자고 있는
jago inneun
The English word 'sleeping' is translated to Korean as 자고 있는 (jago inneun).
자고 있는 is used as an adjective to describe someone or something that is currently in the act of sleeping. Other related ways to express sleep include 잠자다 or 자다 for the basic verb 'to sleep', 잠자고 있다 to indicate that someone is currently sleeping and 수면 중이다 to mean someone is 'in the middle of sleep'. If you want to describe having a very deep or sound sleep, you can use the expression 꿀잠자다.
Meaning: used for sleep, used to produce sleep (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 자고 있는 is composed of the verb 자다 (to sleep), the connective -고 which indicates continuous action and the modifier -있는 which indicates a state of being or an ongoing action.
How does it change in a sentence?
자고 있는 is an adjectival form used to modify a noun that follows it, such as a person or an animal. For the verb 'to sleep', 자다 is the basic form, while 잠자다 is another way to express the action.
How do you pronounce it?
jago inneun
When do people say it?
When wishing someone well at night, you can say 잘자요! as a way to say 'sweet dreams'.
Did you know?
- If you are describing a very heavy sleeper, you might hear the word 잠귀가 어둡다, which literally means 'one's ears for sleep are dark'.
- To say someone is 'sleeping like a log', Koreans often use the expression 세상 모르고 자다, which means 'to sleep without knowing the world'.
- While 자다 is the standard way to say 'to sleep', in very formal or respectful settings, such as when speaking about an elder or a superior, you should use the honorific verb 주무시다.
Examples in context
- 톰이 자고 있는 것처럼 보여.Tom appears to be sleeping.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use 자고 있는 as an adjective to describe a person.Tatoeba #8363518 by Eunhee, translation #4665979 by CK
- 어제 밤에 꿀잠 잔 것 같아.I think I had a sound sleep last night.
- 할머니께서 수면 중이십니다.Grandma is in the middle of sleep.
Example conversation
Seoyeon and Dohyun are talking about their cat.
- 서연 Seo-yeon도현 씨, 고양이가 지금 뭐 해요?Dohyun ssi, goyang-iga jigeum mwo haeyo?Dohyun, what is the cat doing right now?
- 도현 Do-hyeon거실에서 자고 있는 중이에요.geosil-eseo jago inneun jung-ieyo.It is sleeping in the living room.
- 서연 Seo-yeon자고 있는 모습이 정말 귀여워요.jago inneun moseubi jeongmal gwiyeowoyo.The sleeping look is really cute.
- 도현 Do-hyeon맞아요, 정말 천사 같아요.majayo, jeongmal cheonsa gat-ayo.You're right, it looks like an angel.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
