Learn Hardcore Korean: naneun gyesok gongbuhago isseoyo.

계속 is an adverb meaning “continuously,” “keep on,” or “go on.” In Korean, adverbs typically come before the verb or verb phrase they modify, so 계속 is placed immediately before 공부하고 있어요 to emphasize that the studying has been ongoing without interruption.

Why do we say 공부하고 있어요 instead of just 공부 있어요?

Korean expresses the idea of an ongoing action (the progressive aspect) with the construction -고 있다. You take the verb stem, add -고, and then attach the conjugated form of 있다. Simply saying 공부 있어요 would literally be “there is study,” which isn’t how you form the progressive in Korean.

How exactly do you form the progressive tense from the verb 공부하다?

Start with 공부하다.
Drop -다 to get the stem 공부하.
Add -고 → 공부하고.
Conjugate 있다 to the polite informal present → 있어요.
Combine → 공부하고 있어요 (“I am studying”).

What’s the difference between 계속 공부해요 and 계속 공부하고 있어요?

계속 공부해요 can describe a habitual or repeated action: “I keep studying (as a general routine).”
계속 공부하고 있어요 focuses on the fact that you are in the middle of studying right now (“I am studying continuously at this moment”).

Why is it 공부하고 있어요 and not 공부를 하고 있어요?

공부하다 is a compound verb made from the noun 공부 (“study”) + the verb 하다 (“do”), so it functions as one verb and doesn’t need the object marker 를. You can say 공부를 하고 있어요 for extra emphasis on “doing the study,” but it’s not necessary.

What is the function of 나는 in this sentence, and can it be omitted?

나는 is the topic marker meaning “as for me.” In Korean, once the topic or subject is clear from context, you usually drop pronouns. So you can simply say 계속 공부하고 있어요 if it’s obvious you’re talking about yourself.

What level of politeness is expressed by the -요 in 있어요, and how would you make this sentence more formal or honorific?

The -요 ending marks the polite informal speech level (해요체).

To be more formal/deferential (합니다체), say: 계속 공부하고 있습니다.
To add an honorific nuance (respect toward the person you’re talking about), say: 계속 공부하고 계세요.

Can you replace 계속 with 여전히 or 아직, and what are the nuance differences?

여전히 (“still”) and 아직 (도) (“still/yet”) both indicate that something remains unchanged.
계속 stresses continuous uninterrupted action from a neutral standpoint.
아직 often carries the nuance “I expected it to be done by now, but it isn’t”: 아직 공부하고 있어요 = “I’m still studying (and I thought I’d be done).”
여전히 is similar to 아직, but slightly more formal or literary.

What’s the difference between 공부하고 있어요 and 공부 중이에요?

공부하고 있어요 uses the progressive construction -고 있다.
공부 중이에요 attaches 중 (“middle”) to the verb stem 공부 (as a noun) and then 이에요.
Both mean “I’m studying right now,” but 공부 중이에요 is a more concise way to say “in the middle of studying.”