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KOREAN PAST PROGRESSIVE WITH 고 있었다
The Past Progressive Tense in Korean is used to describe an action that was in progress at a certain point in the past.
This tense is formed using “고 있었다” and is often used to emphasize the continuation or ongoing nature of an action that happened in the past.
It is similar to the English structure “was/were -ing.”
COMPONENTS OF 고 있었다
The phrase “고 있었다” is composed of:
- 고: a connective ending indicating the continuation of an action.
- 있다: a verb meaning “to be,” indicating the state of doing something.
- 었다: a phrase that indicates the past tense, meaning “was” or “were.”
STRUCTURE WITH 고 있었다
To form the Past Progressive Tense in Korean, follow this structure:
PATTERN
Verb Stem + 고 있었다
This construction is flexible and can be adapted to both informal and formal speech.
When using honorifics, replace “있었다” with “계셨다.”
Informal form:
|
가다
to go |
가고 있었어
gago isseosseo | “was going” |
Polite form:
|
먹다
to eat |
먹고 있었어요
meokgo isseosseoyo | “was eating” |
Honorific form:
|
읽다
to read |
읽고 계셨어요
ilkgo gyesyeosseoyo | “was reading” |
USAGE OF 고 있었다
The Past Progressive Tense is used in several contexts:
To describe an action that was in progress at a specific past time:
| 어제 이 시간에 저는 책을 읽고 있었어요. | I was reading a book at this time yesterday. |
To describe a background action or ongoing state in the past:
| 친구들이 도착할 때 우리는 요리하고 있었습니다. | We were cooking when our friends arrived. |
To emphasize the continuity of an action that was happening over time in the past:
| 학생들이 오후에 도서관에서 공부하고 있었어요. | The students were studying in the library in the afternoon. |
To politely inquire or talk about what someone was doing in the past:
| 어제 오후에 뭐 하고 있었어요? | What were you doing yesterday afternoon? |
EXAMPLES WITH 고 있었다
Below are detailed examples of using “고 있었다” in various contexts, with both standard and honorific forms:
| Action in Progress | 어제 이 시간에 저는 수영장에서 수영하고 있었어요 | I was swimming at the pool at this time yesterday. |
| Background Action | 영업 팀은 오후에도 여전히 회의를 하고 charset="utf-8"> | The sales team was still having a meeting in the afternoon. |
| Emphasizing Continuity | 우리는 밤새도록 문제 해결을 위해 노력하고 charset="utf-8"> | We were working all night to solve the problem. |
| Honorific Usage | 선생님께서는 어제 오후 학교에 charset="utf-8"> | The teacher was at school yesterday afternoon. |
| Making Suggestions | 오후에 같이 산책하고 charset="utf-8"> | Were we taking a walk together in the afternoon? |
| Honorific Usage | 어머니께서는 저녁을 준비하고 charset="utf-8"> | My mother was preparing dinner. |
PAST PROGRESSIVE NEGATIVE TENSE
The negative form of the past progressive tense is used to indicate that an action was not in progress at a certain point in the past.
PATTERN
Verb Stem + 고 있지 않았다
| 가다 to go | → | 가고 있지 않았어 was not going |
| 먹다 to eat | → | 먹고 있지 않았어요 was not eating |
More usages of the negative form for past progressive in Korean:
| Action Not in Progress | 그는 전화를 받고 있지 않았어요. | He was not answering the phone. |
| Background Action | 우리가 도착했을 때 그들은 청소하고 있지 charset="utf-8"> | When we arrived, they were not cleaning. |
| Emphasizing Non-Continuity | 그녀는 숙제를 하고 있지 charset="utf-8"> | She was not doing her homework. |
| Honorific Usage | 아버지께서는 텔레비전을 보고 계시지 charset="utf-8"> | My mother was preparing dinner. |
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FAQs
How to form the past progressive in Korean?
To form the past progressive, add -고 있었다 to the verb stem (e.g., 읽다 → 읽고 있었다 for “was reading”).
What difference between past simple and past progressive?
The past progressive emphasizes an action that was ongoing in the past, while the simple past shows a completed action.
Can past progressive be used in formal context?
Yes, you can use -고 있었습니다 in formal situations.
How to make past progressive negative?
You can negate it by adding 안 before -고 있었다 or using -지 않고 있었다 (e.g., 안 읽고 있었어요 for “was not reading”).
Where to find more lessons like this?
You can visit our Korean Grammar Bank for more lessons on levels A1, A2, B1 and B2.
Can I learn Korean with LTL Language School?
Yes!
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