-(으)ㄴ 채로
still in that state, without changing it
Describes a condition left in place while something else happens. 채 means “as it stands,” and the state is almost always one that should have been undone.
Build it
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When to use it
The form uses the past modifier, so ㄹ drops: 열다 gives 연 채로. The 로 is optional — 채 alone works too.
The first action is complete and its result is still standing when the second happens: 신발을 신은 채로 들어왔어요 (he came in with his shoes still on). This is why it takes the past modifier and never -는.
The tone is usually critical or unusual. The state described is one that ought to have been changed — shoes left on, a window left open, falling asleep with the light burning. Neutral simultaneity belongs to -(으)면서.
Both clauses share a subject, and the verb must produce a state that can persist. Verbs like 가다 leave nothing behind, so 간 채로 does not work.
How to attach it
| Stem type | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ends in a vowel | -ㄴ 채로 | 켜다 → 켠 채로 |
| Ends in a consonant | -은 채로 | 신다 → 신은 채로 |
| Ends in ㄹ | ㄹ drops | 열다 → 연 채로 |
| Without 로 | -(으)ㄴ 채 | 앉은 채 |
| Never | -는 채로 | the state must be complete |
| Neutral simultaneity | -(으)면서 | 앉아서 / 앉으면서 |
In use
신발을 신은 채로 방에 들어왔어요.
He came into the room with his shoes still on.
불을 켠 채로 잠이 들었어요.
I fell asleep with the light still on.
창문을 연 채로 나갔어요.
I went out leaving the window open.
눈을 감은 채로 음악을 들었어요.
I listened to music with my eyes closed.
코트를 입은 채 앉아 있었어요.
She sat there with her coat still on.
아무 말도 못 한 채로 헤어졌어요.
We parted without having said a word.
Compared with
-(으)면서
-(으)면서 has two actions running together; -(으)ㄴ 채로 has one finished action whose result persists during the other.
음악을 들으면서 공부해요. (both at once) / 눈을 감은 채로 들었어요. (eyes closed throughout)
-아/어 있다
-아/어 있다 states the resulting condition as the main point; -(으)ㄴ 채로 puts it in the background while something else happens.
창문이 열려 있어요. (the window is open) / 창문을 연 채로 나갔어요. (left with it open)
-아/어 놓고
-아/어 놓고 keeps the agent in view and often implies deliberate action; -(으)ㄴ 채로 simply reports the state that remained.
창문을 열어 놓고 나갔어요. (deliberately left it open) / 연 채로 나갔어요. (went out with it still open)
Watch out
신발을 신는 채로 들어왔어요.
신발을 신은 채로 들어왔어요.
The state has to be complete before the second action, so the modifier is always past. -는 채로 does not exist.
창문을 열은 채로 나갔어요.
창문을 연 채로 나갔어요.
Stems ending in ㄹ drop it before -(으)ㄴ, as in 연 문 and 만든 음식.
학교에 간 채로 공부했어요.
학교에 가서 공부했어요.
가다 leaves no lingering state to hold. This construction needs a verb whose result can persist, like 신다, 열다, 켜다, 앉다.
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