고 있어요 vs 아요/어요
Try it freeContrast quizPick the right form in a mini quiz.Open →Explanation
Plain 아요/어요 often covers present habits and current actions without progressive.
-고 있어요 stresses ongoing action: 지금 공부하고 있어요.
English progressive does not always force -고 있다: 살아요 can mean “I live.”
Mistake: 지금 먹어요 vs 먹고 있어요: both can work; pick progressive when duration/ongoingness matters.
Level: elementary. Read both sides of the contrast, say the examples out loud, then write one correct and one incorrect sentence and fix it.
Cross-link: open the related grammar or tools page the same day so the fix sticks in your study graph.
Examples
한국어를 공부해요.
I study Korean. / I’m studying Korean.
지금 밥을 먹고 있어요.
I’m eating right now.
Common mistakes
- Translating the English pair word-for-word without checking which Korean form carries the real distinction.
- Treating the two forms as free synonyms after memorizing only one example.
Keep learning
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