Verbs: Passive Voice

01

Suffix Passives (I, Hi, Ri, Gi)

For many native Korean verbs, the passive is formed by attaching one of four suffixes to the verb stem: 이 (i), 히 (hi), 리 (riririli), or 기 (kigikiki). There is no single rule to determine which suffix a verb takes; these forms are lexical and must be memorized individually.

1. Suffix -이- (-i-)

Used mostly with stems that end in a vowel, like the two below.

• 보다 (po·dabo·dapo·dapo·ta) - to see becomes 보이다 (po·i·dabo·i·dapo·i·dapo·i·ta) - to be seen/visible.
• 쓰다 (ssŭ·dasseu·dassŭ·dassu·ta) - to use/write becomes 쓰이다 (ssŭ·i·dasseu·i·dassŭ·i·dassu·i·ta) - to be used/written.

• 저 산이 보여요?

  chŏ san·i bo·yŏ·yo?jeo san·i bo·yeo·yo?chŏ san·i bo·yŏ·yo?ce san·i po·ye·yo?

  Is that mountain visible? (Can that mountain be seen?)

2. Suffix -히- (-hi-)

Common with verbs ending in ㄱ (k), ㄷ (t), or ㅂ (p).

• 잡다 (chap·dajap·dachap·dacap·ta) - to catch becomes 잡히다 (cha·pʰi·daja·pi·dacha·p'i·daca·phi·ta) - to be caught.
• 먹다 (mŏk·dameok·damŏk·damek·ta) - to eat becomes 먹히다 (mŏ·kʰi·dameo·ki·damŏ·k'i·dame·khi·ta) - to be eaten.
• 닫다 (tat·dadat·datat·datat·ta) - to close becomes 닫히다 (ta·chʰi·dada·chi·data·ch'i·data·chi·ta) - to be closed.

• 도둑이 경찰에게 잡혔어요.

  to·dug·i gyŏng·chʰar·e·ge ja·pʰyŏss·ŏ·yo.do·dug·i gyeong·char·e·ge ja·pyeoss·eo·yo.to·dug·i gyŏng·ch'ar·e·ge ja·p'yŏss·ŏ·yo.to·tug·i kyeng·char·ey·key ca·phyess·e·yo.

  The thief was caught by the police.

3. Suffix -리- (-ri-)

Used mostly with stems ending in ㄹ (l), and with 듣다 (tŭt·dadeut·datŭt·datut·ta), whose ㄷ (t) turns into ㄹ (l) before the suffix, as it does before a vowel.

• 열다 (yŏl·dayeol·dayŏl·dayel·ta) - to open becomes 열리다 (yŏl·li·dayeol·li·dayŏl·li·dayel·li·ta) - to be opened.
• 듣다 (tŭt·dadeut·datŭt·datut·ta) - to hear becomes 들리다 (tŭl·li·dadeul·li·datŭl·li·datul·li·ta) - to be heard.

• 음악 소리가 잘 들려요.

  ŭm·ak so·ri·ga jal dŭl·lyŏ·yo.eum·ak so·ri·ga jal deul·lyeo·yo.ŭm·ak so·ri·ga jal dŭl·lyŏ·yo.um·ak so·li·ka cal tul·lye·yo.

  The music sound is heard well.

4. Suffix -기- (-ki-)

Common with verbs ending in ㄴ (n), ㅁ (m), ㅅ (s), or ㅊ (chʰ).

• 안다 (an·daan·daan·daan·ta) - to hug becomes 안기다 (an·gi·daan·gi·daan·gi·daan·ki·ta) - to be hugged.
• 끊다 (kkŭn·tʰaggeun·takkŭn·t'akkun·tha) - to cut off becomes 끊기다 (kkŭn·kʰi·daggeun·ki·dakkŭn·k'i·dakkun·khi·ta) - to be cut off/disconnected.

• 전화가 갑자기 끊겼어요.

  chŏn·hwa·ga gap·ja·gi kkŭn·kʰyŏss·ŏ·yo.jeon·hwa·ga gap·ja·gi ggeun·kyeoss·eo·yo.chŏn·hwa·ga gap·ja·gi kkŭn·k'yŏss·ŏ·yo.cen·hwa·ka kap·ca·ki kkun·khyess·e·yo.

  The phone call was suddenly cut off.

02

Verbs ending in 'Hada'

For verbs formed by a noun plus 하다 (ha·daha·daha·daha·ta) - to do, the passive is usually formed by replacing 하다 (ha·daha·daha·daha·ta) with 되다 (twæ·dadwae·datwae·datway·ta) - to become.

• 사용하다 (sa·yong·ha·dasa·yong·ha·dasa·yong·ha·dasa·yong·ha·ta) - to use becomes 사용되다 (sa·yong·dwæ·dasa·yong·dwae·dasa·yong·dwae·dasa·yong·tway·ta) - to be used.
• 준비하다 (chun·bi·ha·dajun·bi·ha·dachun·bi·ha·dacun·pi·ha·ta) - to prepare becomes 준비되다 (chun·bi·dwæ·dajun·bi·dwae·dachun·bi·dwae·dacun·pi·tway·ta) - to be prepared.

• 이 단어는 자주 사용돼요.

  i dan·ŏ·nŭn ja·ju sa·yong·dwæ·yo.i dan·eo·neun ja·ju sa·yong·dwae·yo.i dan·ŏ·nŭn ja·ju sa·yong·dwae·yo.i tan·e·nun ca·cu sa·yong·tway·yo.

  This word is used often.

• 모든 것이 준비되었습니다.

  mo·dŭn gŏs·i jun·bi·dwæ·ŏs·sŭm·ni·da.mo·deun geos·i jun·bi·dwae·eos·seum·ni·da.mo·dŭn gŏs·i jun·bi·dwae·ŏs·sŭm·ni·da.mo·tun kes·i cun·pi·tway·es·sum·ni·ta.

  Everything has been prepared.

Note that some 하다 (ha·daha·daha·daha·ta) verbs, especially those involving abstract concepts like "love" or "respect," may use 받다 (pat·dabat·dapat·dapat·ta) - to receive to create a passive meaning.

• 그는 학생들에게 존경받아요.

  kŭ·nŭn hak·sæng·dŭr·e·ge jon·gyŏng·bad·a·yo.geu·neun hak·saeng·deur·e·ge jon·gyeong·bad·a·yo.kŭ·nŭn hak·saeng·dŭr·e·ge jon·gyŏng·bad·a·yo.ku·nun hak·sayng·tur·ey·key con·kyeng·pad·a·yo.

  He is respected by the students.

03

The '-a/ŏ ji·da' Pattern

If a verb does not have a passive form of its own (a suffix passive with 이 (i), 히 (hi), 리 (riririli) or 기 (kigikiki), or a 되다 (twæ·dadwae·datwae·datway·ta) form), you can turn it into a passive by adding -아/어지다 (-a/ŏ·ji·da-a/eo·ji·da-a/ŏ·ji·da-a/e·ci·ta) to the verb stem. This structure literally means "to get/become [verb]ed."

• If the stem's last vowel is ㅏ (a) or ㅗ (o), add 아지다 (a·ji·daa·ji·daa·ji·daa·ci·ta).
• For other vowels, add 어지다 (ŏ·ji·daeo·ji·daŏ·ji·dae·ci·ta).

• 이 펜은 잘 써져요.

  i pʰen·ŭn jal ssŏ·jyŏ·yo.i pen·eun jal sseo·jyeo·yo.i p'en·ŭn jal ssŏ·jyŏ·yo.i pheyn·un cal sse·cye·yo.

  This pen writes well. (Literally: with this pen, writing comes out well.)

• 새로운 건물이 만들어지고 있어요.

  sæ·ro·un gŏn·mur·i man·dŭr·ŏ·ji·go iss·ŏ·yo.sae·ro·un geon·mur·i man·deur·eo·ji·go iss·eo·yo.sae·ro·un gŏn·mur·i man·dŭr·ŏ·ji·go iss·ŏ·yo.say·lo·un ken·mur·i man·tur·e·ci·ko iss·e·yo.

  A new building is being made.

04

Particles in Passive Sentences

In an active sentence, the object is marked with 을/를 (ŭl/rŭleul/reulŭl/rŭlul/lul). In a passive sentence, that object becomes the subject and is marked with 이/가 (i/kai/gai/kai/ka).

If you want to mention the person or thing performing the action (the agent), use the particles 에게 (e·gee·gee·geey·key) or 한테 (han·tʰehan·tehan·t'ehan·they) for people, and 에 (eeeey) for non-living things.

• 아기가 엄마에게 안겼어요.

  a·gi·ga ŏm·ma·e·ge an·gyŏss·ŏ·yo.a·gi·ga eom·ma·e·ge an·gyeoss·eo·yo.a·gi·ga ŏm·ma·e·ge an·gyŏss·ŏ·yo.a·ki·ka em·ma·ey·key an·kyess·e·yo.

  The baby was hugged by the mother.