Korean grammar · Level 2 · 2급
V-고 있다
Doing it right now
-고 있어요 says an action is going on — like English “-ing”. Add it straight to the stem, with no vowel rule. For someone you respect, use -고 계세요. It also covers longer situations: 서울에 살고 있어요, “I'm living in Seoul”.
| When | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| any verb | -고 있어요 | 정리하다 → 정리하고 있어요 · 먹다 → 먹고 있어요 |
| someone you respect | -고 계세요 | 주무시고 계세요 · 읽고 계세요 |
Examples
지금 짐을 정리하고 있어요.
I'm sorting my things out now.
호야 씨는 뭐 하고 있어요?
What is Hoya doing?
할머니께서 주무시고 계세요.
Grandma is sleeping.
Practise it in context · Level 2, Unit 8
I just moved house
A dialogue with audio, practice that checks itself, Hoya’s mistakes, a reading and a writing task.
Open the unit →