HYEJU LANGUAGE LAB · INTERMEDIATE 17 · LESSON 102

-(으)ㄴ 채(로)With… still… / Leaving… as it is

-(으)ㄴ 채(로) says that the state left by a finished action continues while the next thing happens. It often describes something careless or unusual: 신발을 신은 채로 들어갔어요 (went in with my shoes still on).

Listening speed

Listen buttons use your device’s Korean voice. A Korean voice must be installed and available to the browser.

A situation you already know

You were so tired last night that…

어젯밤에 불을 켠 채로 잠들었어요.

Last night I fell asleep with the light still on.

Turning the light on happened first; its result (the light being on) stayed while you fell asleep.

Build the form

FORM IN MOTION

Try an expression

켜다 → 켜 + ㄴ 채로 → 켠 채로Complete expression
입다 → 입 + 은 채로 → 입은 채로Complete expression
열다 → 여 (ㄹ 탈락) + ㄴ 채로 → 연 채로Complete expression
앉다 → 앉 + 은 채로 → 앉은 채로Complete expression

Use action verbs with the past modifier -(으)ㄴ: 켠 채, 입은 채, 앉은 채, 연 채 (ㄹ drops).
로 is optional: 켠 채 잤어요 / 켠 채로 잤어요.
Typical verbs: wearing (입다, 신다, 쓰다), opening and turning on (열다, 켜다), posture (앉다, 서다, 눕다).
Negative: -지 않은 채(로) → 아무것도 먹지 않은 채로.
Both actions have the same subject. Put a space before 채.

Think in Korean · an English-speaker’s guide

English uses phrases like “with the light on” or “without taking off his shoes.” Korean turns the state into a clause: 불을 켠 채로, 신발을 벗지 않은 채로.
It often hints that the situation is unusual or a bit careless. For a neutral sequence, use -고 or -아/어서.
Don’t use the present modifier: ✗켜는 채로. The state comes from a finished action.

Six examples in context

신발을 신은 채로 방에 들어가면 안 돼요.

You can’t go into the room with your shoes on.

창문을 연 채로 외출했어요.

I went out with the window open.

아이가 옷을 입은 채로 잠들었어요.

The child fell asleep with their clothes on.

아침을 먹지 않은 채로 출근했어요.

I went to work without eating breakfast.

소파에 누운 채로 텔레비전을 봤어요.

I watched TV lying on the sofa.

모자를 쓴 채로 사진을 찍었어요.

I took the photo with my hat on.

Compare with related patterns

-아/어 있다

창문이 열려 있어요.

Describes a state on its own (Lesson 71). -(으)ㄴ 채로 links that state to another action.

-고

신발을 벗고 들어갔어요.

“I took off my shoes and went in.” An ordinary sequence.

-(으)면서

음악을 들으면서 공부해요.

Two actions at the same time (Lesson 65). 채로 is a state that continues, not an action.

Pattern	Choose it when…
-(으)ㄴ 채(로)	a finished action’s state continues during another action
-아/어 있다	a state on its own
-고	one action, then another
-(으)면서	two actions at once

Common mistakes

불을 켜는 채로 나갔어요.불을 켠 채로 나갔어요.

Use the past modifier -(으)ㄴ.

문을 열은 채로 잤어요.문을 연 채로 잤어요.

ㄹ drops: 열다 → 연.

창문이 연 채로 나갔어요.창문을 연 채로 나갔어요.

You did the opening: 창문을 열다 → 창문을 연 채로.

모자를 쓴채로 들어왔어요.모자를 쓴 채로 들어왔어요.

Put a space before 채.

Mini practice · six questions

Try each one before opening the answer. Translation answers are models; other natural wording is possible.

Fill in the blank어제 화장을 ______ 잤어요. (지우지 않다)
Check answer
어제 화장을 지우지 않은 채로 잤어요.
Negative state → -지 않은 채로.
Fill in the blank창문을 ______ 나가서 방이 추워요. (열다)
Check answer
창문을 연 채로 나가서 방이 추워요.
ㄹ drops → 연 채로.
Choose the natural form이어폰을 (낀 채로 / 끼는 채로) 이야기하면 실례예요.
Check answer
낀 채로
The state after putting them in → 낀 채로.
Choose the natural form할머니는 안경을 (쓴 채 / 써서) 주무셨어요. 안경을 벗지 않으셨어요.
Check answer
쓴 채
She slept with her glasses still on → 쓴 채.
Fix the mistake불을 켜는 채로 집에서 나갔어요.
Check answer
불을 켠 채로 집에서 나갔어요.
Past modifier → 켠 채로.
Say it in KoreanHe went into the house without taking off his shoes.
Check answer
그 사람은 신발을 벗지 않은 채로 집에 들어갔어요.
Negative state → 벗지 않은 채로.

Today’s key point

Finished action + its state continues: V-(으)ㄴ 채(로) (negative: -지 않은 채로). 로 is optional; put a space before 채.

Keep learning

Hyeju Yoo

M.A. in Korean Language Education · Certified Korean language teacher

About the educator →