Passive & -아/어지다
Process focus.
Goals
Lexical vs -아/어지다 passives.
Steps
- 문이 열렸어요 empathy focus.
- Choose passive when process matters.
Common mistakes
- English passive calque every line.
Study rhythm: Skim “Passive & -아/어지다” for structure, then re-read aloud. Fifteen-minute sessions usually beat one long cram when you are learning Korean from scratch.
Hands-on: Write three new sentences (do not copy the examples) using this pattern. When you learn Korean, forcing fresh sentences shows gaps early.
Listening: Pair this lesson with any short clip whose Korean subtitles reuse the same grammar. Notice endings in interviews versus narrators — the same rule may sound softer or stiffer.
Particles & patience: If vocabulary is easy but sentences feel wrong, slow down on markers. Revisit the core explanation above before adding more flashcards.
Examples & practice: mini conversation
Read across: English meaning → Korean sentence → romanization (Konglish-style pronunciation guide, not official MR).
| Speaker | English | Korean | Romanization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 뉴스 앵커 | Prices 올랐다 passive flavor? | 물가가 올랐어요—피동 느낌? | mulgaga ollass-eoyo—pidong neukkim? |
| 코멘터 | 문이 잠겼어요—the door got locked. | muni jamgyeoss-eoyo. | muni jamgyeoss-eoyo. |
| 뉴스 앵커 | -아/어지다 process focus—not who did it. | 누가보다 무엇이. | nuga-boda mueos-i. |
| 코멘터 | 길이 막혀서 늦었어요. | gil-i makhyeo-seo neujeoss-eoyo. | gil-i makhyeo-seo neujeoss-eoyo. |
| 뉴스 앵커 | Political Korean loves passive. | 뉴스 체 피동 천국. | nyuseu che pidong cheonguk. |
| 코멘터 | I'll circle verbs in article tonight. | 기사에 동그라미 칠게요. | gisa-e donggeurami chilgeyo. |