Ongoing State -어/아 있다

Category
Intermediate Grammar
Keyword #
상태, 지속

TL;DR

  • -어/아 있다 shows the current state that resulted from a past action 🎯
  • Use it when something was done and that result is still ongoing (like "the door is open" because someone opened it) 🚪✨
  • Different from

TL;DR

  • -어/아 있다 shows the current state that resulted from a past action 🎯
  • Use it when something was done and that result is still ongoing (like "the door is open" because someone opened it) 🚪✨
  • Different from -고 있다 (ongoing action) — this is about the state that remains, not the action itself! 🎭

What is -어/아 있다? 🤔

-어/아 있다 describes a state that exists because of a completed action 🎨
Think of it like this: Someone did something → that action is done → but the result is still there ✨

When to Use It 💡

Use -어/아 있다 when you want to show that something is in a certain state right now because of what happened before 🌟
→ 문이 열어 있어요. (The door is open — someone opened it, and it's still open) 🚪
→ 가방이 놓여 있어요. (The bag is placed there — someone put it down, and it's still there) 🎒
→ 불이 켜져 있어요. (The light is on — someone turned it on, and it's still on) 💡

How to Form It 🔧

Verb stem + -어/아 있다
Follow the same vowel harmony rules as regular -어요/-아요 🎵
ㅏ/ㅗ vowels → -아 있다
Other vowels → -어 있다
하다 verbs → -여 있다 (becomes 해 있다)
→ 앉다 → 앉아 있다 (to be sitting) 🪑
→ 서다 → 서 있다 (to be standing) 🧍
→ 입다 → 입어 있다 (to be wearing) 👕

-어/아 있다 vs -고 있다 ⚖️

This is super important to understand! 🎯
-고 있다 = ongoing action (the action is happening right now) 🏃
-어/아 있다 = ongoing state (the result of a completed action) 🛋️
→ 문을 열고 있어요. (I'm opening the door right now — action in progress) 🚪💨
→ 문이 열어 있어요. (The door is open — it's in an open state) 🚪✨
→ 앉고 있어요. (I'm sitting down right now — the action of sitting) 🪑💫
→ 앉아 있어요. (I'm seated — in a sitting state) 🪑😌

Common Verbs with -어/아 있다 📝

Some verbs are especially common with this pattern because they naturally create lasting states 🌈
→ 쓰여 있다 (to be written) ✍️
→ 걸려 있다 (to be hung/hanging) 🖼️
→ 붙어 있다 (to be attached/stuck) 📌
→ 놓여 있다 (to be placed) 📦
→ 세워져 있다 (to be standing/erected) 🏛️
→ 잠겨 있다 (to be locked) 🔒

More Examples 💬

→ 벽에 사진이 걸려 있어요. (A photo is hanging on the wall) 🖼️
→ 책상 위에 책이 놓여 있어요. (A book is placed on the desk) 📚
→ 칠판에 이름이 쓰여 있어요. (A name is written on the board) ✏️
→ 그는 모자를 쓰고 있어요. (He's wearing a hat — it's on his head) 🧢
→ 창문이 닫혀 있어요. (The window is closed) 🪟

Exceptions & Special Notes ⚠️

Passive verbs are often used with -어/아 있다 🔄
Many of the common examples use passive forms (like 쓰여 있다 from 쓰이다, not 쓰다) because the result naturally comes from someone else's action 🎭
→ 문이 열리다 → 열려 있다 (to be in an opened state) 🚪
Some verbs don't work well with this pattern 🚫
Verbs that describe instant actions without lasting results (like 먹다, 가다) usually don't use -어/아 있다 naturally ❌
→ 먹어 있다 (doesn't make sense — eating doesn't leave you in an "eaten state") 🍴
→ 가 있다 (doesn't work — "going" isn't a state) 🚶
You've got this! 💪✨ Keep practicing and soon you'll naturally feel the difference between actions and states! 🌟😊
 
Try the following exercise.
Fill in the blanks using -어/아 있다 to describe the ongoing state. 📝
  • 창문이 __. (열다)
      • Answer
      열려 있어요
 
 
  • 문이 __. (닫다)
      • Answer
      닫혀 있어요
 
 
  • 벽에 사진이 __. (걸다)
      • Answer
      걸려 있어요
 
 
  • 책상 위에 책이 __. (놓다)
      • Answer
      놓여 있어요
 
 
  • 컴퓨터가 __. (켜다)
      • Answer
      켜져 있어요
 
 
  • 의자가 __. (놓이다)
      • Answer
      놓여 있어요
 
 
  • 가방이 바닥에 __. (떨어지다)
      • Answer
      떨어져 있어요
 
 
  • 불이 __. (꺼지다)
      • Answer
      꺼져 있어요
 
 
  • 옷이 옷장에 __. (걸리다)
      • Answer
      걸려 있어요
 
 
  • 신발이 현관에 __. (벗다)
      • Answer
      벗어져 있어요 / 벗겨져 있어요
Vocabulary
창문 - window
열다 - to open
문 - door
닫다 - to close
벽 - wall
사진 - photo
걸다 - to hang
책상 - desk
놓다 - to place
컴퓨터 - computer
켜다 - to turn on
의자 - chair
가방 - bag
바닥 - floor
떨어지다 - to fall
불 - light
꺼지다 - to turn off
옷 - clothes
옷장 - closet
걸리다 - to be hung
신발 - shoes
현관 - entrance
벗다 - to take off

Common mistakes

  • 🚫 Don't confuse -어/아 있다 (ongoing state) with -고 있다 (ongoing action). Use -어/아 있다 for states that result from a completed action.
  • 🚫 Remember to use the passive form of the verb when appropriate. For example, "열려 있다" (is open) not "열어 있다".
  • 🚫 -어/아 있다 cannot be used with all verbs—only those that create a visible, lasting state.
  • 🚫 Don't forget irregular conjugations: 듣다 → 들어 있다, 걷다 → 걸어 있다.