-는 중이다 in the Middle of: Meaning, Rules and Examples

What you'll learn

• Add 는 중이다 to action verb stems and 중이다 to action nouns.
• Drop the ㄹ of ㄹ-stems before 는, as in 만들다 to 만드는 중이다.
• Tell -는 중이다 from -고 있다 and -는 동안.
• Recognise the other meanings of 중: among, within and during.

Before you start: study progressive -고 있다 and -고 있다 vs -아/어 있다 first. Time: about 30 minutes.

What Does -는 중이다 in the Middle of Mean?

-는 중이다 means "to be in the middle of" an action. The word 중 is a noun that means "the middle" or "the course" of something, and 이다 means "to be". The phrase 회의하는 중이다 is therefore close to "to be in the course of holding a meeting".

The pattern stresses that the person is busy. That is why Koreans often use it to explain why they cannot do something else. Compare the simple present with -는 중이다:

A First Example

Listen to each sentence at normal speed, then slowly.

1. 지금 회의하는 중이에요. (jigeum hoeuihaneun jungieyo) "I am in a meeting now."

Pronunciation: [지금 회의하는 중이에요]. The stem 회의하 is followed by 는, and then the noun 중 and 이에요 follow after a space.

2. 요리하는 중이에요. (yorihaneun jungieyo) "I am in the middle of cooking."

Pronunciation: [요리하는 중이에요]. The object and time word are dropped, because the context already shows who is cooking and when.

Both sentences name an action that is not finished yet. The next section shows how the pattern is built from any verb.

How Does -는 중이다 Work?

Add 는 중이다 to the stem of an action verb, or 중이다 to a noun that names an action. The ending 는 turns the verb into a modifier, 중 is a noun, and 이다 closes the sentence.

Pattern Table

Romanization of the polite column: haneun jungieyo, meongneun jungieyo, ingneun jungieyo, ganeun jungieyo, gongbuhaneun jungieyo, mandeuneun jungieyo, noneun jungieyo, deunneun jungieyo and domneun jungieyo.

Three details make the table easy to apply.

1. ㄹ-stems drop the ㄹ. 만들 becomes 만드, and 놀 becomes 노, before 는. The same drop happens in other patterns that start with ㄴ.
2. Irregular stems keep their shape. 듣 and 돕 do not change, because 는 begins with a consonant.
3. Write 중이에요 as separate words. 중 is a dependent noun, so the spelling is 하는 중이에요 with a space, not 하는중이에요.

Nouns with 중

An action noun can take 중 directly, with or without 이다. The noun names an action, such as a meeting or a call.

Romanization: hoeui jungieyo, tonghwa jungieyo, gongsa jung, yeongeop jung, sayong jung and junbi jung. With a 하다 noun, the two forms mean the same thing: 회의하는 중 and 회의 중 are both "in a meeting".

Tenses and Speech Levels

Only 이다 changes when the tense or the speech level changes. The group 요리하는 중 stays the same.

Romanization: yorihaneun jungieosseoyo, yorihaneun jungil geoyeyo, yorihaneun jungimnida, yorihaneun jungiya, yorihaneun jungi anieyo, yorihasineun jungiseyo and yorihaneun junge jeonhwaga wasseoyo. With the pieces in place, the next section builds a sentence.

Building a Sentence with -는 중이다, Step by Step

To make a -는 중이다 sentence, take the dictionary form, remove 다, add 는, and finish with 중이에요. Follow these steps with 지금 숙제하는 중이에요.

1. Start from the dictionary form. 숙제하다 ("to do homework").
2. Remove 다. The stem is 숙제하.
3. Check for ㄹ. The stem does not end in ㄹ, so nothing drops.
4. Add 는. 숙제하 + 는 becomes 숙제하는.
5. Add 중이에요 after a space. 숙제하는 중이에요.
6. Add the time word. 지금: 지금 숙제하는 중이에요.

You'll know it worked when the sentence ends in 중이에요 and the verb part ends in 는. Common mistake at this step: using the past modifier ㄴ, as in 숙제한 중이에요. This pattern always uses 는.

Repeat the steps with a ㄹ-stem. For 만들다, the stem is 만들, the ㄹ drops, and the polite form is 만드는 중이에요.

The pattern needs the right kind of word. The next section lists which words can take it.

Which Words Can Take -는 중이다?

Action verbs and action nouns take -는 중이다, and state words do not. The test is whether the action has a start and an end.

Romanization of the verbs: hada, meokda, gada and yeppeuda. The "knowing" row explains why 알고 있어요 works for "I know" but 아는 중이에요 does not. The pattern for gradual change, 따뜻해지고 있어요, uses -고 있다 and is in progressive -고 있다. The next section compares the three forms that learners confuse.

How Is -는 중이다 Different from -고 있다 and -는 동안?

-는 중이다 says the speaker is busy with one task, -고 있다 says an action is in progress, and -는 동안 gives the time frame for a second event. The first two end a sentence, and the third opens a clause.

Romanization: jigeum hoeuihaneun jungieyo, jigeum hoeuihago isseoyo, jega hoeuihaneun dongan jeonhwaga wasseoyo and keopireul masimyeonseo hoeuihaeyo. The most useful job of -는 중이다 is to give a reason: 지금 운전하는 중이라서 전화를 받을 수 없어요 [바들쑤 업써요] means "I am driving now, so I can't answer the phone". -고 있다 is covered in progressive -고 있다, and the plain present is in Korean present tense uses. The word 는 before a noun works as a modifier, explained in -는 noun modifier. The next section covers the other jobs of 중.

What Else Does 중 Mean?

The word 중 has several meanings, so the same spelling can mean "in the middle of", "among" or "within". The words around it show which meaning is used.

Romanization: hoeui jungieyo, se gae jungeseo hanareul goreuseyo, oneul jungeuro kkeunnaeseyo and unjeon junge munjareul bonaeji maseyo. Look at the word before 중. An action noun gives "in the middle of", a number or group gives "among", and a time word gives "within". The next section lists the errors to avoid.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make?

Six mistakes cover most wrong -는 중이다 sentences.

1. Using it with a state word. 있는 중이에요 and 예쁜 중이에요 are wrong. Say 있어요 and 예뻐요.
2. Using the past modifier. 먹은 중이에요 is wrong. The action is not finished, so use 먹는 중이에요.
3. Keeping the ㄹ. 만들는 중이에요 is wrong. Drop the ㄹ: 만드는 중이에요.
4. Dropping the space. 하는중이에요 is a spelling error. 중 is a separate word.
5. Using it for habits. 매일 아침 운동하는 중이에요 is wrong for a routine. Say 매일 아침 운동해요.
6. Joining two events with bare 중. 제가 요리하는 중 아이가 숙제했어요 is awkward without 에. Add 에 for an event that happens in the middle (요리하는 중에 전화가 왔어요), or use 동안 for a shared time frame: 제가 요리하는 동안 아이가 숙제했어요.

Limitation: this lesson covers -는 중이다 and the meanings of 중. It does not cover the wearing verbs, which sit in wearing verbs 입다 신다 쓰다 -고 있다, or the wider aspect forms in Aspect and Experience. Now test yourself.

Practice and Answers

Try all four items before you read the answers. Each answer has audio, normal and slow.

1. Choose the form. "I'm on my way": 가는 중이에요 or 간 중이에요?
2. Fix the error. 지금 저녁을 만들는 중이에요. (The speaker wants to say "I'm making dinner now.")
3. Translate. "I am in a meeting now."
4. Write your own. Write one sentence that says what you are in the middle of, using 숙제하다 (to do homework) or 요리하다 (to cook).

Answer Key

1. 가는 중이에요 (ganeun jungieyo) Pronounced [가는 중이에요]. The action is not finished, so the modifier is 는, not ㄴ.

2. 지금 저녁을 만드는 중이에요. (jigeum jeonyeogeul mandeuneun jungieyo) Pronounced [지금 저녀글 만드는 중이에요]. The ㄹ of 만들다 drops before 는.

3. 지금 회의하는 중이에요. (jigeum hoeuihaneun jungieyo) Pronounced [지금 회의하는 중이에요]. A shorter version is 지금 회의 중이에요.

4. Sample answer: 지금 숙제하는 중이에요. (jigeum sukjehaneun jungieyo) "I am doing my homework now." Pronounced [지금 숙쩨하는 중이에요]. Any action verb with 는 중이에요 is right.

If you chose the wrong form, check three things: the word must be an action, the modifier must be 는, and ㄹ-stems must drop the ㄹ. Then continue with the next lessons.

Next Lessons and Where to Go from Here

After -는 중이다 in the middle of, the natural next lesson is wearing verbs 입다 신다 쓰다 -고 있다, which covers the clothing verbs that take -고 있다. To review the neighbouring forms, read progressive -고 있다 and -고 있다 vs -아/어 있다. The set overview, Korean progressive tense, lists every lesson in order.

This page uses Revised Romanization only as a learning aid; the Hangul is the reference. To remember the idea in one line: -는 중이다 in the middle of adds 는 중이다 to an action verb stem or 중이다 to an action noun, and it says that the speaker is busy with the action.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does -는 중이다 Mean in Korean?

-는 중이다 means "to be in the middle of" an action. It shows that the person started the action, has not finished it and is busy with it now. 지금 회의하는 중이에요 means "I am in a meeting now". It is often used to explain why you cannot do something else at the moment.

How Do I Form -는 중이다 with ㄹ-Stems and Nouns?

For verbs, remove 다 and add 는 중이다. ㄹ-stems drop the ㄹ first, so 만들다 becomes 만드는 중이다 and 놀다 becomes 노는 중이다. For nouns that name an action, add 중이다 directly after the noun, as in 회의 중이에요 ("I am in a meeting") and 통화 중이에요 ("I am on the phone").

What Is the Difference between -는 중이다 and -고 있다?

-고 있다 is broader. It covers actions in progress, periods of time, and states such as 알고 있어요. -는 중이다 is narrower: it needs an action with a clear start and end and stresses being busy. You can say 먹고 있어요 or 먹는 중이에요, but only 알고 있어요 works for "I know".

Can I Use -는 중이다 with Adjectives?

No. Adjectives and the verbs 있다 and 없다 describe states, not actions with a start and end, so 예쁜 중이에요 and 있는 중이에요 are wrong. Use the plain present, such as 예뻐요 and 있어요. For a change in progress, use -아/어지고 있다, as in 따뜻해지고 있어요, "It is getting warm".

What Does 중 Mean in 회의 중 and 세 개 중에서?

중 has several meanings, and the word before it tells which one is meant. After an action noun, as in 회의 중, it means "in the middle of". After a number or group, as in 세 개 중에서, it means "among". After a time word, as in 오늘 중으로, it means "within".