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Questions & Answers about muneul datgo isseoyo.
What does the ending -고 있어요 express in 문을 닫고 있어요?
-고 있다 marks the progressive aspect—an action in progress. So 문을 닫고 있어요 literally means “(I/they) am/are in the middle of closing the door,” equivalent to English “(I’m) closing the door.”
Why is 문 followed by -을?
-을 is the object particle. Since 닫다 is a transitive verb (it acts on something), you attach -을 to 문 (door) to show “door” is the direct object.
Why is there no subject in 문을 닫고 있어요?
Korean often omits the subject when it’s clear from context. The speaker, listener, or situation implies who’s doing the action, so you don’t have to state it.
How can I explicitly say “I am closing the door”?
Add a subject/topic:
- 저는 문을 닫고 있어요 (As for me, I’m closing the door.)
- 제가 문을 닫고 있어요 (I—specifically—am the one closing the door.)
Both are polite; 제가 places more emphasis on “I.”
How would you make 문을 닫고 있어요 more formal?
Use the formal polite ending -고 있습니다:
- 문을 닫고 있습니다 (formal polite)
If you need honorific for someone senior: - 문을 닫고 계세요
What’s the difference between 닫고 있다 and 닫아 놓다?
- 닫고 있다 (문을 닫고 있어요) focuses on the ongoing action (“is closing”).
- 닫아 놓다 shows that the action was completed and the resulting state remains (“has closed it (and left it closed)”).
How do I say “The door is closed” to describe its state rather than an ongoing action?
Use the passive/state construction 닫혀 있다:
- 문이 닫혀 있어요 (“The door is (already) closed.”)
Can you use -고 있다 with other verbs the same way?
Yes. Attach -고 있다 to any verb stem for the progressive:
- 먹다 → 먹고 있어요 (“am eating”)
- 읽다 → 읽고 있어요 (“am reading”)
- 공부하다 → 공부하고 있어요 (“am studying”)
More from this lesson
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“How do speech levels work in Korean?”
Korean has multiple speech levels that indicate formality and politeness. The most common are the formal polite (‑습니다/‑ㅂ니다), informal polite (‑아요/‑어요), and casual (‑아/‑어) forms. Which level you use depends on who you're speaking to and the social context.
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