HYEJU LANGUAGE LAB · INTERMEDIATE 47 · LESSON 132
V-아/어 가다 · V-아/어 오다keep …-ing (on into the future) / have been …-ing (up to now)
-아/어 오다 shows something continuing from the past up to now: 10년 동안 한국어를 공부해 왔어요 (I’ve been studying Korean for ten years). -아/어 가다 shows it continuing from now onward or getting close to an end: 일이 거의 다 끝나 가요 (The work is almost done).
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A situation you already know
Your coworker asks if the report is done yet.
It’s almost done. Just give me ten more minutes.
돼 가요 shows the work is moving toward completion right now. Koreans say 다 돼 가요 all the time.
Build the form
- 되다 → 되 + 어 가다 → 다 돼 가요Complete expression
- 끝나다 → 끝나 + 아 가다 → 끝나 가요Complete expression
- 살다 → 살 + 아 오다 → 살아 왔어요Complete expression
- 공부하다 → 공부하 + 여 오다 → 공부해 왔어요Complete expression
- 변하다 → 변하 + 여 가다 → 변해 가요Complete expression
- Verb stem + -아/어 가다/오다, using the same 아/어 rule as -아/어요.
- 오다 = toward now: past → present (해 왔어요, 살아 왔어요).
- 가다 = away from now: present → future, or getting near the end (돼 가요, 끝나 가요).
- Common with time words: 지금까지 -아/어 왔다, 앞으로 -아/어 가다.
- Adjective changes use -아/어지다 first: 추워져 가요, 좋아져 왔어요.
- Write with a space: 해 왔어요, 돼 가요.
Think in Korean · an English-speaker’s guide
- Picture a timeline with “now” in the middle: 오다 comes toward you, 가다 goes away from you.
- English uses “have been -ing” (오다) and “is getting / will keep -ing” (가다).
- These are not physical going or coming here: 공부해 왔어요 means “have been studying”, not “studied and came”.
Six examples in context
I’ve been working at this company for five years.
The weather is getting colder and colder.
The movie is almost over.
Thanks to my parents, I’ve lived well up to now.
I’ll keep working hard from now on too.
My Korean has been getting better little by little.
Compare with related patterns
-고 있다
지금 공부하고 있어요.“I’m studying right now.” Action in progress at one moment (Lesson 18).
-아/어지다
날씨가 추워졌어요.“It got cold.” A change of state; add 가다/오다 to stress gradual change (Lesson 76).
-(으)ㄴ 지 … 되다
공부한 지 5년 됐어요.“It’s been five years since I started studying.” Time passed, not ongoing effort (Lesson 75).
| Pattern | Choose it when… |
|---|---|
| -아/어 오다 | Past → now (have been -ing) |
| -아/어 가다 | Now → future / nearly done |
| -고 있다 | In progress at one moment |
| -아/어지다 | Change of state |
Common mistakes
Past up to now → -아/어 왔다.
Adjectives need -아/어지다 first.
되 + 어 = 돼.
Put a space before 왔어요.
Mini practice · six questions
Try each one before opening the answer. Translation answers are models; other natural wording is possible.
- Fill in the blank저는 어릴 때부터 지금까지 피아노를 ______. (치다)
Check answer
저는 어릴 때부터 지금까지 피아노를 쳐 왔어요.
Past up to now → -아/어 왔어요.
- Fill in the blank밥이 거의 다 ______. 조금만 기다리세요. (되다)
Check answer
밥이 거의 다 돼 가요.
Nearly done → -아/어 가다.
- Choose the natural form앞으로도 좋은 관계를 (만들어 갈게요 / 만들어 왔어요).
Check answer
만들어 갈게요
From now on → 가다.
- Choose the natural form해가 지면서 하늘이 점점 (어두워 가요 / 어두워져 가요).
Check answer
어두워져 가요
Adjective change → -아/어지다 + 가다.
- Fix the mistake이 식당은 30년 동안 같은 맛을 지켜 가요.
Check answer
이 식당은 30년 동안 같은 맛을 지켜 왔어요.
30 years up to now → 왔어요.
- Say it in KoreanWinter is almost over.
Check answer
겨울이 거의 끝나 가요.
Nearly over → 끝나 가요.
Today’s key point
-아/어 오다: from the past up to now (have been -ing). -아/어 가다: from now on, or nearly done (다 돼 가요). Adjectives: -아/어져 가다/오다.
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