Hello! Welcome to [Daily Hangul], here to upgrade your Korean skills!
Have you ever watched your favorite K-Pop idol’s live stream? They love to share what they’re doing at that very moment, creating a special connection with their fans. They might say, “지금 밥 먹고 있어요” (I’m eating right now) or “촬영하고 있어요” (I’m filming now).
Today, you’ll learn the magic grammar that makes this possible: ~고 있어 (~go isseo). It’s the key to talking about what’s happening right now. By the end of this post, you’ll be able to tell your friends exactly what you’re doing, just like a K-Pop star!
Core Expressions You Need to Know
Here are the essential building blocks for describing actions in real-time.
1. The Magic Formula: ~고 있어 (~go isseo)
- Korean Expression: ~고 있어
- Pronunciation [Romanization]: ~go isseo
- English Meaning: I am (-ing) / You are (-ing)
- Detailed Explanation: This is the present continuous tense in Korean! You attach it to the stem of a verb to show that an action is currently in progress. For example, take the verb “to go,” 가다 (gada). Remove the
다 (da)to get the stem 가 (ga), and then add고 있어 (go isseo). Voila! You have 가고 있어 (gago isseo), which means “I’m going.” This is an informal expression, perfect for talking to friends! (To be more polite, you can say~고 있어요 (~go isseoyo)). - 💡 Pronunciation Tip: The
ㅆ (ss)in있어 (isseo)is a “tensed” sound. It’s stronger and higher-pitched than a singleㅅ (s). Make sure you pronounce it with a bit of force, like the “ss” in “miss,” to sound natural. It’s [is-seo], not [i-seo].
2. I’m Playing the Guitar: 기타 치고 있어 (gita chigo isseo)
- Korean Expression: 기타 치고 있어
- Pronunciation [Romanization]: Gita chigo isseo
- English Meaning: I’m playing the guitar.
- Detailed Explanation: Let’s break it down! 기타 (gita) means “guitar,” and 치다 (chida) is a versatile verb that means “to hit” or “to play” for instruments you strike, like a guitar or piano. So,
치(다) + 고 있어becomes 치고 있어 (chigo isseo). - 💡 Pronunciation Tip: The
ㅊ (ch)sound is an “aspirated” sound. This means you should release a small puff of air when you say it. Hold your hand in front of your mouth. When you say [chi-go], you should feel the air! It’s different fromㅈ (j), which has no air puff.
3. I’m Eating: 밥 먹고 있어 (bap meokgo isseo)
- Korean Expression: 밥 먹고 있어
- Pronunciation [Romanization]: Bap meokgo isseo
- English Meaning: I’m eating (a meal).
- Detailed Explanation: This is one of the most common phrases you’ll hear in daily Korean life. 밥 (bap) means “rice,” but it’s often used to mean “a meal” in general. 먹다 (meokda) is the verb “to eat.” Put them together, and you can let your friends know you’re busy enjoying some delicious food!
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip: This one has a cool sound-change rule! When the final consonant
ㄱ (k)in먹 (meok)meets theㄱ (g)in고 (go), the second sound becomes tense. So, instead of saying [meok-go], native speakers pronounce it as [먹꼬 (meok-kko)]. Try it! This small change will make you sound much more fluent.
Example Dialogue
See how these expressions come to life in a real conversation! Imagine two friends, A and B, are texting.
- A: 뭐 해?
- [Mwo hae?]
- What are you doing?
- B: 나 지금 aespa 유튜브 보고 있어! 완전 재밌어!
- [Na jigeum aespa yutyubeu bogo isseo! Wanjeon jaemisseo!]
- I’m watching aespa’s YouTube right now! It’s so fun!
- A: 진짜? 뭐 하고 있어?
- [Jinjja? Mwo hago isseo?]
- Really? What are they doing?
- B: 멤버들이 같이 저녁 밥 먹고 있어. 너무 귀여워!
- [Membeodeuri gachi jeonyeok bap meokgo isseo. Neomu gwiyeowo!]
- The members are eating dinner together. They’re so cute!
Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive
In Korea, real-time communication is a huge part of the culture, especially in the world of K-Pop. Platforms like Weverse and Instagram Live are all about this instant connection.
When an idol starts a live stream and says, “여러분, 저 지금 연습 끝나고 집 가고 있어요!” (Everyone, I just finished practice and I’m going home now!), it breaks down the barrier between the star and the fan. Using ~고 있어(요) makes fans feel like they are a part of the idol’s daily life, sharing a moment with them.
You can use this in your own life, too! Texting a Korean friend “나 지금 버스 타고 있어” (na jigeum beoseu tago isseo – I’m on the bus now) is a very natural way to update them on your whereabouts. It’s all about sharing the “now”!
Let’s Review & Practice!
Great job! You’ve learned how to describe what’s happening right now with ~고 있어. It’s simple: Verb Stem + ~고 있어.
Now, let’s test your knowledge!
1. Fill in the Blank:
Your friend asks what you’re doing. You are studying Korean. How do you respond?
(Hint: “To study” is 공부하다 [gongbuhada])
나 지금 한국어 _______.(Na jigeum hangugeo _______.)
2. Make a Sentence:
How would you say “I’m listening to music” in a text to your friend?
(Hint: “Music” is 음악 [eumak], and “to listen” is 듣다 [deutda])
Think you know the answers?
What are YOU doing right now? 지금 뭐 하고 있어요?
Leave a comment below using the ~고 있어 grammar we learned today. We’d love to see you practice
