jigeum jeonhwareul hago isseoyo.

지금 전화를 하고 있어요.jigeum jeonhwareul hago isseoyo.
I am making a phone call now.
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Questions & Answers about jigeum jeonhwareul hago isseoyo.

What does 지금 mean and where can it be placed in a sentence?

지금 means “now” and functions as a time adverb in Korean. You can place it:

  • At the very beginning for emphasis: 지금 전화를 하고 있어요.
  • Directly before the verb or verb phrase: 전화를 지금 하고 있어요.
    Placing it after the verb (e.g., 전화를 하고 있어요 지금) sounds unnatural.
Why is 전화를 followed by the object particle -를?

Korean marks direct objects with -을/를:

  • 을 after a consonant-ending noun
  • 를 after a vowel-ending noun
    Since 전화 ends in the vowel ㅏ, you attach 를 to get 전화를. This tells you that “call” is what you’re doing (i.e. the object of -하다).
What is the verb 전화하다, and how do you conjugate it?

전화하다 is a compound verb made of:

  • 전화 (Sino-Korean noun for “telephone” or “phone call”)
  • 하다 (“to do” or “to make”)
    Together it means “to make a phone call.” Conjugation follows regular -하다 patterns:
  • 전화해요 (present polite)
  • 전화했어요 (past polite)
  • 전화할 거예요 (future polite)
How does the progressive form -고 있어요 work?

The structure verb stem + -고 있다 indicates an action in progress (like English “-ing”). Steps:

  1. Take the verb stem: 하 (from 전화하다)
  2. Add -고: 하 + 고 → 하고
  3. Add 있다 and conjugate politely: 있어요
    So 전화하고 있어요 = “I am making a phone call right now.”
What’s the difference between 전화해요 and 전화하고 있어요?
  • 전화해요 (simple present) can mean “I make phone calls” (habitually) or “[I] will call.”
  • 전화하고 있어요 (present progressive) specifically emphasizes “I am calling at this very moment.”
How do speech levels affect -고 있어요?

You can adjust the politeness/formality of -고 있다 just like other verbs:

  • Casual: 전화하고 있어 (to close friends or family)
  • Polite (standard): 전화하고 있어요 (to acquaintances, strangers)
  • Formal: 전화하고 있습니다 (in announcements, news broadcasts, business)
Is it OK to drop the object particle -를 in casual speech?

Yes, in very informal spoken Korean some drop particles for brevity:

  • 지금 전화를 하고 있어요 → 지금 전화 하고 있어
    However, this is colloquial and not recommended in writing or polite settings.
Are there alternative ways to say “I’m on the phone right now”?

Yes. A common shortcut is 전화 중이다 (“to be in the middle of a call”):

  • 지금 전화 중이에요.
    You can also say 전화를 하는 중이에요, but 전화 중이에요 is more natural in speech.