TOPIK II · LEVEL 3
-는 중이다
Shows that someone is right in the middle of an action, either now or at a given moment in the past.
시제·상Tense & aspectHan: The verb before 중 always stays in the present form -는; the past tense goes only on 이다 (중이었어요).
Examples
집에 가는 중인데 뭐 사 갈까?I'm on my way home. Should I pick something up?
요즘 이사할 집을 알아보는 중이에요.These days I'm looking for a place to move to.
지금 회의하는 중이라서 이따가 전화할게요.I'm in a meeting right now, so I'll call you later.
친구가 왔을 때 저는 저녁을 준비하는 중이었어요.When my friend arrived, I was in the middle of making dinner.
Don’t mix up
-는 중이다vs-고 있다-고 있다 also covers habits and resulting states (wearing, holding); -는 중이다 only means 'in the act of': 빨간 옷을 입고 있어요 (is wearing) vs 옷을 입는 중이에요 (is getting dressed).-는 중이다vs-는 길이다-는 길이다 means 'on the way' and works only with movement verbs like 가다/오다: 학교에 가는 길이에요, but 숙제하는 중이에요 (not *숙제하는 길이에요).
-는 중이다vs-는 동안-는 동안 links two clauses ('while') and does not end the sentence: 밥을 먹는 동안 전화가 왔어요 vs 밥을 먹는 중이에요.How to build it
V+는 중이다
N (action noun)+중이다
먹다 → 먹는 중이에요; 회의 → 회의 중이에요
- Attach it to action verbs. Adjectives and state verbs like 알다 or 있다 cannot take it (*바쁜 중이에요, *아는 중이에요).
- For the past, put the tense on 이다 (-는 중이었다). Do not add -었- to the verb itself (*먹었는 중이었어요).
- With nouns, use an action noun directly before 중: 회의 중, 수업 중, 통화 중. Ordinary nouns such as 학교 or 책 do not work this way.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 전화가 왔을 때 저는 샤워했는 중이었어요.
Right: 전화가 왔을 때 저는 샤워하는 중이었어요.
The verb before 중 always stays in the present form -는; the past tense goes only on 이다 (중이었어요).
Practise -는 중이다 on real TOPIK questions
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All TOPIK grammar- -던-던 describes a noun with an action that was ongoing, repeated or left unfinished in the past: 'that I used to / was doing'.
- -고 말다Says that something ended up happening in the end, usually against one's wishes or expectations (often with regret); with -겠다 it expresses strong determination.
- -곤 하다-곤 하다 says something was done repeatedly, as a habit: 'used to / would often'.
- -아/어 오다 (화자 쪽으로)Shows that someone else's action is directed toward the speaker or the speaker's side: 'X contacted us, X proposed to me, X came asking'. Common in reports and news.
- -아/어 가다/오다-아/어 가다 means a change continuing from now into the future; -아/어 오다 means a change that has continued up to now.
- -아/어 두다(놓다)-아/어 두다(놓다) means you do something on purpose and leave the result in place, usually so it is ready for later.
- -아/어 버리다-아/어 버리다 shows that an action is completely finished and gone, usually adding the speaker's feeling of regret ("ended up") or relief ("got it over with").
- -았/었었--았/었었- is the 'more past' form: something was true or done in the past but is no longer so.
- -(으)ㅁ-(으)ㅁ turns a verb or adjective into a noun; it is used in notes, notices, memos and written records.