LEARN KOREAN (한국어) [GRAMMAR] #1

CONJUGATING 있다 AND 있다

있다 is one of the most complex and versatile words in Korean. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most common words. It is often very difficult for learners of a language to fully understand some of the most commonly used words in whatever language they are studying.

있다 can be an adjective, or it can be a verb. Whether it is an adjective or a verb depends on its usage.

있다 is an adjective when it is used to indicate that one "has" something. For example:

나는 펜이 있다 - I have a pen
나는 차가 있다 - I have a car
나는 가방이 있다 - I have a bag

Because this 있다 is considered an adjective, we follow the rule for conjugating an adjective to the present tense – which is do nothing and leave the adjective the way it is. So, those three sentences above are perfectly conjugated and grammatically correct.

When 있다 is used to indicate that something/someone is "at/in" a location, it is also an adjective. This is also very difficult for an English speaker to wrap their head around. You learned these sentences:

나는 은행 안에 있다 - I am inside the bank
개는 집 안에 있다 - The dog is inside the house
고양이는 의자 밑에 있다 - The cat is under the chair

Again, because this usage of 있다 is considered an adjective, we follow the rule for conjugating an adjective to the present tense – which is do nothing and leave the adjective the way it is. So, those three sentences above are perfectly conjugated in the plain form and grammatically correct.

However, the usage 있다 is much more complex than just these two meanings. 있다 has many usages. In fact, there are times when 있다 is considered a verb. What I want you to take from this is that 있다 can be a verb – and thus – is conjugated as a verb sometimes. Therefore, although the example sentences above with 있다 are properly conjugated, there are times when the proper conjugation of 있다 in the "plain form" would be 있는다.

있다 is considered a verb when a person (or animal) is not only "at" a location, but "staying" at a location or in a state for a period of time. The difference between the adjective 있다 (to indicate something/someone is at a location) and the verb 있다 (to indicate that someone stays at a location or in a state) is confusing.

Below are some complicated ways that 있다 can be seen as a verb. You absolutely do not need to understand these now.
• When 아/어 있다 is used to indicate the passive state of a verb
• When 고 있다 is used to indicate one continues doing something
• When telling somebody to stay in a location or in a state
• When 자 is used to make a suggestion to stay in a place