-는 - Present modifier

-는 is an adnominal ending that modifies nouns with present ongoing or habitual actions. It's used only with action verbs, not with adjectives.

Formation Rules

All Verb Stems: -는

Simple attachment to all verbs:

• 가다 → 가는 (going, who goes)
• 먹다 → 먹는 (eating, who eats)
• 하다 → 하는 (doing, who does)
• 오다 → 오는 (coming, who comes)
• 읽다 → 읽는 (reading, who reads)
• 듣다 → 듣는 (listening, who listens)
• 만들다 → 만드는 (making, who makes)

Note: Very regular - just add -는 to any verb stem

Core Meaning: Ongoing Actions

Currently Happening

Actions happening right now:

• 지금 가는 사람 (the person who is going now)
• 지금 먹는 음식 (the food [I] am eating now)
• 지금 읽는 책 (the book [I] am reading now)
• 지금 하는 일 (the work [I] am doing now)

Habitual Actions

Regular or repeated actions:

• 매일 가는 학교 (the school [I] go to every day)
• 자주 먹는 음식 (food [I] eat often)
• 항상 입는 옷 (clothes [I] always wear)
• 보통 마시는 커피 (coffee [I] usually drink)

Only for Action Verbs

NOT for Adjectives

Adjectives cannot use -는 in present:

• ❌ 좋는 (wrong)
• ✅ 좋은 (correct - uses -(으)ㄴ)

Why?: Adjectives describe states, not actions, so they use -(으)ㄴ for present

Action Verbs Only

Verbs describing actions:

• 가다, 오다, 먹다, 마시다, 읽다, 쓰다, 만들다, 공부하다, 일하다...

These verbs can have -는 form

Common Patterns

지금 -는 (Currently doing)

Actions happening now:

• 지금 읽는 책 (the book [I] am reading now)
• 지금 듣는 음악 (the music [I] am listening to now)
• 지금 하는 공부 (the studying [I] am doing now)
• 지금 보는 영화 (the movie [I] am watching now)

매일/자주 -는 (Regularly doing)

Habitual actions:

• 매일 가는 곳 (the place [I] go every day)
• 자주 먹는 음식 (food [I] eat often)
• 항상 듣는 노래 (songs [I] always listen to)
• 보통 하는 운동 (exercise [I] usually do)

-는 사람 (The person who...)

Describing people by actions:

• 한국어를 공부하는 사람 (a person who studies Korean)
• 여기서 일하는 사람 (a person who works here)
• 매일 운동하는 사람 (a person who exercises every day)
• 책을 읽는 사람 (a person who reads books)

-는 것 (The thing that...)

Abstract things:

• 내가 좋아하는 것 (the thing I like)
• 중요한 것 (an important thing - note: uses -(으)ㄴ because 중요하다 is adjective)
• 하고 싶은 것 (the thing [I] want to do)
• 필요한 것 (the thing [that is] needed)

Specific Nouns with -는

사람 (Person)

People doing actions:

• 가는 사람 (the person going)
• 오는 사람 (the person coming)
• 공부하는 사람 (the person studying)
• 일하는 사람 (the person working)

것 (Thing/Fact)

Actions or facts:

• 먹는 것 (eating / the thing [I] eat)
• 하는 것 (doing / the thing [I] do)
• 보는 것 (watching / the thing [I] watch)
• 좋아하는 것 (liking / the thing [I] like)

곳 (Place)

Places where actions occur:

• 사는 곳 (the place where [I] live)
• 가는 곳 (the place [I] am going to)
• 일하는 곳 (the place where [I] work)
• 공부하는 곳 (the place where [I] study)

방법 (Way/Method)

How to do things:

• 하는 방법 (the way to do / how to do)
• 만드는 방법 (the way to make)
• 공부하는 방법 (the way to study)
• 요리하는 방법 (the way to cook)

Present vs. Past vs. Future

-는 (Present/Habitual)

Ongoing or regular actions:

• 읽는 책 (the book [I] am reading)
• 가는 학교 (the school [I] go to)

-(으)ㄴ (Past/Completed)

Completed actions:

• 읽은 책 (the book [I] read - finished)
• 간 학교 (the school [I] went to - past)

-(으)ㄹ (Future/Prospective)

Future actions:

• 읽을 책 (the book [I] will read)
• 갈 학교 (the school [I] will go to)

Common Usage

Describing Habits

What you regularly do:

• 매일 먹는 음식이 뭐예요? (What's the food you eat every day?)
• 자주 가는 카페가 있어요 (There's a cafe I often go to)
• 보통 읽는 책은 소설이에요 (The books I usually read are novels)

Describing Current Activity

What's happening now:

• 지금 하는 일이 중요해요 (The work I'm doing now is important)
• 지금 보는 영화가 재미있어요 (The movie I'm watching now is interesting)
• 지금 듣는 음악이 좋아요 (The music I'm listening to now is good)

Asking About Preferences

What someone likes to do:

• 좋아하는 음식이 뭐예요? (What's your favorite food? - lit. food you like)
• 자주 보는 드라마가 있어요? (Is there a drama you watch often?)
• 즐겨 먹는 과일이 뭐예요? (What's the fruit you enjoy eating?)

With Different Subjects

내가 -는 (That I...)

First person:

• 내가 읽는 책 (the book I am reading)
• 내가 좋아하는 음식 (the food I like)
• 내가 사는 곳 (the place where I live)

그/그녀가 -는 (That he/she...)

Third person:

• 그가 하는 일 (the work he does)
• 그녀가 입는 옷 (the clothes she wears)
• 그가 먹는 음식 (the food he eats)

Subject Often Omitted

When context is clear:

• 좋아하는 색 (favorite color - subject understood)
• 자주 가는 곳 (places [I] often go)
• 매일 하는 운동 (exercise [I] do every day)

Complex Modifications

Multiple Modifiers

Combining descriptions:

• 내가 자주 가는 좋은 식당 (the good restaurant I often go to)
• 친구가 추천한 재미있는 영화 (the interesting movie my friend recommended)
• 매일 읽는 영어 책 (the English book I read every day)

With Location/Time

Adding context:

• 도서관에서 공부하는 학생 (the student studying in the library)
• 아침에 먹는 음식 (food I eat in the morning)
• 서울에서 사는 사람 (a person who lives in Seoul)

Special Descriptive Verbs

맛있다, 재미있다, etc.

These use -는 (not -(으)ㄴ):

• 맛있는 음식 (delicious food)
• 재미있는 영화 (interesting movie)
• 멋있는 사람 (cool person)

Why?: Historically verbs, so they follow verb patterns

Example Sentences

Current Actions

• 지금 읽는 책이 어려워요 (The book I'm reading now is difficult)
• 지금 하는 일이 재미있어요 (The work I'm doing now is interesting)
• 지금 듣는 음악이 좋아요 (The music I'm listening to now is good)

Habitual Actions

• 매일 가는 학교가 멀어요 (The school I go to every day is far)
• 자주 먹는 음식은 한식이에요 (The food I often eat is Korean food)
• 항상 입는 옷이 편해요 (The clothes I always wear are comfortable)

Describing People

• 한국어를 공부하는 사람이 많아요 (There are many people studying Korean)
• 여기서 일하는 사람이 친절해요 (The person working here is kind)
• 매일 운동하는 사람이에요 (I'm a person who exercises every day)

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: About Books

A: 무슨 책 읽어요?
(What book are you reading?)

B: 지금 읽는 책은 한국 역사책이에요.
(The book I'm reading now is a Korean history book.)

A: 재미있어요?
(Is it interesting?)

B: 네, 아주 재미있어 책이에요.
(Yes, it's a very interesting book.)

Dialogue 2: Favorite Food

A: 좋아하는 음식이 뭐예요?
(What's your favorite food?)

B: 저는 한식을 좋아해요. 자주 먹는 음식은 김치찌개예요.
(I like Korean food. The food I eat often is kimchi stew.)

Dialogue 3: About Work

A: 무슨 일 하세요?
(What work do you do?)

B: 저는 학교에서 가르치는 일을 해요.
(I do work teaching at school.)

A: 가르치는 과목이 뭐예요?
(What subject do you teach?)

B: 영어를 가르쳐요.
(I teach English.)

Dialogue 4: Daily Routine

A: 매일 가는 곳이 있어요?
(Is there a place you go every day?)

B: 네, 매일 도서관에 가요.
(Yes, I go to the library every day.)

A: 도서관에서 뭐 해요?
(What do you do at the library?)

B: 공부하는 시간이에요.
(It's my study time.)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 좋는 음식

Using -는 with adjectives

✅ Correct: 좋은 음식

Adjectives use -(으)ㄴ

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❌ Incorrect: 읽는은 책

Double modifier

✅ Correct: 읽는 책

One modifier only

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❌ Incorrect: 읽는 책 (meaning book I read yesterday)

Wrong tense

✅ Correct: 읽은 책

Past completed uses -(으)ㄴ

Summary Table

Usage	Form	Example	Meaning
Present action	-는	읽는 책	book I'm reading
Habitual action	-는	먹는 음식	food I eat
Past action	-(으)ㄴ	읽은 책	book I read
Future action	-(으)ㄹ	읽을 책	book I will read
Present state (adj)	-(으)ㄴ	좋은 책	good book

Key Takeaways

• ✅ Present/habitual: Ongoing or regular actions
• ✅ Verbs only: Cannot use with adjectives (they use -(으)ㄴ)
• ✅ Simple formation: Just add -는 to any verb stem
• ✅ Very common: Essential for describing habits and current actions
• ✅ With 사람, 것, 곳: Common nouns modified with -는
• ✅ Different from -(으)ㄴ: -는 is ongoing, -(으)ㄴ is completed

-는 is fundamental for describing ongoing and habitual actions in Korean. It's one of the most frequently used adnominal forms and essential for natural, descriptive Korean. Master this form to talk about your habits, preferences, and what you're currently doing!