If you’ve ever wondered how to form passive sentences in Korean, the grammar pattern ‘-아/어지다’ with verbs is one of the most common and essential tools. It allows you to describe actions that happen to someone or something, without focusing on who performs the action. In this post, we’ll break down how to use ‘-아/어지다’ in Korean passive voice with clear explanations and real-life examples to help you understand it easily.
Contents
1. Definition
Verb + 아/어지다 is used to:
- Passive Voice: Describe actions done to the subject (e.g., 문이 열어지다 = “The door is opened”).
- Action Progression: Emphasize the ongoing process of an action (e.g., 계획이 만들어지다 = “The plan is being formed”).
English Equivalents:
Progression: “The action is gradually happening”
Passive: “It is done” / “It gets [verb]-ed”
2. Form (Structure)
1. Verb + 아/어지다 Rules
- -아지다: Attach to verb stems ending in ㅏ or ㅗ
- 닫다 (to close) → 닫아지다 (to be closed)
- 잡다 (to hold) → 잡아지다 (to be held)
- 놓다 (to place) → 놓아지다 (to be placed)
- -어지다: Attach to all other verb stems
- 만들다 (to make) → 만들어지다 (to be made)
- 풀다 (to solve) → 풀어지다 (to be resolved)
- 먹다 (to eat) → 먹어지다 (to be eaten)
- 하다 Verbs: Use -되어지다
- 해결하다 (to resolve) → 해결되어지다 (to be resolved)
- 설명하다 (to explain) → 설명되어지다 (to be explained)
- 완성하다 (to complete) → 완성되어지다 (to be completed)
2. Irregular Verbs
듣다 (to listen) → 들어지다
- Rule: ㅅ irregular → 듣다 → 들-** (ㅅ drops, add -어지다)
- 소리가 잘 들어져요. (The sound is heard clearly.)
- 음악이 들려져요. (The music is heard.)
- 말이 들리지 않아요. (The speech isn’t audible.)
붓다 (to pour) → 부어지다
- Rule: ㅅ irregular → 붓다 → 부-** (ㅅ drops, add -어지다)
- 물이 부어져요. (The water is poured.)
- 컵에 주스가 부어졌어요. (The juice was poured into the cup.)
- 강이 부어져 넘칠 듯해요. (The river is swelling and about to overflow.)
잊다 (to forget) → 잊혀지다
- Rule: ㅎ irregular → 잊다 → 잊히-** (히 passive suffix + 어지다)
- 기억이 잊혀져요. (The memory is forgotten.)
- 과거가 점점 잊혀져 가요. (The past is gradually fading.)
- 이름이 잊혀지지 않아요. (The name isn’t forgotten.)
돕다 (to help) → 도와지다
- Rule: ㅂ irregular → 돕다 → 도우-** (ㅂ → 우, add -아지다)
- 문제가 도와져요. (The problem is helped/resolved.)
- 친구가 도와졌어요. (The friend was helped.)
- 일이 잘 도와질 거예요. (The task will be assisted smoothly.)
굽다 (to bake) → 구워지다
- Rule: ㅂ irregular → 굽다 → 구우-** (ㅂ → 우, add -어지다)
- 빵이 구워져요. (The bread is baked.)
- 고기가 잘 구워졌어요. (The meat was grilled well.)
- 피자가 구워지고 있어요. (The pizza is being baked.)
3. Tense Usage
- Present: -아/어져요
- 문이 열어져요. (The door opens.)
- Past: -아/어졌어요
- 문이 열어졌어요. (The door was opened.)
- Future: -아/어질 거예요
- 문이 열어질 거예요. (The door will open.)
- Progressive: -아/어지고 있어요
- 문이 열어지고 있어요. (The door is opening.)
- 문이 열어지고 있어요. (The door is opening.)
4. Notes
- Passive vs. Progressive:
- Passive: Focuses on the result (문이 열어졌다 / The door was opened).
- Progressive: Focuses on the process (문이 열어지고 있다 / The door is opening).
- Inanimate Subjects: Use with objects (문, 컴퓨터) rather than people.
- Transitive Verbs Only: Works best with verbs that take objects (e.g., 열다, 닫다).
3. Meaning & Usage
1. Passive/Progressive Actions
- 열다 → 열어지다 (to open → to be opening):
- 문이 자동으로 열어졌어요.
(The door was opened automatically.)
(Note: Use 열리다 for standard passive.)
- 문이 자동으로 열어졌어요.
- 닫다 → 닫아지다 (to close → to be closing):
- 창문이 갑자기 닫아졌어요.
(The window was suddenly closed.)
(Note: Use 닫히다 for standard passive.)
- 창문이 갑자기 닫아졌어요.
- 쓰다 → 써지다 (to write → to be written):
- 이 펜은 글씨가 잘 안 써져요.
(This pen doesn’t write well.)
- 이 펜은 글씨가 잘 안 써져요.
- 풀다 → 풀어지다 (to solve → to be resolved):
- 문제가 쉽게 풀어졌어요.
(The problem was solved easily.)
(Note: Use 풀리다 for standard passive.)
- 문제가 쉽게 풀어졌어요.
- 놓다 → 놓아지다 (to place → to be placed):
- 가방이 책상 위에 놓아졌어요.
(The bag was placed on the desk.)
(Note: Use 놓이다 for standard passive.)
- 가방이 책상 위에 놓아졌어요.
2. Inanimate Subjects
- 커튼이 쳐지다 (to be drawn):
- 커튼이 저절로 쳐졌어요.
(The curtains were drawn by themselves.)
(Note: Use 닫히다 for “closed.”)
- 커튼이 저절로 쳐졌어요.
- 프린트되어지다 (to be printed):
- 서류가 프린트되어졌어요.
(The documents were printed.)
(Note: 프린트되다 is correct; 되어지다 is redundant.)
- 서류가 프린트되어졌어요.
3. Possibility (with Negative Adverbs)
- 찢다 → 찢어지다 (to tear → to tear):
- 이 종이는 잘 안 찢어져요.
(This paper doesn’t tear easily.)
- 이 종이는 잘 안 찢어져요.
- 열어지다 (to open):
- 그 파일이 열어지지 않아요.
(The file doesn’t open.)
(Note: Use 열리다 for standard passive.)
- 그 파일이 열어지지 않아요.
- 눌러지다 (to be pressed):
- 버튼이 눌러지지 않아요.
(The button doesn’t get pressed.)
(Note: Use 눌리다 for standard passive.)
- 버튼이 눌러지지 않아요.
4. Common Errors & Fixes
| Original | Corrected | Reason |
| 문이 열어졌어요 | 문이 열렸어요 (The door was opened.) | Use 열리다 for standard passive. |
| 창문 닫아졌어요 | 창문 닫혔어요 (The window was closed.) | Use 닫히다 for standard passive. |
| 음식 먹어졌어요 | 음식 먹혔어요 (The food was eaten.) | Use 먹히다 for standard passive. |
| 프린트되어졌어요 | 프린트되었어요 (The documents were printed.) | Avoid redundant passive (-되어지다 → -되다). |
| 커튼 쳐졌어요 | 커튼 닫혔어요 (The curtains were closed.) | Use 닫히다 for “closed.” 쳐지다 means “to be draped.” |
※ Note: “쳐졌어요” is non-standard but used colloquially in some dialects to mean
“closed.”
5. Key Notes
- Standard vs. Non-Standard Forms:
- Standard passive forms (-리다/-히다): 열리다 (to be opened), 닫히다 (to be closed), 먹히다 (to be eaten).
- Non-standard/process-focused (-아/어지다): 열어지다, 닫아지다 (colloquial or dialectal).
- Redundancy Avoidance:
- 되어지다 → 되다 (e.g., 프린트되어졌어요 → 프린트되었어요).
- Contextual Usage:
- 아/어지다 is natural for processes (e.g., 창문이 열어져요 = The window is opening).
- 아/어지다 is natural for processes (e.g., 창문이 열어져요 = The window is opening).
4. Key Points to Remember
- 아/어지다 ≠ Standard Passive: Use -리다/-히다 (열리다, 닫히다) for standard passive.
- Process Focus: 아/어지다 highlights ongoing actions (e.g., 창문이 열어져요 → The window is opening).
- Inanimate Subjects: Typically paired with objects (e.g., doors, food).
- Avoid Redundancy: Simplify -되어지다 → -되다 (e.g., 프린트되어졌어요 → 프린트되었어요).
- Negative Adverbs: Use with 잘 안, 전혀 안 to express difficulty (e.g., 잘 안 써져요).
- Dialect/Colloquial Use: “닫아지다”, “열어지다” are non-standard but used informally.
- Context Matters: “쳐지다” primarily means “to be draped,” not “to close.”
5. Practice Exercises
Fill in the blanks using the correct form of the verb + 아/어지다 (passive/progressive).
- 문이 자동으로 _____ (열다).
→ (The door was opened automatically.) - 창문이 갑자기 _____ (닫다).
→ (The window was suddenly closed.) - 이 펜은 글씨가 잘 안 _____ (쓰다).
→ (This pen doesn’t write well.) - 음식이 다 _____ (먹다).
→ (The food was all eaten.) - 가방이 책상 위에 _____ (놓다).
→ (The bag was placed on the desk.) - 이 문제는 쉽게 _____ (풀다).
→ (This problem was solved easily.) - 커튼이 저절로 _____ (닫다).
→ (The curtains closed by themselves.) - 서류가 _____ (프린트하다).
→ (The documents were printed.) - 이 종이는 잘 안 _____ (찢다).
→ (This paper doesn’t tear easily.) - 버튼이 _____ (누르다) 않아요.
→ (The button doesn’t get pressed.)
6. Answers
- 열렸어요 (열리다)
- 닫혔어요 (닫히다)
- 써져요 (써지다)
- 먹혔어요 (먹히다)
- 놓여 있었어요 (놓이다)
- 풀렸어요 (풀리다)
- 닫혔어요 (닫히다)
- 프린트되었어요 (프린트되다)
- 찢어져요 (찢어지다)
- 눌리지 (눌리다)
Note: Focus on distinguishing standard passives (-리다/-히다) from colloquial forms (-아/어지다).
7. Common Mistakes and Tips
⚠️ Mistake 1: Use 아/어지다 only with action verbs (e.g., 만들다 → 만들어지다).
Incorrect: 문이 열어졌어요. ❌ (The door was opened.)
(Non-standard passive; use 열리다 for formal writing.)
Correct: 문이 열렸어요. ✅ (The door was opened.)
💡 Tip: Use 아/어지다 only with action verbs (e.g., 만들다 → 만들어지다) and avoid conflating it with adjective + 아/어지다 (e.g., 행복해지다).
⚠️ Mistake 2: Avoid redundant passives (e.g., 읽혀지다 → 읽히다).
Incorrect: 책이 읽혀지다. ❌ (The book is being read.)
(Redundant passive; 읽히다 is already passive.)
Correct: 책이 읽히다. ✅ (The book is read.)
💡 Tip: Double-check if a verb already has a standard passive form (-리다/-히다) before using 아/어지다.
⚠️ Mistake 3: Use -고 있다 to highlight ongoing processes (e.g., 구워지고 있어요 → is being baked).
Incorrect: 빵이 구워졌어요. ❌ (The bread was baked.)
(Neutral result; acceptable but lacks process emphasis.)
Correct: 빵이 구워지고 있어요. ✅ (The bread is being baked.)
💡 Tip: Add -고 있다 to emphasize ongoing actions (e.g., 만들어지고 있다 → is being made).
Mastering Verb + 아/어지다 allows learners to express nuanced action-based changes in Korean. By focusing on process-oriented verbs and avoiding common pitfalls, students can enhance their conversational and writing fluency.