Resultative state: 아/어/여 있다 (be in a state)

This pattern is a bit picky about its friends. It doesn't like to hang out with every verb. It mostly works with "intransitive" verbs. These are verbs that don't need an object. Think of verbs like "to sit," "to stand," or "to bloom." You don't "sit a chair" in the same way you "eat an apple." The action just happens to the subject. This is the secret sauce of this rule. If you try to use it with "to eat" or "to study," it feels like a grammar traffic jam. Why? Because those actions don't usually leave a visible, lasting state on the subject itself in this specific way. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes, but usually only when they are joking or being very poetic. For you, sticking to intransitive and passive verbs is the safest bet. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. It tells you when things have stopped moving and are just... existing.

1. 1Look at the verb stem of your intransitive verb.
2. 2Apply the same rules you use for the polite present tense (아/어/여요).
3. 3If the last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ, add 아 (e.g., 앉다 becomes 앉아).
4. 4If the last vowel is anything else, add 어 (e.g., 서다 becomes 서).
5. 5If the verb ends in 하다, it becomes 해 (though 하다 verbs are rare with this pattern).
6. 6Finally, attach 있다 to the end.
7. 7To make it polite, use 있어요. For formal settings, use 있습니다.
8. 8앉다 (to sit) → 앉아 있다 (to be sitting)
9. 9피다 (to bloom) → 피어 있다 (to be in bloom)
10. 10열리다 (to be opened) → 열려 있다 (to be open)

Use this when you want to describe a scene or a status. It’s perfect for real-world scenarios!

• At the Park: You see someone standing under a tree. Use 서 있어요. The flowers are blooming? Use 피어 있어요.
• Ordering Food: You check if a shop is open. The sign says it is. You say 문이 열려 있어요 (The door is open).
• At the Office: Your boss is gone for the day. You say 사장님은 나가 계세요 (The boss is out/has gone out).
• Finding Lost Items: You find your keys. They were just lying there on the desk. You say 책상 위에 놓여 있어요.

It’s all about the current state that resulted from a finished action. If the action is still moving, this isn't the grammar for you.

Do NOT use this with transitive verbs (verbs that take an object with 을/를). For example, you cannot say 밥을 먹어 있어요 to mean "The rice is eaten." That sounds like the rice is currently in a state of being haunted by a ghost. For transitive verbs, we usually use -아/어 놓다 or -아/어 두다 to show a state. Also, avoid using it with adjectives. Adjectives describe a quality, not a state resulting from an action. If you want to say "It became cold," use -아/어지다. Finally, don't use it for ongoing actions. If your friend is currently in the process of lowering their body into a chair, use 앉고 있어요, not 앉아 있어요.

The biggest mistake is mixing up -고 있다 and -아/어 있다.

• 앉고 있어요 = "I am currently moving my butt toward the seat."
• 앉아 있어요 = "I am already sitting down."

Another common slip-up is using the wrong particle. Since these are intransitive verbs, you should use the subject particle 이/가, not the object particle 을/를.

• ✗ 문을 열려 있어요 (Wrong!)
• ✓ 문이 열려 있어요 (Correct!)

Think of it like this: the door isn't doing anything to anyone. It’s just being open. So, it gets the subject treatment.

Let's compare -아/어 있다 with its cousins.

• vs. -고 있다: This is the "Action vs. State" battle. -고 있다 is about the process. -아/어 있다 is about the result. If you are wearing a hat, you use 쓰고 있다 (this is a weird exception for clothing!), but for sitting, you use 앉아 있다.
• vs. -아/어 놓다: This also describes a state, but it implies a human did it on purpose for a future reason. 아/어 있다 is more natural for just describing what you see.
• vs. -아/어지다: This is about the change itself (becoming), while -아/어 있다 is about the finished result.