How -되다 turns Sino-Korean nouns into passives, and when to use it instead of -이/히/리/기. Examples and a free quiz.
-되다 — Sino-Korean passive-되다 — 저절로 되거나 당하기 (한자어)
Use this to make verbs of the form '하다 attached to a Sino-Korean noun' (공부하다, 취소하다, 건설하다) into passives. You only need to swap '하다' for '되다', so this is the most common passive form in news, notices, and reports. It doesn't attach to native verbs (열다·잡다) — only to Sino-Korean noun stems. Examples: 회의가 취소됐어요 / 건물 공사가 완료됐어요
Like '건설됐어요' or '번역됐어요', when you turn 'Sino-Korean noun + 하다' verbs into '-되다', they become passive.
Rules
Sino-Korean noun + 되다 (present)
건설하다 → swap 하다 for 되다 → 건설되다 → 건설돼요
해결하다 → 해결되다 (to be resolved)
번역하다 → 번역되다 (to be translated)
연기하다 → 연기되다 (to be postponed)
Sino-Korean noun + 됐다 (past)
취소하다 → 취소되다 → 취소 + 됐어요 → 취소됐어요
발표하다 → 발표됐어요 (was announced)
완료하다 → 완료됐어요 (was completed)
접수하다 → 접수됐어요 (was received)
Sino-Korean noun + 될 (modifier form)
결정하다 → 결정되다 → 결정 + 될 + 일 → 결정될 일
해결될 문제 (a problem to be solved)
변경될 일정 (a schedule to be changed)
진행될 행사 (an event to be held)
Examples
회의가 내일로 연기됐어요.
The meeting was postponed to tomorrow.
신청서가 정상적으로 접수됐어요.
The application was received without issues.
건물 공사가 드디어 완료됐어요.
The building construction was finally completed.
이 책은 한국어로 번역됐어요.
This book was translated into Korean.
Making passives — Active ↔ Passive switch당하는 말로 바꾸기 — ‘내가 한다’ ↔ ‘일어난다’
Use this when you turn an active sentence into a passive one.
In active and passive sentences, the subject and object switch, and the verb changes to a passive form.
Examples
문이 바람에 열렸어요.
The door opened in the wind.
아이가 엄마에게 안겼어요.
The child was held by mom.
편지가 친구에게 보내졌어요.
The letter was sent to my friend.
새 도서관이 작년에 지어졌어요.
A new library was built last year.
See it in a conversationCafe booking canceled
지민
원영 씨, 예약한 카페 어떻게 됐어요?
Wonyoung, what happened with the cafe you booked?
원영
갑자기 취소됐어요. 아침에 문자 받았는데 가게 쪽 사정이래요.
It was suddenly canceled. I got a text this morning saying it's on the shop's end.
지민
헐, 저희 인원도 배정되어 있었는데요?
What, but our seats had been assigned already.
원영
네, 이미 인원 확정됐다고 답까지 받았거든요. 근데 갑자기 변경됐어요.
Yeah, they even confirmed the number. Then it suddenly changed.
지민
그럼 다른 카페 찾아야겠네요. 제가 지금 예약 앱으로 조회해 볼게요.
Then we need another cafe. I'll check the booking app right now.
원영
감사해요! 너무 유명한 데는 이미 다 마감됐을 거예요.
Thanks! Super-famous places will all be closed out already.
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회의가 오후 3시에 시작________. (The meeting ___ at 3 p.m.)
됐어요 — Verbs like '시작하다' (Sino-Korean noun + 하다) form passives by swapping '하다' for '되다'. The meeting starts on its own / by someone.
새 법이 국회에서 통과________. (A new law was ___ at the National Assembly.)
됐어요 — The subject is '법'; a law isn't passing on its own — it gets processed/passed. So use the passive '통과되다'.
아이가 엄마에게 안________. (The child was ___ in mom's arms.)
겼어요 — Since '안다' ends in ㄴ, the passive suffix '-기-' attaches to form '안기다'. Same pattern as '쫓다→쫓기다, 끊다→끊기다'.
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