Understanding how to express change in state is essential for speaking natural Korean. One common way to do this is by using the grammar pattern ‘-아/어지다’ with adjectives. This structure is used to say that something “becomes” a certain way, like “become cold” or “get better.” In this post, you’ll learn how to use ‘-아/어지다’ with adjectives in Korean, see real-life examples, and avoid common mistakes.
📌 Note: Don’t confuse this with the verb form of ‘-아/어지다’, which is used to express passive voice (e.g., “The door was opened”). In this lesson, we’re focusing only on how ‘-아/어지다’ works with adjectives to show a change in state, not passive actions.
Contents
1. Definition
The Korean grammar pattern ‘-아/어지다’ with adjectives is used to describe a change in state or condition. It corresponds to the English expression “to become + adjective”, such as “to become clean,” “to become quiet,” or “to get better.”
This pattern is used only with adjectives and never with verbs when expressing state changes.
English Equivalent: to become + adjective (e.g., become cold, become tired, get busy)
2. Form (Structure)
Form (Structure)
Adjective stem + -아/어지다
1. Basic Rules:
Choose -아지다 or -어지다 based on the final vowel of the adjective stem:
- If the last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ, use -아지다
- If the last vowel is anything else, use -어지다
- For 하다 adjectives, change to 해지다
2. Conjugation Table
| Adjective | Ending Added | Example |
| 좋다 (good) | + 아지다 | 좋아지다 (to become good) |
| 작다 (small) | + 아지다 | 작아지다 (to become small) |
| 무겁다 (heavy) | + 어지다 | 무거워지다 (to become heavy) |
| 가볍다 (light) | + 어지다 | 가벼워지다 (to become light) |
| 행복하다 (happy) | +해지다 | 행복해지다 (to become happy) |
| 조용하다 (quiet) | +해지다 | 조용해지다 (to become quiet) |
3. Irregular Conjugation Patterns
Below are key irregular types and how they change when combined with -아/어지다:
1. ㅂ Irregular
- Rule: ㅂ → 우 + 어지다 (ㅂ changes to 우 + 어지다)
- Examples:
- 덥다 (hot) → 더워지다
날씨가 더워졌어요. → The weather became hot. - 춥다 (cold) → 추워지다
방이 추워졌어요. → The room got cold. - 어렵다 (difficult) → 어려워지다
문제가 어려워졌어요. → The problem became difficult.
- 덥다 (hot) → 더워지다
2. ㅅ Irregular
- Examples:
- 낫다 (better) → 나아지다
상처가 나아졌어요. → The wound healed. - 붓다 (swollen) → 부어지다
발이 부어졌어요. → My foot became swollen.
- 낫다 (better) → 나아지다
3. 르 Irregular
- Examples:
- 다르다 (different) → 달라지다
분위기가 달라졌어요. → The mood became different. - 빠르다 (fast) → 빨라지다
차가 빨라졌어요. → The car became faster.
- 다르다 (different) → 달라지다
4. 으 Drops
- Examples:
- 크다 (big) → 커지다
아이가 커졌어요. → The child grew bigger. - 예쁘다 (pretty) → 예뻐지다
꽃이 예뻐졌어요. → The flower became pretty. - 쓰다 (bitter) → 써지다
커피가 써졌어요. → The coffee became bitter.
- 크다 (big) → 커지다
4. Key Points to Remember
- ‘Adjective + -아/어지다’ is used to describe a change in state.
- Choose between -아지다 and -어지다 depending on the last vowel of the adjective stem.
- When the adjective ends in 하다, it changes to -해지다.
- This form is often used in contexts like weather, feelings, health, appearance, and situations.
- It is different from the verb + -아/어지다 form, which is often used for passive voice.
5. Practice Exercises
Translate the following English sentences into Korean using “-아/어지다.”
- The coffee became bitter. →
- The weather became hot. →
- The car became faster. →
- The bag became lighter. →
- The clothes got dirty. →
- The house was built. (Hint: Use “지어지다”) →
- The child became prettier. →
- The difficulty increased. (Hint: Use “어려워지다”) →
- The mood became different. →
- The internet became faster. →
6. Answers
- The coffee became bitter. → 커피가 써졌어요.
- The weather became hot. → 날씨가 더워졌어요.
- The car became faster. → 차가 빨라졌어요.
- The bag became lighter. → 가방이 가벼워졌어요.
- The clothes got dirty. → 옷이 더러워졌어요.
- The house was built. → 집이 지어졌어요.
- The child became prettier. → 아이가 예뻐졌어요.
- The difficulty increased. → 난이도가 어려워졌어요.
- The mood became different. → 분위기가 달라졌어요.
- The internet became faster. → 인터넷이 빨라졌어요.
7. Common Mistakes and Tips
⚠️ Mistake 1: Ignoring Irregular Rules
Incorrect: 덥다 → 덥아지다 ❌
Correct: 덥다 → 더워지다 ✅
💡 Tip: Always apply irregular rules for adjectives like 덥다 (hot) → 더워지다 (to become hot). Irregulars follow unique patterns (e.g., ㅂ → 우 + 어지다).
⚠️ Mistake 2: Misapplying 으 Drops
Incorrect: 크다 → 크아지다 ❌
Correct: 크다 → 커지다 ✅
💡 Tip: Remember to drop 으 before adding -아/어지다 (e.g., 크다 → 커지다). This ensures correct conjugation for adjectives ending in 으.
⚠️ Mistake 3: Using Non-Standard Forms
Incorrect: 모르다 → 몰라지다 ❌
Correct: Use standard forms like 모르게 되다 for “become unaware” ✅
💡 Tip: Avoid using non-standard conjugations like 몰라지다. Instead, opt for grammatically correct alternatives that convey the intended meaning without confusion.
Using adjectives with -아/어지다 is a simple yet powerful way to describe how things change in state over time. Whether you’re talking about the weather becoming cold, a room getting cleaner, or your Korean skills improving, this pattern helps you express gradual or noticeable changes naturally. Keep practicing with real-life examples to build fluency and avoid confusing it with the passive verb form of -아/어지다.