V-아/어지다 grammar = to be V-ed ~a passive form that is used with verbs without -이/히/리/기-affix

V-아/어지다 grammar = to be V-ed ~a passive form used with verbs without -이/히/리/기-affix

Usage

- V-아/어지다 is used to express a passive statement when the subject's action occurs because of an action directly/indirectly performed by someone else/something = get V-ed 

- V-아/어지다 is mostly used with verbs without -이/히/리/기- affix.

Tense

(Present) Verb + 아/어지다

켜다 -> 켜지다 (be turned on) 

꺼다 -> 꺼지다 (be turned off)

쏟다 -> 쏟아지다 (be spilled out)

깨다 -> 깨지다 (be broken)

고치다 -> 고쳐지다 (be fixed)

(Past) Verb + 아/어졌어요

켜다 -> 켜졌다 (was turned on) 

꺼다 -> 꺼졌다 (was turned off)

쏟다 -> 쏟아졌다 (was spilled out)

깨다 -> 깨졌다 (was broken)

고치다 -> 고쳐졌다 (was fixed)

(Future) Verb + 아/어질 거예요

쏟다 -> 쏟아질 거예요 (will be spilled out)

깨다 -> 깨질 거예요 (will be broken)

고치다 -> 고쳐질 거예요 (will be fixed)

Specific usage:

1. Active and passive form conversion

E.g.

Active: 접시를 깼어요. \\ Passive: 접시가 깨졌어요. 

I broke the disk. \\  The disk was broken.

2. In recent years, -이/히/리/기- passive verbs can also be used in form of -아/어지다

E.g. 

전화가 끊겼어요. / 전화가 끊어졌어요. 

The phone call was ended.

공책에 글씨가 쓰여 있어요./ 써져 있어요. 

Letters are written on the notebook.

3. A-아/어지다 = to get/become A ~ express a change in state over time. (See A-아/어지다 grammar for details.)

E.g.

요즘은 물건 값이 비싸졌어요. 

The expense cost has recently become expensive.

미나 씨가 정말 예뻐졌어요. 

Mina has really become pretty.

날씨는 주말에 추워졌어요. 

The weather got cold over the weekend

Examples

1. 우리 반 친구들하고 언제 식사할까요?
- 저는 아무 때나 괜찮아요. 약속이 정해지면 알려 주세요.

When shall we eat with our classmates?
- Anytime is fine with me. Please let me know when it gets decided.

2. 왜 그렇게 힘들게 쓰고 있어요?
- 볼펜이 안 좋은 것 같아요. 글씨가 잘 안 써져요.

Why do you look so hard on writing?
- I think there is a problem with my pen. It doesn’t write well.

3. 텔레비전이 안 켜져요. 고장이 난 것 같아요.

My TV doesn’t turn on. It seems broken.

4. 커피가 다 쏟아져서 내 옷에 얼룩이 생겼어요.

The coffee spilled out, so my clothes got stained.

5. 누가 유리창을 깼어요?
- 잘 모르겠어요. 아침에 보니까 깨져 있었어요.

Who did the window glass get broken?
- I don’t know. It was broken since I saw in the morning.

6.  날씨가 너무 추우니까 빨리 봄이 오면 좋겠어요.
- 저도 봄이 기다려져요. 봄이 되면 예쁜 꽃도 보고 싶어요.

It will be better when the spring comes since the weather is really cold (now).
- I also wait for spring. When it is spring, I want to see beautiful flowers.

7.  왜 자꾸 다시 물어봐요?
- 수미 씨가 결혼한다는 사실이 안 믿어져요.

Why do you keep asking me again?
- I can’t believe the fact that Sumi is getting married.

8. 마크가 스크립트에 써졌어요./쓰였어요.

The mark was written on the script.

9. 아까 방 불이 다 꺼졌어요.

All the room lights were turned off a while ago.

10. 다행히 내 휴대폰이 무료로 고쳐졌어요

Luckily, my phone was fixed freely.