Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 5 - Intermediate Korean #2 (Lessons 121 to 150) ᚛ Lesson 133 - Continuity, state in Korean [-아/어 있다]
Continuity, state in Korean [-아/어 있다]
The state of an action
In Korean, it is possible to use the verb 있다 to express a situation, the state of a fact whose action is finished but which lasts over time. For this, the following structure is used:
[Verb conjugated to the present tense casual style] 있다
The -아/어 있다 form is particularly used with the passive verbs seen in the previous lesson, but not only.
- 눕다 (= to lie down) → 누워 있다 (= to be in the "lying down" state)
- 숨다 (= to hide) → 숨어 있다 (= to be in the "hidden" state)
- 붙다 (= to stick) → 붙어 있다 (= to be in the "stuck" state)
- …
The -아/어 있다 structure allows us to indicate the lasting, unchanging state of an object or a person. Let’s look at a few examples to understand well when to use this form.
문에 전단지가 붙어 있어요.
→ A flyer is stuck on the door.
In this sentence, we indicate that a flyer is currently stuck on the door, that this has been the case for a while, and that this should not change anytime soon. The flyer is currently in the "stuck" state until further notice.
저는 누워 있어요.
→ I am lying down.
In this sentence, we indicate that I am lying down, have been for a while, and that I do not intend to get up right away. I am currently in the "lying down" state until I decide otherwise.
Note that when the verb concerns a person towards whom we use honorifics, the verb 계시다 is used instead of the verb 있다.
할머니께서는 누워 계세요?
→ Is Grandmother lying down?
불이 켜져 있네요.
→ Oh, the light is on.
재현이는 의자에 앉아 있었다.
→ Jaehyeon was sitting on the chair.
왜 서 있니?
→ Why are you standing?
차가 아직 고장나 있나요?
→ Is the car still broken down?
길에 예쁜 꽃들이 피어 있어요.
→ Pretty flowers are in bloom along the road.
과일에 농약이 남아 있으니 잘 닦아서 드세요.
→ Since there are pesticides left on the fruit, wash it well before eating it.
아침 8시에 데리러 올게. 7시 반에는 깨어 있어야 해.
→ I’ll come pick you up at 8:00 in the morning. You have to be awake by 7:30.
Difference between -아/어 있다 and -고 있다
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Summary table of structure
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Exercises
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Particles are omnipresent in Korean. They indicate the role of words in a sentence, nuance meaning, and make it possible to understand who does what, where, how, and why.
Particles are also often the aspect that causes the most difficulty for Korean learners. In grammar books, they are usually presented in the middle of long sentences, with complex vocabulary, without being clearly highlighted.
With Korean Particles, we made the opposite choice:
taking the time to explain each particle, one by one, using very simple sentences, accessible even to beginners.
