TOPIK I · LEVEL 2
-고 있다
-고 있다 shows that an action is in progress at a certain moment, or is ongoing over a period of time ("be doing").
시제·상Tense & aspectHan: 앉다 is a change of position; to say someone is seated (the resulting state), use -아/어 있다. 앉고 있어요 would mean the act of sitting down is still in progress.
Examples
어제 저녁 여덟 시에 집에서 드라마를 보고 있었어요.At eight last night I was watching a drama at home.
요즘 주말마다 수영을 배우고 있어요.These days I'm learning to swim every weekend.
지금 친구하고 통화하고 있어요.I'm on the phone with a friend right now.
할아버지께서는 방에서 신문을 읽고 계세요.Grandfather is reading the newspaper in his room.
Don’t mix up
-고 있다vs-아/어 있다-고 있다 shows the action itself in progress; -아/어 있다 shows a state that remains after a change is completed (with verbs like 앉다, 서다, 열리다): 문을 열고 있어요 'I'm opening the door' vs 문이 열려 있어요 'The door is open'.-고 있다vs-는 중이다-는 중이다 stresses being in the middle of a temporary activity and does not combine with state verbs like 알다: 지금 회의하는 중이에요 is fine, but say 알고 있어요, not 아는 중이에요.-고 있다vs-아/어요 (present)The plain present is neutral (habit, now or near future), while -고 있다 clearly marks an action happening at that moment: 아침마다 커피를 마셔요 (habit) vs 지금 커피를 마시고 있어요 (right now).
How to build it
V+고 있다 (honorific subject: V + 고 계시다)
먹다 → 먹고 있어요 / 먹고 있었어요 / 드시고 계세요
- Use it with action verbs, not adjectives. For a changing quality, add -아/어지다 first: 추워지고 있어요 (it is getting colder), not 춥고 있어요.
- Tense goes on 있다, not on the main verb: 보고 있었어요 (was watching), not 봤고 있어요.
- When the subject is someone you show respect to, use -고 계시다: 할머니께서 주무시고 계세요.
- With wearing verbs (입다, 신다, 쓰다, 끼다) it usually describes the state of wearing: 안경을 쓰고 있어요 = he is wearing glasses.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 동생은 지금 소파에 앉고 있어요.
Right: 동생은 지금 소파에 앉아 있어요.
앉다 is a change of position; to say someone is seated (the resulting state), use -아/어 있다. 앉고 있어요 would mean the act of sitting down is still in progress.
Practise -고 있다 on real TOPIK questions
Hannim plans each day up to your exam date: questions on this pattern, reviews, full mock papers and graded writing. 7 days free, no card.
Start 7-day free trialMore level 2 grammar
All TOPIK grammar- -(으)ㄹ 것이다 (것이에요)-(으)ㄹ 거예요 talks about the future: with 'I/we' it states a plan you already have, and about others or things it gives your guess ("probably will").
- -기 시작하다-기 시작하다 means 'to begin to do / start doing'.
- -겠--겠- shows the speaker's intention ('I will') or a guess based on what they see or hear ('it must be').
- -아/어 있다-아/어 있다 describes a state that continues after an action has finished, like a door that stays open after it was opened.
- -(으)면-(으)면 attaches to a verb or adjective to set a condition: "if X happens or is true, then Y," and it can also mean "whenever X" for things that regularly happen.
- -(으)ㄴ 지Shows how much time has passed since an action happened.
- -(으)ㄹ 것Ends a written instruction or rule with a noun-like command: 'do X; X is to be done'. Impersonal and firm; used in notices, exam instructions, memos and rule lists.
- -(으)ㄹ 때Attaches to a verb or adjective to say at what time or in what situation something happens: 'when …'.
- -(으)면 안 되다States that an action is not allowed or not acceptable: 'you must not… / it's not okay to…'.