Learn Korean for Free | Beginner Korean Grammar #34
The weather becomes warm, your Korean gets better, and the streets become quiet. A-아지다/어지다 describes this kind of change.
What Does A-아지다/어지다 Mean?
Attach -아지다/어지다 to a descriptive verb to mean “become” or “get” a certain way. In speech, it is conjugated as -아/어져요 or -아/어졌어요.
The Rule
Stems with ㅏ or ㅗ usually take -아지다: 작다 → 작아지다. Other vowels take -어지다: 춥다 → 추워지다, 예쁘다 → 예뻐지다. 하다 becomes 해지다: 조용하다 → 조용해지다.
Useful Korean Words
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 따뜻하다 | to be warm |
| 춥다 | to be cold |
| 좋다 | to be good |
| 빠르다 | to be fast |
| 조용하다 | to be quiet |
| 깨끗하다 | to be clean |
| 많다 | to be many |
| 어둡다 | to be dark |
Korean Grammar Examples
봄이 되면 날씨가 따뜻해져요.
When spring comes, the weather becomes warm.
한국어 발음이 좋아졌어요.
My Korean pronunciation has improved.
밤이 되니까 거리가 조용해졌어요.
The street became quiet at night.
요즘 해가 빨리 어두워져요.
These days it gets dark early.
청소해서 방이 깨끗해졌어요.
The room became clean because I cleaned it.
A Short Dialogue
A: 한국 생활이 어때요? — How is life in Korea?
B: 처음에는 어려웠지만 지금은 편해졌어요. — It was difficult at first, but now it has become comfortable.
A: 한국어도 좋아졌어요? — Has your Korean improved too?
B: 네, 매일 연습해서 많이 좋아졌어요. — Yes, it has improved a lot because I practice every day.
A Common Mistake to Avoid
This pattern describes a change, not merely a present condition. 날씨가 추워요 means “The weather is cold,” while 날씨가 추워졌어요 means “The weather became cold.” It normally attaches to descriptive verbs; changes caused intentionally may use -게 하다 or another expression.
Quick Quiz 🎯
Describe the change: ① 날씨가 따뜻하다 ② 방이 조용하다 ③ 한국어가 쉽다 ④ 사람이 많다.
Answers and Explanation
① 날씨가 따뜻해졌어요. ② 방이 조용해졌어요. ③ 한국어가 쉬워졌어요. ④ 사람이 많아졌어요. Each answer focuses on the new state after a change.
Try It in Your Own Life
Write two original sentences using A-아지다/어지다 about your experience, schedule, ability, plan, or Korean study. Read them aloud, change one detail, and say them again. Check both the grammar form and the spacing before comparing your work with the model sentences.
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