Grammar · Tense

-고 있어요, doing right now

Pattern

[stem] + 고 있어요

Stem plus 고 있어요 stresses that an action is in progress: 먹고 있어요 'I am eating (at this moment)'. There is no vowel rule; the stem simply takes 고. For the past, change the ending: 자고 있었어요 'I was sleeping'.

The mistake to avoid

The plain -아요/-어요 form already covers 'I am doing' in most sentences. Use -고 있어요 when you want to stress 'right now'.

Examples

Romanisation help

지금 밥을 먹고 있어요.

jigeum babeul meokgo isseoyo.

I am eating right now.

뭐 하고 있어요?

mwo hago isseoyo?

What are you doing?

한국어를 배우고 있어요.

hangugeoreul baeugo isseoyo.

I am learning Korean.

친구를 기다리고 있어요.

chingureul gidarigo isseoyo.

I am waiting for a friend.