Korean passive and causative verbs | Free Language Courses

Passive verbs with 이, 히, 리, 기

In a passive sentence the thing affected by the action becomes the subject: “the door was closed”. Many common Korean verbs have a passive partner made with one of four suffixes, -이-, -히-, -리- or -기-. Which one a verb takes can't be predicted, so learn them as words, and many verbs have no such partner at all.

The doer, if mentioned, takes 에게 or 한테 for people and animals: (dodugi gyeongcharege japyeosseoyo), the thief was caught by the police. Often no doer is mentioned: (giri makyeoyo), the roads are jammed.

Verb	Passive	Meaning
(boda), to see	(boida)	to be seen, be visible
(sseuda), to write, use	(sseuida)	to be written, be used
(datda), to close	(dachida)	to be closed, close
(makda), to block	(makida)	to be blocked, jammed
(japda), to catch	(japida)	to be caught
(yeolda), to open	(yeollida)	to be opened; to be held (an event)
(palda), to sell	(pallida)	to be sold, sell
(deutda), to hear	(deullida)	to be heard, be audible
(geolda), to hang	(geollida)	to be hung; to take (time)
(kkeunta), to cut off	(kkeunkida)	to be cut off
(anda), to hug	(angida)	to be hugged

창밖으로 바다가 보여요.Changbakkeuro badaga boyeoyo.You can see the sea from the window.
바람 때문에 문이 닫혔어요.Baram ttaemune muni dachyeosseoyo.The door blew shut in the wind.
이번 주말에 한강에서 축제가 열려요.Ibeon jumare Hangangeseo chukjega yeollyeoyo.A festival is being held by the Han River this weekend.
이 책은 요즘 정말 잘 팔려요.I chaegeun yojeum jeongmal jal pallyeoyo.This book is selling really well these days.

-아/어지다, -되다 and -받다

Verbs without a suffix form can often use -아/어지다: → (mandeureojida), to be made; → (jiwojida), to be erased. It is also used for things that happen by themselves: (buri kkeojyeosseoyo), the lights went out.

Verbs made of a noun + usually replace with (doeda): → (gaebaldoeda), to be developed; → (chwisodoeda), to be cancelled; → (sayongdoeda), to be used. A few take (batda), to receive: (sarangbatda), to be loved; (chodaebatda), to be invited; (jumokbatda), to attract attention.

Korean uses the passive less than English. Many English passives are best said actively in Korean, or with no subject at all: “English is spoken here” → (yeogiseoneun yeongeoreul sseoyo).

이 다리는 백 년 전에 만들어졌어요.I darineun baek nyeon jeone mandeureojyeosseoyo.This bridge was built a hundred years ago.
비 때문에 공연이 취소됐어요.Bi ttaemune gongyeoni chwisodwaesseoyo.The concert was cancelled because of the rain.
태양광은 전기로 변환됩니다.Taeyanggwangeun jeongiro byeonhwandoemnida.Sunlight is converted into electricity.

Causative verbs: making or letting someone do

A causative verb means making, letting or helping someone do something, or making something happen. Many verbs have a causative partner with -이-, -히-, -리-, -기-, -우-, -구- or -추-. Like the passive, these are best learned as words: (meogida) is simply “to feed” and (allida) “to let know, inform”.

Verb	Causative	Meaning
(meokda), to eat	(meogida)	to feed
(boda), to see	(boida)	to show
(ipda), to wear	(ipida)	to dress (someone)
(anda), to sit	(anchida)	to seat (someone)
(alda), to know	(allida)	to inform
(ulda), to cry	(ullida)	to make cry; to ring
(utda), to laugh	(utgida)	to make laugh; to be funny
(sinda), to wear (shoes)	(singida)	to put shoes on (someone)
(jada), to sleep	(jaeuda)	to put to bed
(tada), to ride	(taeuda)	to give a lift
(kkaeda), to wake up	(kkaeuda)	to wake (someone)
(natda), to be low	(natchuda)	to lower

아이에게 밥을 먹이고 재웠어요.Aiege babeul meogigo jaewosseoyo.I fed the child and put her to bed.
사진 좀 보여 주세요.Sajin jom boyeo juseyo.Please show me the photos.
내일 아침 일곱 시에 깨워 주세요.Naeil achim ilgop sie kkaewo juseyo.Please wake me at seven tomorrow morning.

-게 하다: make or let anyone do anything

-게 하다 works with every verb: (anaega jeoreul maeil geotge haeyo), my wife makes me walk every day. The person made to act takes 을/를 or 에게. It can mean “make” or “let”, depending on the situation: (aideureul bakkeseo nolge haesseoyo), I let the children play outside.

When a verb has both, the suffix causative usually means doing it directly, and -게 하다 means getting someone to do it themselves: (aiege babeul meogyeosseoyo), I fed the child; (aiege babeul meokge haesseoyo), I had the child eat.

Same shape, different meaning

A few verbs use the same form for the passive and the causative, so the sentence decides the meaning. is “to be visible” in (sani boyeoyo), I can see the mountain, but “to show” in (yeogwoneul boyeo juseyo), please show me your passport. is “to be read” in (i chaegeun mani ilkyeoyo), this book is widely read, and “to make (someone) read” in (haksaengdeurege sinmuneul ilkyeoyo), I have the students read the newspaper.

Other verbs have different forms for each: gives (meokida), to be eaten, and (meogida), to feed.