Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 2 - Korean for Beginners #1 (Lessons 31 to 60) ᚛ Lesson 38 - The Progressive Tense in Korean – Be + -ing

The Progressive Tense in Korean – Be + -ing

In this course: 고 있다 / 고 있어 / 고 있어요 / 고 있습니다

The progressive tense

In Korean, to indicate that one is / was / will be in the middle of doing something, we follow the following form:
[Stem]고 있다

• 먹다 → 먹고 있다 (= to be eating)
• 읽다 → 읽고 있다 (= to be reading)
• 하다 → 하고 있다 (= to be doing)

The new verb with -고 있다 that is created can be conjugated to all of the possible forms of conjugation.

현경이는 공부하고 있어요.
→ Hyeongyeong is studying.

그때 전화하고 있었어요.
→ At that moment I was calling.

지금 밥 먹고 있어.
→ I am eating (a meal) right now.

강아지가 잠을 자고 있습니다.
→ The puppy is sleeping.

그때는 아빠가 부대찌개를 요리하고 있을 거야.
→ At that time, Dad will be cooking budae-jjigae.

누나는 고양이 사진을 찍고 있었어.
→ My older sister was taking pictures of the cat.

그녀는 이미 알고 있었어.
→ She already knew it.

Negation of the progressive tense

Summary table of structure

Exercises

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