Breakdown of jigeum jeonhwareul hago isseoyo.
하다hada
to do
~을~eul
object particle
있다issda
to be
지금jigeum
now
전화jeonhwa
phone call
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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:
- Take the verb stem: 하 (from 전화하다)
- Add -고: 하 + 고 → 하고
- 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.