습관과 변화Habits and Change
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Use frequency adverbs such as 항상, 보통, 자주, 가끔, and 거의 안 to describe how often you or someone else does something.
- Distinguish a habitual routine described with everyday polite -아요/어요 from an action that is happening right now, described with -고 있다.
- Form and use -고 있다 accurately with common action verbs.
- Describe a change over time using contrast connectors and expanded descriptive predicates, including 바쁘다, 피곤하다, 건강하다, and 달라지다.
- Continue building noun-modifier phrases from Chapter 2 while describing routines and habits.
- Read a short connected passage describing someone's weekly routine and a recent change in that routine.
- Describe your own routine, compare it to the past, and explain what you are doing differently now.
Communication Scenario
라일라 has settled into a routine at her new school, but her friend 지은 notices that her habits have changed since the semester started — she used to be free most evenings, but now she is often busy with her study group. To explain this clearly, 라일라 needs more than simple present-tense sentences: she needs frequency words to describe how often things happen, and a way to describe what she is doing right now versus what she usually does.
- This chapter introduces frequency adverbs and develops the contrast between habitual routines and ongoing actions.
- The chapter's two principal new focuses are the -고 있다 ongoing-action pattern and an expanded set of descriptive predicates for describing states, feelings, and change.
- Noun-modifier phrases and the possessive particle 의 from Chapter 2 continue to recycle here, now applied to routines and habits.
Core Vocabulary
The vocabulary below supports describing routines, frequency, and change. Frequency adverbs are new; several descriptive verbs expand on the pattern introduced in Chapter 2.
| Korean | Meaning | Use / Pattern | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 항상 | always | 항상 일곱 시에 일어나요 | frequency adverb |
| 보통 | usually | 보통 학교에 걸어가요 | frequency adverb |
| 자주 | often | 친구를 자주 만나요 | frequency adverb |
| 가끔 | sometimes | 가끔 늦게 자요 | frequency adverb |
| 거의 안 | almost never | 거의 안 쉬어요 | frequency + negation |
| 전혀 안 | not at all | 전혀 안 먹어요 | emphatic negation |
| 요즘 | these days | 요즘 바빠요 | time expression; review from Vol. I |
| 예전에 | before, in the past (in general) | 예전에 일찍 잤어요 | time expression |
| 습관 | habit | 좋은 습관이에요 | |
| 일상 | daily life, routine | 일상이 바뀌었어요 | |
| 바뀌다 | to change (intransitive) | 습관이 바뀌었어요 | action verb |
| 달라지다 | to become different | 생활이 많이 달라졌어요 | action verb; often with 많이 |
| 바쁘다 | to be busy | 요즘 아주 바빠요 | descriptive verb; ㅡ deletion |
| 피곤하다 | to be tired | 조금 피곤해요 | descriptive verb |
| 건강하다 | to be healthy | 더 건강해졌어요 | descriptive verb |
| 편하다 | to be comfortable, convenient | 이 시간이 편해요 | descriptive verb; review |
| 힘들다 | to be difficult, tiring | 아침이 힘들어요 | descriptive verb; ㄹ irregular; review |
| 규칙적 | regular (as in a schedule) | 규칙적인 생활이에요 | often with -인 noun modifier |
| 불규칙적 | irregular (as in a schedule) | 불규칙적인 습관이에요 | often with -인 noun modifier |
| 일어나다 | to get up, wake up | 일곱 시에 일어나요 | action verb |
| 일찍 | early | 일찍 자요 | adverb |
| 늦게 | late | 늦게 일어나요 | adverb |
| 운동하다 | to exercise | 매일 운동해요 | action verb |
| 쉬다 | to rest | 주말에 쉬어요 | action verb |
| 숙제하다 | to do homework | 지금 숙제하고 있어요 | action verb; review |
| 준비하다 | to prepare | 시험을 준비하고 있어요 | action verb |
| 계획을 세우다 | to make a plan | 계획을 세우고 있어요 | collocation |
| 매일 | every day | 매일 커피를 마셔요 | time expression; review |
| 주말 | weekend | 주말마다 쉬어요 | review; used with -마다 |
| -마다 | every ~, each ~ | 아침마다, 주말마다 | particle-like suffix; new |
| 노력하다 | to make an effort, try | 일찍 자려고 노력해요 | action verb |
Receptive support: 루틴 (routine, loanword), 스트레스 (stress, loanword) may appear in listening or reading with glossing but are not required for independent production in this chapter.
Pronunciation Focus
This chapter does not introduce a new sound-change rule. It develops control of nasalization and liaison across the -고 있다 pattern, and continues developing the ㅡ deletion pattern seen in 바쁘다 → 바빠요.
있다 and its conjugated forms end in the batchim ㅆ. Before a vowel-initial ending, such as -어요, the ㅆ liaises smoothly into the following syllable: 있어요 is pronounced as one connected unit, not as two separate syllables with a pause. This liaison pattern was introduced in Volume I and continues to apply throughout -고 있어요 forms in this chapter.
저는 지금 숙제하고 있어요 · 요즘 아주 바빠요 · 예전보다 생활이 많이 달라졌어요
Grammar and Sentence Pattern Review
This chapter introduces frequency adverbs, develops the contrast between habitual routines and ongoing actions with -고 있다, and expands descriptive predicates for states, feelings, and change.
New focus: Frequency adverbs
| Korean | Meaning | Typical position |
|---|---|---|
| 항상 | always | before the verb |
| 보통 | usually | before the verb |
| 자주 | often | before the verb |
| 가끔 | sometimes | before the verb |
| 거의 안 | almost never | before the verb, with 안 |
| 전혀 안 | not at all | before the verb, with 안 |
Frequency adverbs normally appear directly before the predicate, after the topic and any time or location phrase, as in 저는 주말에 보통 쉬어요.
New focus: -고 있다 for ongoing actions
[action verb stem] + -고 있다 + [speech-level ending]
-고 있다 attaches to an action-verb stem and describes an action in progress at the moment of speaking, similar to English "-ing." It contrasts with the everyday polite present -아요/어요, which more often describes habits, facts, or general truths. -고 있다 itself conjugates like 있다: 있어요, 있었어요, and so on.
지금 밥을 먹고 있어요.
I am eating right now. (in progress at this moment)
| Sentence | Meaning | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 저는 매일 운동해요. | I exercise every day. | habitual routine |
| 저는 지금 운동하고 있어요. | I am exercising right now. | ongoing at this moment |
| 동생이 숙제해요. | My sibling does homework. | general statement/habit |
| 동생이 숙제하고 있어요. | My sibling is doing homework (right now). | ongoing at this moment |
-아요/어요 is not "wrong" for a present action; the difference is one of focus. -아요/어요 emphasizes the habit or general fact, while -고 있다 emphasizes that the action is unfolding right now. Both forms will continue to be used throughout the volume depending on what the speaker wants to emphasize.
- 저는 보통 일곱 시에 일어나지만, 오늘은 아직 자고 있어요. I usually get up at seven, but today I'm still sleeping.
- 지은이는 지금 시험을 준비하고 있어요. Jieun is preparing for a test right now.
Expanded focus: Descriptive predicates for states and change
This chapter expands the noun-modifier pattern from Chapter 2 (-은/-ㄴ) with new descriptive verbs describing states, feelings, and regularity.
| Dictionary form | Noun-modifying form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 바쁘다 | 바쁜 | 바쁜 하루 |
| 피곤하다 | 피곤한 | 피곤한 사람 |
| 건강하다 | 건강한 | 건강한 습관 |
| 규칙적이다 | 규칙적인 | 규칙적인 생활 |
바쁘다 follows the ㅡ deletion pattern before -아요/어요: 바쁘 + 아요 → 바빠요, since the stem's final vowel ㅡ is deleted and the preceding vowel determines the ending. This pattern was introduced receptively in Volume I and becomes productive here.
Adding -아/어지다 to a descriptive verb stem creates an action verb meaning "to become ___." 건강하다 ("to be healthy") becomes 건강해지다 ("to become healthy"), and 달라지다 itself follows this pattern from 다르다 ("to be different"). This chapter previews the pattern through the fixed vocabulary items 달라지다 and 건강해지다; the general rule for forming new -아/어지다 verbs is developed further in a later chapter.
Practice — Frequency, -고 있다, and descriptive predicates
- 저는 ___ (항상/보통/가끔) 아침을 먹어요. Choose a frequency adverb that fits your own routine.
- Change the sentence to describe an action in progress: 동생이 텔레비전을 봐요. → ___
- Combine into one sentence using -지만: 저는 요즘 바빠요. + 저는 건강해지고 싶어요. → ___
Model Dialogue
Setting: 지은 calls 라일라, who is studying at the library.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- What is 라일라 doing right now, according to the dialogue?
- How has 라일라's routine changed since before?
- What does 지은 say is important for health?
- Identify one sentence in the dialogue that uses -고 있다, and one that uses a frequency adverb.
Guided Practice
Complete each task using vocabulary and patterns from this chapter and prior chapters.
- Write one sentence about your routine using a frequency adverb.
- Write one sentence describing what you are doing right now using -고 있다.
- Write one sentence comparing your habits now (요즘) with your habits before (예전에), using -지만 or -고.
- Form the noun-modifying form of 바쁘다, 피곤하다, and 건강하다, and use each in a short phrase.
- Explain in your own words the difference in meaning between -아요/어요 and -고 있다 for describing a present action.
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a language partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud. Listen twice without reading, then complete the tasks below.
민호의 새로운 습관
민호는 요즘 아침마다 운동하고 있어요. 예전에는 거의 안 운동했지만, 지금은 규칙적으로 운동해요. 그래서 더 건강해졌어요. 하지만 저녁에는 아직도 가끔 늦게 자요. 민호는 그 습관을 바꾸려고 노력하고 있어요.
듣기 과제 — Listening task: Listen and answer in English.
| 질문 | 답 |
|---|---|
| What new habit does 민호 have, and how often does he do it now? | ______ |
| How has his habit changed compared to before? | ______ |
| What habit is he still trying to change? | ______ |
받아쓰기 — Dictation: Your partner or instructor reads two sentences from the passage above, once each at natural speed. Write what you hear in Hangeul, then check your spacing and use of -고 있다.
- (a sentence using -고 있다)
- (a sentence using a frequency adverb)
Reading Practice
Below is 지은's short post about her own weekly routine, shared in the study group chat. Read it and answer the questions below. No romanization is provided.
제 요즘 일상
저는 보통 여섯 시 반에 일어나요. 항상 아침을 먹고 학교에 가요. 학교가 끝나면 자주 도서관에서 숙제하고 있어요. 예전에는 저녁에 텔레비전을 자주 봤지만, 요즘은 거의 안 봐요. 대신 일찍 자려고 노력하고 있어요. 주말마다 가끔 친구들을 만나서 쉬어요. 제 일상은 바쁘지만 규칙적이에요.
This passage combines frequency adverbs, -고 있다, and expanded descriptive predicates using topic-chain structure from Chapter 1. Only vocabulary and grammar activated in Volume I, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and this chapter are used.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- What time does 지은 usually wake up, and what does she always do afterward?
- What is 지은 often doing at the library after school?
- How has her evening habit changed compared to before?
- Find one noun-modifier phrase in the passage and identify the descriptive verb it comes from.
Writing Workshop
This chapter's writing task is a short paragraph, 제 일상과 변화 ("My Routine and How It Has Changed"), describing your weekly routine and one change in your habits.
- Describe your typical routine. Use at least two frequency adverbs (항상, 보통, 자주, 가끔, 거의 안) to describe habitual actions.
- Describe something happening right now. Use -고 있다 at least once to describe a current action.
- Compare past and present. Use 예전에 and 요즘 with a contrast connector such as -지만 to describe how your habits have changed.
- Add a descriptive detail. Use at least one noun-modifier phrase built from an expanded descriptive verb, such as 바쁜 하루 or 건강한 습관.
- Close with a goal. Use -고 싶다 or -(으)려고 노력하다 to state something you want to change or are trying to do.
- Revise. Check your draft against the editing checklist below.
체크리스트 — Editing checklist:
- At least two frequency adverbs appear and are placed correctly before the predicate.
- -고 있다 is used at least once and correctly formed from an action-verb stem.
- The paragraph includes a comparison between 예전에 and 요즘.
- At least one expanded descriptive noun-modifier phrase appears.
- Speech level is consistent everyday polite -아요/어요 throughout.
- Only Hangeul is used; no romanization appears in the final draft.
Speaking Practice
통제 연습 — Controlled practice: 빈도 부사와 -고 있다 말하기
Practice saying 항상, 보통, 자주, 가끔, and 거의 안 aloud with a routine activity, then practice forming -고 있다 from five common action verbs until the pattern feels automatic.
의사소통 과제 — Communicative task: 일상 비교하기
With a partner or in a small group, describe your weekly routine as in the Model Dialogue, including at least one frequency adverb, one -고 있다 sentence, and one comparison between 예전에 and 요즘. The listener asks one follow-up question about the change.
혼자 하는 연습 — Solo alternative
Record yourself presenting your "My Routine and How It Has Changed" paragraph in five to seven connected sentences, using at least one frequency adverb and one -고 있다 sentence.
Culture and Communication
In many everyday South Korean conversations, describing oneself as 바쁘다 ("busy") is a common and socially accepted way to explain why one has less free time, and it is frequently offered without being asked. Responding with sympathy, such as 힘들겠어요 ("that must be hard"), is a common and expected conversational response, though the exact expression of concern can vary by relationship and setting.
Learners sometimes confuse the existence verb 있다 (Chapter 1, "to exist/have") with the auxiliary 있다 used in -고 있다 (this chapter, "to be in the middle of doing"). Both conjugate the same way, but they attach differently: existence 있다 follows a noun and a particle, as in 시간이 있어요, while -고 있다 follows an action-verb stem plus -고, as in 먹고 있어요. Keeping the two functions separate will help avoid confusion in later chapters when more auxiliary patterns are introduced.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: 저는 아침을 먹어요 항상.
Correction: 저는 항상 아침을 먹어요. — frequency adverbs are placed before the predicate, not after it.
Error: 저는 바쁘고 있어요.
Correction: 저는 바빠요. — -고 있다 attaches to action verbs to describe an ongoing action, not to descriptive verbs, which already describe an ongoing state on their own.
Error: Using 전혀 안 to mean "rarely" rather than "not at all."
Correction: 거의 안 means "almost never" and allows for rare exceptions, while 전혀 안 means "not at all" and allows for no exceptions. Choose the adverb that matches the intended degree.
Chapter Review
Section A — 어휘 (Vocabulary)
1. Give one frequency adverb, one time expression, and one descriptive verb introduced in this chapter.
Section B — 문법 (Grammar)
1. Explain in your own words the difference between -아요/어요 and -고 있다 for describing a present action, and give one example of each.
2. Correct the error: 저는 바쁘고 있어요.
Section C — 독해 이해 (Reading Comprehension)
1. According to 지은's post, how has her evening routine changed compared to before?
Section D — 쓰기 (Writing)
1. Write your "My Routine and How It Has Changed" paragraph following the Writing Workshop steps and checklist.
Section E — 말하기 (Speaking)
1. Present your paragraph aloud to a partner or record it, following the Speaking Practice guidance.
누적 복습 — Cumulative review
This chapter recycles titles, kinship terms, topic chains, noun modifiers, and the possessive particle 의 from Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, and expands them with frequency adverbs, -고 있다, and further descriptive predicates. If any earlier form still feels uncertain, review the relevant chapter before continuing to Chapter 4.
Practical Performance Task
수행 과제
제 일상과 변화 — My Routine and How It Has Changed
You will produce a connected spoken and written description of your weekly routine, combining frequency adverbs, an ongoing-action sentence with -고 있다, a comparison between 예전에 and 요즘, and at least one expanded descriptive noun-modifier phrase.
- Written: Write your "My Routine and How It Has Changed" paragraph from the Writing Workshop, including at least two frequency adverbs, one -고 있다 sentence, a past/present comparison, a noun-modifier phrase, and a closing goal.
- Spoken: Present the same content aloud to a partner or recorded alone, as in the Model Dialogue, and answer at least one follow-up question.
- Reflection: Write one English sentence identifying one system from Chapter 1 or Chapter 2 you feel confident recycling here, and one area of this chapter — such as -고 있다 or frequency adverbs — you want to keep practicing.
| Criterion | What is evaluated |
|---|---|
| Frequency adverb accuracy | Correct choice and placement of 항상/보통/자주/가끔/거의 안/전혀 안 |
| -고 있다 control | Correct formation from an action-verb stem and appropriate use for an ongoing action |
| Habitual vs. ongoing contrast | Appropriate choice between -아요/어요 and -고 있다 depending on meaning |
| Descriptive predicate control | Correct formation of the noun-modifying form from an expanded descriptive verb |
| Vocabulary range | Appropriate use of at least four chapter vocabulary items |
| Cohesion | Routine description, past/present comparison, and closing goal form a logical connected paragraph |
| Hangeul and spacing accuracy | Accurate spelling and level-appropriate spacing throughout, no romanization |
| Scope discipline | No structures used beyond Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and this chapter |
Answer Key
Grammar Review Practice — Frequency, -고 있다, and Descriptive Predicates
1. Sample answer: 저는 보통 아침을 먹어요. (any frequency adverb that fits the learner's own routine is acceptable)
2. 동생이 텔레비전을 보고 있어요.
3. 저는 요즘 바쁘지만 건강해지고 싶어요.
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- 라일라 is preparing for a test at the library.
- She used to have free time every evening, but now she is very busy and almost never rests.
- 지은 says a regular schedule is important for health.
- For example, 시험을 준비하고 있어요 uses -고 있다; 거의 안 쉬어요 uses a frequency adverb.
Listening comprehension
- 민호 exercises every morning now, and he does it regularly.
- Before, he almost never exercised; now he exercises regularly and has become healthier.
- He is still trying to change his habit of sometimes staying up late in the evening.
Reading comprehension
- 지은 usually wakes up at six thirty and always eats breakfast afterward.
- She is often doing homework at the library after school.
- Before, she often watched television in the evening; now she almost never does, and instead tries to sleep early.
- For example, 바쁘지만 규칙적인 (일상) comes from the descriptive verbs 바쁘다 and 규칙적이다.
Chapter Review — Section B
1. -아요/어요 describes a habit or general fact, as in 저는 매일 운동해요 ("I exercise every day"), while -고 있다 describes an action in progress right now, as in 저는 지금 운동하고 있어요 ("I am exercising right now").
2. 저는 바빠요.
Section D — Sample "My Routine and How It Has Changed" paragraph
저는 보통 일곱 시에 일어나요. 항상 아침을 먹고 학교에 가요. 지금 도서관에서 숙제하고 있어요. 예전에는 자주 늦게 잤지만, 요즘은 거의 안 그래요. 제 일상은 바쁘지만 규칙적이에요. 저는 더 건강해지고 싶어요.
Check that: two frequency adverbs, an -고 있다 sentence, a past/present comparison, a descriptive noun-modifier phrase, and a closing goal all appear; speech level is consistent everyday polite throughout; particles and spacing are accurate.
Looking Ahead
지금 할 수 있는 것 — What you can do now
You can describe how often you or someone else does something using frequency adverbs, distinguish habitual routines from actions happening right now with -고 있다, describe states and change using expanded descriptive predicates, and read a connected passage about someone's weekly routine and how it has changed.