계속 is an adverb meaning "continue," "keep," or "continuously." It expresses that an action continues without stopping or that something keeps happening. It can be used alone or combined with verbs to emphasize continuation.
Structure
계속 + Verb
Breakdown:
- 계속: Continue, continuously, keep
Can be used:
- As an adverb before verbs
- As a verb (계속하다)
- As a noun (continuation)
Core Meaning: Continuation
Keep Doing
Continuing an action:
- 계속 공부하세요 (Keep studying)
- 계속 기다려 주세요 (Please keep waiting)
- 계속 연습하면 잘할 거예요 (If you keep practicing, you'll do well)
- 계속 걸었어요 (I kept walking)
Continuously
Without interruption:
- 비가 계속 와요 (It keeps raining / It's raining continuously)
- 계속 울어요 (He/She keeps crying)
- 전화가 계속 와요 (Calls keep coming)
- 계속 생각나요 (It keeps coming to mind)
As Adverb: 계속
Before Verbs
Modifying action verbs:
- 계속 하세요 (Keep doing / Please continue)
- 계속 읽으세요 (Keep reading)
- 계속 말해요 (He/She keeps talking)
- 계속 먹어요 (He/She keeps eating)
Emphasis on Duration
Ongoing without stop:
- 계속 이렇게 할 거예요 (I'll keep doing it like this)
- 계속 연락할게요 (I'll keep in touch)
- 계속 노력하겠습니다 (I will keep making effort)
As Verb: 계속하다
To Continue
계속하다: To continue (transitive verb)
- 공부를 계속하세요 (Continue studying)
- 일을 계속할 거예요 (I will continue working)
- 이야기를 계속해 주세요 (Please continue the story)
- 여행을 계속했어요 (I continued traveling)
With Object
계속 + Object + 하다:
- 계속 이 일을 하고 싶어요 (I want to keep doing this work)
- 계속 한국어 공부를 할 거예요 (I'll continue studying Korean)
Politeness Levels
Formal (합니다체)
- 계속 하십시오 (Please continue - very formal)
- 계속합니다 (continue - statement)
- 계속하겠습니다 (will continue)
Polite (해요체)
- 계속 하세요 (Please continue)
- 계속해요 (continue)
- 계속할 거예요 (will continue)
Casual (반말)
- 계속 해 (Keep doing)
- 계속해 (Continue)
- 계속할 거야 (will continue)
Common Usage Patterns
Asking to Continue
Please keep/continue:
- 계속 하세요 (Please continue)
- 계속 말씀해 주세요 (Please keep talking)
- 계속 가세요 (Keep going)
- 계속 읽어 주세요 (Please keep reading)
Describing Ongoing Situations
Keeps happening:
- 비가 계속 와요 (It keeps raining)
- 전화가 계속 와요 (Calls keep coming)
- 계속 생각나요 (It keeps coming to mind)
- 계속 아파요 (It keeps hurting)
Expressing Intention
Will keep doing:
- 계속 노력할게요 (I'll keep trying)
- 계속 연락할게요 (I'll keep in touch)
- 계속 공부할 거예요 (I'll keep studying)
- 계속 도와줄게요 (I'll keep helping)
Commands and Requests
Keep doing something:
- 계속 그렇게 하세요 (Keep doing it that way)
- 계속 열심히 하세요 (Keep working hard)
- 계속 잘하세요 (Keep doing well)
- 계속 앞으로 가세요 (Keep going forward)
Common Expressions
Encouragement
- 계속 하세요! (Keep going! / Keep it up!)
- 계속 노력하세요 (Keep trying / Keep making effort)
- 계속 열심히 하세요 (Keep working hard)
- 계속 화이팅! (Keep fighting! / Keep it up!)
Duration and Persistence
- 계속 이렇게 (keep like this / continuously this way)
- 계속 그렇게 (keep that way / continuously that way)
- 계속해서 (continuously / one after another)
- 계속 진행 (continuous progress / keep proceeding)
Repetition
- 계속 똑같아요 (It keeps being the same)
- 계속 반복돼요 (It keeps repeating)
- 계속 나와요 (It keeps coming out/appearing)
- 계속 생각나요 (It keeps coming to mind)
Tense Conjugations
Present Tense
Polite: 계속 + Present verb / 계속해요
- 계속 공부해요 (keep studying)
- 계속 일해요 (keep working)
- 계속해요 (continue)
Past Tense
Polite: 계속 + Past verb / 계속했어요
- 계속 공부했어요 (kept studying)
- 계속 기다렸어요 (kept waiting)
- 계속했어요 (continued)
Future Tense
Polite: 계속 + Future verb / 계속할 거예요
- 계속 공부할 거예요 (will keep studying)
- 계속 노력할 거예요 (will keep trying)
- 계속할 거예요 (will continue)
Negative Forms
Not Continue
안 계속하다:
- 안 계속해요 (don't continue / am not continuing)
- 안 계속할 거예요 (won't continue)
계속하지 않다:
- 계속하지 않아요 (don't continue)
- 계속하지 않을 거예요 (won't continue)
Stop (Opposite)
그만하다: To stop
- 그만하세요 (Please stop)
- 그만할게요 (I'll stop)
- 그만했어요 (I stopped)
멈추다: To stop/halt
- 멈추세요 (Please stop)
- 멈췄어요 (stopped)
Question Forms
Asking About Continuation
Should I/we continue?:
- 계속 할까요? (Shall we continue?)
- 계속해도 돼요? (May I continue? / Is it okay to continue?)
- 계속 이렇게 할까요? (Shall I keep doing it like this?)
Asking if Something Continues
Does it keep...?:
- 계속 아파요? (Does it keep hurting?)
- 계속 비가 와요? (Does it keep raining?)
- 계속 연락해요? (Do you keep in touch?)
Special Expressions
계속해서
Continuously / One after another:
- 계속해서 문제가 생겨요 (Problems keep arising one after another)
- 계속해서 발전하고 있어요 (It's continuously developing)
- 계속해서 연락할게요 (I'll keep contacting you continuously)
Note: More formal/written style than just 계속
계속되다
To continue (intransitive):
- 비가 계속돼요 (The rain continues)
- 회의가 계속됐어요 (The meeting continued)
- 이 상황이 계속될 거예요 (This situation will continue)
Difference:
- 계속하다: To continue (doing something - transitive)
- 계속되다: To continue (happening - intransitive)
With -고 있다 (Progressive)
Emphasizing Ongoing Nature
계속 + -고 있다: Keep being in progress
- 계속 공부하고 있어요 (I'm continuously studying / I keep studying)
- 계속 기다리고 있어요 (I'm continuously waiting / I keep waiting)
- 계속 생각하고 있어요 (I keep thinking / I'm continuously thinking)
Stronger emphasis on ongoing action
Related Vocabulary
Similar Words
- 계속해서: Continuously (more formal)
- 계속적으로: Continuously (adverbial form)
- 지속적으로: Continuously (more formal, "sustainably")
- 끊임없이: Ceaselessly, without end
Opposite Words
- 그만: Stop (command/casual)
- 그만하다: To stop doing
- 멈추다: To stop, to halt
- 중단하다: To suspend, to discontinue
Perspective and Usage
When to Use 계속
Use when:
- Encouraging someone to continue
- Describing ongoing actions or states
- Expressing that something keeps happening
- Indicating intention to persist
Nuance:
- Often positive (encouragement, persistence)
- Can be neutral (just describing continuation)
- Sometimes negative (when something bad keeps happening)
Natural Usage Contexts
Encouragement:
- 계속 열심히 하세요! (Keep working hard!)
Description:
- 비가 계속 와요 (It keeps raining)
Intention:
- 계속 공부할 거예요 (I will keep studying)
Request:
- 계속 가세요 (Please keep going)
Summary Table
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Adverb + Verb | 계속 공부해요 | Keep studying |
| 계속하다 | 일을 계속해요 | Continue work |
| 계속되다 | 비가 계속돼요 | Rain continues |
| 계속해서 | 계속해서 노력해요 | Continuously try |
| Command | 계속 하세요 | Please continue |
| Intention | 계속할 거예요 | Will continue |
Key Takeaways
- ✅ Versatile word: Adverb, verb (계속하다), noun
- ✅ Means continue: Keep doing, keep happening
- ✅ Very common: Essential daily expression
- ✅ Encouragement: Often used to motivate
- ✅ 계속하다 vs 계속되다: Transitive vs intransitive
- ✅ Opposite 그만: Stop doing
계속 is one of the most frequently used words in Korean for expressing continuation, persistence, and ongoing actions. It's essential for encouraging others, describing situations, and expressing your own intentions to persist or keep doing something.