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Passive Expressions: -아/어지다 and -게 되다

Quick Reference

-아/어지다: Become, get (change of state)

  • 좋다 → 좋아지다 (to get better)
  • 나쁘다 → 나빠지다 (to get worse)
  • 시작하다 → 시작되다 (to be started)

-게 되다: Come to, end up (process/circumstance)

  • 알다 → 알게 되다 (come to know)
  • 만나다 → 만나게 되다 (come to meet)

Detailed Explanation

While Korean has passive suffixes (-이/히/리/기-), two auxiliary verb constructions provide alternative ways to express passive or intransitive meanings. These are often more flexible and productive than suffix passives.

-아/어지다 Pattern

Formation: Verb/Adjective stem + -아/어지다

Core meaning: - Transformation or change of state - "Become" or "get" - Often translates as passive in English

Key characteristic: Emphasizes the result of a change rather than who caused it.

-게 되다 Pattern

Formation: Verb stem + -게 되다

Core meaning: - Process leading to a result - "Come to," "end up," "turn out" - Implies gradual change or circumstance

Key characteristic: Emphasizes the process or circumstances leading to a state.

-아/어지다 Usage

With Adjectives (Change of State)

When attached to adjectives, -아/어지다 means "to become [adjective]":

Adjective With -아/어지다 Meaning
좋다 좋아지다 to get better, improve
나쁘다 나빠지다 to get worse, deteriorate
크다 커지다 to get bigger, grow
작다 작아지다 to get smaller
춥다 추워지다 to get cold
덥다 더워지다 to get hot
많다 많아지다 to increase, become more
적다 적어지다 to decrease, become less
가깝다 가까워지다 to get closer
멀다 멀어지다 to get farther

Examples:

  1. 날씨가 점점 추워져요. (The weather is getting gradually colder.)

  2. 건강이 많이 좋아졌어요. (My health has improved a lot.)

  3. 방이 너무 더워졌어요. (The room has gotten too hot.)

  4. 두 사람의 사이가 가까워졌어요. (The two people have become closer.)

  5. 교통이 나빠졌어요. (The traffic has gotten worse.)

With Verbs (Passive-like Meaning)

With verbs, -아/어지다 often creates passive or intransitive meanings:

Verb With -아/어지다 Meaning
팔다 팔려지다 (팔리다) to be sold
쓰다 써지다 to be written
만들다 만들어지다 to be made
시작하다 시작되다 to be started, begin
끝나다 끝나지다 to be finished, end
정하다 정해지다 to be decided
열다 열려지다 to be opened
닫다 닫혀지다 to be closed
바꾸다 바뀌어지다 (바뀌다) to be changed
준비하다 준비되다 to be prepared

Examples:

  1. 회의가 3시에 시작돼요. (The meeting starts at 3.)

  2. 모든 계획이 정해졌어요. (All plans have been decided.)

  3. 새 제품이 곧 만들어질 거예요. (A new product will be made soon.)

  4. 일이 다 끝났어요. (The work is all finished.)

  5. 문이 자동으로 열려요. (The door opens automatically.)

Special Forms

Some verbs use shortened forms:

Full Form Shortened Form Meaning
되어지다 되다 to become
이루어지다 이뤄지다 to be achieved
바뀌어지다 바뀌다 to change

-게 되다 Usage

Expressing Gradual Change or Process

-게 되다 emphasizes the process or circumstances leading to a result.

Examples:

  1. 한국어를 잘하게 됐어요. (I've come to speak Korean well / I can now speak Korean well.)

  2. 그 사람을 좋아하게 됐어요. (I came to like that person / I've developed feelings for them.)

  3. 매일 운동하게 됐어요. (I've come to exercise every day / I now exercise daily.)

  4. 진실을 알게 됐어요. (I came to know the truth.)

  5. 새로운 친구를 사귀게 됐어요. (I came to make new friends / I ended up making new friends.)

Circumstantial Outcomes

Often used to describe outcomes resulting from circumstances beyond one's control:

  1. 이사하게 됐어요. (I ended up moving / It turned out that I'm moving.)

  2. 회사를 그만두게 됐어요. (I ended up quitting my job.)

  3. 한국에서 살게 됐어요. (I came to live in Korea / It turned out I'm living in Korea.)

  4. 결혼하게 됐어요. (I ended up getting married / We're getting married.)

  5. 일찍 출발하게 됐어요. (It turned out we're leaving early.)

With Passive Implications

-게 되다 can sometimes convey passive meaning:

  1. 그 소식을 듣게 됐어요. (I came to hear that news / I happened to hear that news.)

  2. 비밀을 알게 됐어요. (I came to know the secret.)

  3. 그 책을 읽게 됐어요. (I came to read that book / I ended up reading that book.)

Comparing -아/어지다 vs. -게 되다

Key Differences

Aspect -아/어지다 -게 되다
Focus Result/state Process/circumstance
Change type Natural transformation Gradual development
Control Often unintentional Often circumstantial
With adjectives Yes (very common) No
Formality Neutral Slightly more formal

Comparison Examples

With state changes:

  • 날씨가 따뜻해졌어요. (The weather became warm - focus on result)
  • 날씨가 따뜻하게 됐어요. (Less natural - not commonly used)

With abilities/habits:

  • 한국어를 말하게 됐어요. (I came to speak Korean - emphasis on process)
  • 한국어를 말해져요. (Incorrect - not used this way)

With events:

  • 회의가 시작됐어요. (The meeting started - natural transformation)
  • 회의를 시작하게 됐어요. (We came to start the meeting - circumstantial)

Usage Notes

When to Use -아/어지다

1. Describing weather or environmental changes: - 하늘이 맑아졌어요. (The sky has cleared up.)

2. Physical or visible transformations: - 아이가 많이 컸어요. (The child has grown a lot.)

3. Quality improvements or deteriorations: - 실력이 좋아졌어요. (Skills have improved.)

4. Events beginning or ending: - 파티가 시작됐어요. (The party has started.)

When to Use -게 되다

1. Life circumstances: - 한국에서 일하게 됐어요. (I ended up working in Korea.)

2. Gradual realizations: - 중요성을 깨닫게 됐어요. (I came to realize the importance.)

3. Acquired habits or abilities: - 매일 뉴스를 보게 됐어요. (I came to watch the news daily.)

4. Polite announcements: - 결혼하게 됐습니다. (We are getting married - formal announcement.)

Practice

Choose the correct form (-아/어지다 or -게 되다):

  1. 공부를 열심히 해서 성적이 _. (improve - 좋다)

  2. 새 직장에서 일_. (come to work)

  3. 날씨가 점점 _. (get warmer - 따뜻하다)

  4. 한국 음식을 먹_. (came to eat)

  5. 방이 _. (got clean - 깨끗하다)

Translate the following sentences:

  1. The problem was solved.

  2. I came to understand Korean culture.

  3. The store opens at 9 AM.

  4. My Korean has gotten much better.

  5. I ended up moving to Seoul.

Show Answers 1. 좋아졌어요 2. 일하게 됐어요 3. 따뜻해져요 4. 먹게 됐어요 5. 깨끗해졌어요 6. 문제가 해결됐어요. / 문제가 풀렸어요. 7. 한국 문화를 이해하게 됐어요. 8. 가게가 9시에 열려요. / 가게가 9시에 열리게 돼요. 9. 한국어가 많이 좋아졌어요. 10. 서울로 이사하게 됐어요.