The three ways Korean forms the passive: derived passive suffixes, -아/어지다, and -에 의해. TOPIK II grammar with examples and a free quiz.
-이/히/리/기 (Derived passive)-이/히/리/기
Use this when you want to express that something happened to the subject rather than the subject doing it. Add '-이/히/리/기' to a verb root to form derived passives. Which suffix attaches depends on the final sound of the root, so it's easiest to memorize the common pairs by heart. Examples: 문이 열렸어요 / 아이가 엄마 손에 잡혔어요
Like '문이 열렸어요' or '책이 읽혀요', a derived passive is made by attaching '-이/히/리/기' to a verb root. The subject is on the receiving end of the action.
Rules
Verb root + 이 (mainly after a vowel/some consonants)
보다 (root 보, after vowel ㅗ) → 보 + 이다 → 보이다
쓰다 → 쓰이다 (to be used/written)
놓다 → 놓이다 (to be placed)
섞다 → 섞이다 (to be mixed)
Verb root (after ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ/ㅈ) + 히
읽다 (root 읽, after ㄱ) → 읽 + 히다 → 읽히다
닫다 → 닫히다 (to be closed)
먹다 → 먹히다 (to be eaten)
잡다 → 잡히다 (to be caught)
Verb with ㄹ batchim + 리
열다 (root 열, ㄹ batchim) → 열 + 리다 → 열리다
팔다 → 팔리다 (to be sold)
물다 → 물리다 (to be bitten)
걸다 → 걸리다 (to be hung / to take time)
Verb root (after ㄴ/ㅁ/ㅅ/ㅊ) + 기
안다 (root 안, after ㄴ) → 안 + 기다 → 안기다
쫓다 → 쫓기다 (to be chased)
끊다 → 끊기다 (to be cut off)
감다 → 감기다 (to be wound around)
Examples
문이 바람에 저절로 열렸어요.
The door opened by itself in the wind.
약속 시간이 변경돼서 늦게 갔어요.
The appointment time was changed, so I went late.
아이가 엄마 손에 꼭 잡혔어요.
The child was tightly held in mom's hand.
갑자기 전화가 끊겼어요.
The phone call suddenly cut out.
-아/어지다 — State change (becoming)-아/어지다 — 저절로 그렇게 되기
Use this for the process of a state changing on its own or gradually over time. Mostly attached to adjectives, it shows a resulting change of '~becoming a state'; with some verbs it has a natural passive feel. The form alternates by vowel harmony — 아지다/어지다 — and 하다 becomes 해지다. Examples: 날씨가 추워졌어요 / 한국어가 재미있어졌어요
Like '따뜻해졌어요' or '예뻐졌어요', '-아/어지다' attaches to adjectives or some verbs to express a natural change or resulting state.
Rules
Stem with vowel ㅏ/ㅗ + 아지다
좋다 (stem 좋, vowel ㅗ) → 좋 + 아지다 → 좋아지다
많다 → 많아지다 (to become many)
작다 → 작아지다 (to become small)
낮다 → 낮아지다 (to become low)
Stem with other vowels + 어지다
예쁘다 (stem 예쁘, vowel ㅡ) → 예뻐지다
만들다 → 만들어지다 (to be made)
길다 → 길어지다 (to become long)
멋있다 → 멋있어지다 (to become cool)
하다 verb/adjective + 해지다
따뜻하다 (하다 form) → 따뜻 + 해지다 → 따뜻해지다
조용하다 → 조용해지다 (to become quiet)
복잡하다 → 복잡해지다 (to become complicated)
편하다 → 편해지다 (to become comfortable)
Examples
날씨가 갑자기 추워졌어요.
The weather suddenly got cold.
한국어 실력이 많이 좋아졌어요.
My Korean has improved a lot.
요즘 물가가 점점 비싸졌어요.
Prices have gradually become expensive lately.
이 의자는 나무로 만들어졌어요.
This chair is made of wood.
-에 의해 — Formal passive agent-에 의해 — 누가 했는지 밝히기 (격식)
Use this in a passive sentence to formally identify 'who/what did' the action. It's common in news, official documents, and press releases that need formality. In daily conversation, it's naturally replaced by '-에게/한테'. Not just people but institutions, objects, and even natural phenomena can come as agents. Examples: 범인이 경찰에 의해 체포됐어요 / 이 법은 국회에 의해 통과됐어요
Like '국회에 의해 통과됐어요', '-에 의해' is used in passive expressions to mark the agent in a formal style.
Rules
Noun (with batchim) + 에 의해
국회 + 에 의해 → 국회에 의해 통과됐어요
경찰에 의해 체포됐어요 (was arrested by the police)
정부에 의해 발표됐어요 (was announced by the government)
위원회에 의해 결정됐어요 (was decided by the committee)
Noun + 에 의해 + passive verb
전문가 + 에 의해 + 만들어지다 → 전문가에 의해 만들어졌어요
화가에 의해 그려졌어요 (was drawn by the artist)
작가에 의해 쓰였어요 (was written by the author)
바람에 의해 날아갔어요 (was blown away by the wind)
Noun + 에 의한 + noun (modifier form)
사고 + 에 의한 + 피해 → 사고에 의한 피해 (damage from an accident)
법에 의한 보호 (protection by law)
투표에 의한 결정 (decision by vote)
오해에 의한 다툼 (a dispute caused by misunderstanding)
Examples
이 웹툰은 인기 작가에 의해 그려졌어요.
This webtoon was drawn by a popular author.
그 영화는 유명한 감독에 의해 만들어졌어요.
That movie was made by a famous director.
범인이 경찰에 의해 체포됐어요.
The criminal was arrested by the police.
그 신곡은 아이돌 그룹에 의해 발표됐어요.
The new song was released by an idol group.
See it in a conversationClosing-time discount battle
수진
지호 씨, 방금 편의점 갔다 왔는데 마감 할인 도시락 다 팔렸어요!
Jiho, I just went to the convenience store — all the closing-time discount lunches were sold out!
지호
진짜요? 저도 사려고 했는데!
Really? I was going to get one too!
수진
너무 빨리 팔려서 알림 소리도 안 들렸어요. 앞 사람이 마지막 두 개를 가져갔어요.
They sold out so fast I didn't even hear the notification sound. The person ahead grabbed the last two.
지호
아쉽다. 요즘 마감 할인 너무 빨리 없어지는 것 같아요.
What a shame. Lately closing-time discounts vanish so fast.
수진
맞아요. 유튜버들에 의해 유명해진 이후로 점점 더 빨라졌어요.
Right. Ever since it got famous through YouTubers, it's gotten faster and faster.
지호
내일은 퇴근길에 더 일찍 들러야겠네요.
Tomorrow I'd better swing by earlier on the way home.
Check yourself퀴즈 — no signup needed
문이 닫________. (The door ___.)
혔어요 — The passive suffix '-히-' attaches to '닫다' to form '닫히다'. It carries the passive meaning 'the door was closed by itself / by someone'.
날씨가 따뜻해________. (The weather has ___.)
졌어요 — The adjective '따뜻하다' can't take a derived passive. Instead, '-아/어지다' attaches to form '따뜻해지다', expressing a gradual change.
이 건물은 유명한 건축가________설계됐어요. (This building was designed ___ a famous architect.)
에 의해 — In a passive sentence, '-에 의해' marks 'who did' the action. It's common in formal writing and news.
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