What mistake do English speakers make with -아/어 있다?

-고 있다 for actions (먹고 있어요 = eating now). -아/어 있다 for resultant states (앉아 있어요 = is sitting as a state). Mixing them is a common intermediate-level error.

📝 Grammar B1 ✓ Native Reviewed

-아/어 있다

-a/eo itda

In the state of (resultant state)

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What it means

-아/어 있다 describes a state resulting from a completed action — distinct from -고 있다 (ongoing action). Used for states that result from someone/something having done something.

Nuance & when to use

앉아 있어요 = (someone) is sitting (state of having sat). 서 있어요 = is standing. 열려 있어요 = is open. -고 있다 = actively doing. -아/어 있다 = in the state from having done. Key: intransitive verbs that result in a state use -아/어 있다. 앉아 있어요 (✓) vs 앉고 있어요 (✗).

Example sentences

문이 열려 있어요. Muni eollyeo isseoyo. The door is open (in the state of being opened).

그는 의자에 앉아 있어요. Geuneun uijae anja isseoyo. He is sitting in the chair.

References Naver Korean Dictionary ↗ 국립국어원 표준국어대사전 ↗

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-아/어 있다

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