Says you're in the middle of doing something: 지금 가는 중이에요 (jigeum ganeun jungieyo), "I'm on my way".
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- Only with verbs. Stems ending in ㄹ drop it: 만들다 → 만드는 중이에요 mandeuneun jungieyo.
- With an action noun, just add 중이다: 회의 중이에요 hoeui jungieyo.
Build it
When to use it
Right now
What you're partway through.
A longer process
Something under way for a while.
While
는 중에, "in the middle of".
Watch out
는 중이다 only goes with verbs, and 바쁘다 is an adjective.
In context
7 examples- 1
지금 가는 중이에요.
Jigeum ganeun jungieyo.
I'm on my way now.
- 2
친구를 기다리는 중이에요.
Chingureul gidarineun jungieyo.
I'm waiting for a friend.
- 3
사장님은 지금 회의 중이세요.
Sajangnimeun jigeum hoeui jungiseyo.
The boss is in a meeting right now.
- 4
한국어를 배우는 중이에요.
Hangugeoreul baeuneun jungieyo.
I'm learning Korean.
- 5
저녁을 만드는 중이니까 조금만 기다려요.
Jeonyeogeul mandeuneun junginikka jogeumman gidaryeoyo.
I'm making dinner, so wait a bit.
- 6
지금 통화 중이에요.
Jigeum tonghwa jungieyo.
I'm on the phone right now.
- 7
이 길은 공사 중이에요.
I gireun gongsa jungieyo.
This road is under construction.
Practice
6 questions만들다 + 는 중이에요
는 중이다 or 고 있다?
Often you can use either: 지금 가고 있어요 and 지금 가는 중이에요 both mean "I'm on my way". 고 있다 go itda is the everyday way to say something is going on. 는 중이다 puts more weight on being partway through it, which is why it's the one you hear when someone's busy: 지금 통화 중이에요, "I'm on the phone right now".
Signs you'll see
Because it works with nouns, 중 shows up on signs and screens all over Korea: 공사 중 gongsa jung, "under construction"; 영업 중 yeong-eop jung, "open for business"; 회의 중 hoeui jung, "meeting in progress".
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 는 중이다 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.