'.
Forming it
| 먹다 | → 먹고 있어요 |
| 공부하다 | → 공부하고 있어요 |
| 입다 | → 입고 있어요 |
Verbs only, not adjectives. For a state that results from a completed action use -아/어 있다: 의자에 앉아 있어요 (is seated), 문이 열려 있어요.
Examples
지금 친구를 기다리고 있어요.
I'm waiting for a friend now.
동생은 오늘 하얀 셔츠를 입고 있어요.
My younger sibling is wearing a white shirt today.
Compared with similar patterns
-아/어 있다 describes the resulting state (앉아 있다, 문이 열려 있다); -는 중이다 means 'in the middle of' and stresses being busy with something.