Lesson 76 · Changes in a State: -아/어지다
Hyeju Language Lab · Beginner · Lesson 76 · Grammar
Changes in a State: -아/어지다
Learn the form, compare its meaning, and practice with six examples and six questions.
BeginnerEnglishIntroduction
Attach -아/어지다 to an adjective to describe a change in a quality or state. 좋아졌어요 means it became better, while 조용해졌어요 means it became quieter. Compare the situation before and after the change.
Romanization is an approximate reading aid. Read the Korean spelling first.
Form & Meaning
- Use 아 after a stem whose last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ, otherwise 어: 좋다 → 좋아지다; 길다 → 길어지다.
- 하다 → 해지다: 편안하다 → 편안해지다; 조용하다 → 조용해지다. Contractions and irregulars still matter: 예쁘다 → 예뻐지다; 춥다 → 추워지다.
- Conjugate 지다 for the time you need: 좋아져요, 좋아졌어요, 좋아질 거예요. The past form is useful when you notice a change that has already happened.
Examples
Looking at the painting, I felt more at ease.
The weather has become much colder.
My Korean skills have improved.
It became quiet before the performance.
The lighting became brighter.
I became closer to my friend.
Compare with similar grammar
LESSON 72
-게 되다
회사 일로 서울에 살게 됐어요.-게 되다 is a change in circumstances or actions. -아/어지다 is an adjective-type state changing.
Review Lesson 72 →LESSON 68
A-게
방을 깨끗하게 청소했어요.-게 describes how an action is done. -아/어지다 describes something changing.
Review Lesson 68 →LESSON 71
-아/어 있어요
문이 열려 있어요.The state that remains after an action, not a change in progress.
Review Lesson 71 →RELATED PATTERN
점점 + -아/어지다
날씨가 점점 추워져요.점점 (gradually) often goes with -아/어지다.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A-아/어지다 | become (adjective) | 날씨가 따뜻해졌어요 |
| -게 되다 | end up (circumstances) | 이사하게 됐어요 |
| -아/어지고 있어요 | is getting … | 점점 추워지고 있어요 |
| -아/어졌으면 좋겠어요 | I hope it gets … | 빨리 따뜻해졌으면 좋겠어요 |
Hyeju’s Note
Use this pattern for a quality becoming different. Compare 한국어가 좋아졌어요, “My Korean has improved,” with 한국어를 배우게 됐어요, “I came to study Korean.” The second describes a new activity or outcome. -아/어지다 does not by itself identify who caused the change.
Common mistakes
춥어졌어요 → 추워졌어요. The ㅂ irregular change applies before 어.
ㅂ-irregular: 춥다 → 추워졌어요.
ㅡ drops: 바쁘다 → 바빠졌어요.
하다 → 해졌어요.
For an adjective changing, use -아/어지다.
Say It, Then Write It
Choose one example that fits your day. Say it aloud, change one detail, and write the new sentence. Check both the connecting form and the final tense.
Mini practice · six questions
All sentences below are new. Try each one before opening the answer.
- Fill in the blank운동을 시작한 후에 몸이 ______. (건강하다)
Check answer
운동을 시작한 후에 몸이 건강해졌어요.
하다 → 해졌어요.
- Fill in the blank요즘 날씨가 점점 ______. (덥다 · -고 있어요)
Check answer
요즘 날씨가 점점 더워지고 있어요.
덥다 → 더워지다 → 더워지고 있어요.
- Choose the correct form한국어 공부가 처음보다 (쉬워졌어요 / 쉽게 됐어요).
Check answer
쉬워졌어요
An adjective changing → -아/어지다.
- Choose the correct form우리 동네가 많이 (변했어요 / 변해졌어요).
Check answer
변했어요
변하다 already means “to change”, so don’t add -아/어지다.
- Find and fix the mistake봄이 되니까 꽃이 많이 예쁘졌어요.
Check answer
봄이 되니까 꽃이 많이 예뻐졌어요.
ㅡ drops: 예쁘다 → 예뻐졌어요.
- Say it in KoreanYour Korean has gotten really good!
Check answer
한국어 실력이 정말 좋아졌어요!
좋다 → 좋아지다 → 좋아졌어요.
Today’s Key Point
Use 아 after a stem whose last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ, otherwise 어: 좋다 → 좋아지다; 길다 → 길어지다. Keep the meaning and the context together when you choose the form.
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