Changes -아/어지다

Keyword #
상대, 변화
Lesson #
Section
Intermediate Grammar

TL;DR

  • -아/어지다 attaches to adjectives to show that something becomes or changes into that state 🔄
  • It's like adding "-er" in English (get bigger, get colder) and follows the same 아/어 vowel harmony rules you already know 🎵
  • This pattern turns descriptive words into action words, showing transformation over time ✨

What is -아/어지다? 🤔

This grammar pattern is all about change and transformation! 🦋
When you attach -아/어지다 to an adjective, you're saying that something is becoming or getting that way. It's the difference between "it's cold" (춥다) and "it's getting cold" (추워지다) ❄️
Think of it as the magic spell that turns states into changes! ✨

How to Form It 🔨

Follow the regular 아/어 vowel harmony rules you already know! 🎶
Step 1: Drop -다 from the adjective
Step 2: Add -아지다 or -어지다 based on the last vowel
  • ㅏ or ㅗ vowels → -아지다 🟠
  • All other vowels → -어지다 🔵
  • 하다 adjectives → -해지다 💜

Examples 📝

→ 날씨가 따뜻해졌어요. (The weather got warm.) ☀️
→ 한국어가 쉬워졌어요. (Korean got easier.) 🎉
→ 방이 깨끗해졌어요. (The room became clean.) 🧹
→ 키가 커졌어요. (I got taller / My height increased.) 📏
→ 얼굴이 빨개졌어요. (My face turned red.) 😳
→ 물이 차가워졌어요. (The water became cold.) 🧊

Past Tense = Already Changed ⏰

When you use -아/어졌다 in past tense, you're saying the change already happened! ✅
→ 머리가 길어졌어요. (My hair got long.) 💇‍♀️
→ 친구가 예뻐졌어요. (My friend became prettier.) 💖
→ 가격이 비싸졌어요. (The price got expensive.) 💸

Present/Future = Change in Progress or Will Happen 🔮

→ 점점 어두워져요. (It's gradually getting dark.) 🌙
→ 내일 추워질 거예요. (It will get cold tomorrow.) 🥶
→ 계속 좋아져요. (It keeps getting better.) 📈

Common Patterns You'll Hear 🎧

→ 유명해지다 (to become famous) 🌟
→ 건강해지다 (to become healthy) 💪
→ 행복해지다 (to become happy) 😊
→ 피곤해지다 (to become tired) 😴
→ 친해지다 (to become close/친하다 + -아지다) 👯

Exceptions ⚠️

Irregular ㅂ adjectives lose the ㅂ before adding -아/어지다! 🚨
→ 춥다 → 추워지다 (to get cold) ❄️
→ 덥다 → 더워지다 (to get hot) 🔥
→ 어렵다 → 어려워지다 (to get difficult) 😰
→ 쉽다 → 쉬워지다 (to get easy) 🎯
Irregular ㄷ adjectives change ㄷ to ㄹ before adding -아/어지다! 🔄
→ 듣다 → 들어지다 (to be heard) 👂

Quick Tip 💡

You can use 점점 (gradually) or 더 (more) before -아/어지다 to emphasize the change! 📊
→ 점점 따뜻해져요. (It's gradually getting warmer.) 🌡️
→ 더 예뻐졌어요. (You got even prettier!) 🌸
You're getting better at Korean every day! 🚀 Keep going! 💪✨
 
Try the following exercise.
Complete the sentences using -아/어지다 to describe a change in state. 📝
  • 날씨가 추워_.
    • Answer
    날씨가 추워졌어요. (The weather became cold.)
  • 한국어 실력이 좋아_.
    • Answer
    한국어 실력이 좋아졌어요. (My Korean skills improved/became better.)
  • 시험이 쉬워_.
    • Answer
    시험이 쉬워졌어요. (The exam became easier.)
  • 방이 깨끗해_.
    • Answer
    방이 깨끗해졌어요. (The room became clean.)
  • 물가가 비싸_.
    • Answer
    물가가 비싸졌어요. (Prices became expensive.)
  • 머리가 길어_.
    • Answer
    머리가 길어졌어요. (My hair became long/grew longer.)
  • 아이가 건강해_.
    • Answer
    아이가 건강해졌어요. (The child became healthy.)
  • 거리가 조용해_.
    • Answer
    거리가 조용해졌어요. (The street became quiet.)
  • 음식이 맛있어_.
    • Answer
    음식이 맛있어졌어요. (The food became delicious.)
  • 하늘이 맑아_.
    • Answer
    하늘이 맑아졌어요. (The sky became clear.)
Vocabulary
날씨 - weather
춥다 - to be cold
실력 - skill, ability
좋다 - to be good
시험 - exam, test
쉽다 - to be easy
방 - room
깨끗하다 - to be clean
물가 - prices
비싸다 - to be expensive
머리 - hair
길다 - to be long
아이 - child
건강하다 - to be healthy
거리 - street
조용하다 - to be quiet
음식 - food
맛있다 - to be delicious
하늘 - sky
맑다 - to be clear
Common mistakes
  • 🚫 Forgetting to attach -아/어지다 to the stem: Don't say "좋다졌어요" — remove 다 first and use "좋아졌어요"
  • 🚫 Using -아/어지다 with action verbs: This grammar is for changes in state, not actions like "먹다" or "가다"
  • 🚫 Mixing up -아지다 and -어지다: Stems with 아/오 vowels take -아지다 (맑아지다), while others take -어지다 (쉬워지다)
  • 🚫 Confusing with passive voice: -아/어지다 shows change, not passive meaning — "문이 열어졌어요" means the door became open (changed state), not that it was opened by someone