Korean Passive Verbs

Korean verbs are changed to the passive by adding 이, 히, 리, or 기 to the verb stem. Which syllable you add usually depends on the letter the verb ends with; however, there are many exceptions to this rule and you simply have to memorize most of the words.

Passive verbs with the suffix “-이”

TransitivesEnglish translationsPassivesEnglish translations
놓다
놓아요
놓습니다
to put놓이다
놓여요
놓입니다
to be put
쌓다
쌓아요
쌓습니다
to pile쌓이다
쌓여요
쌓입니다
to be piled up
바꾸다
바꿔요
바꿉니다
to change바뀌다
바뀌어요
바뀝니다
to be changed
보다
봐요
봅니다
to see보이다
보여요
보입니다
to be seen
쓰다
써요*
씁니다
to use
to write
쓰이다
쓰여요
쓰입니다
to be used
to be written
깎다
깎아요
깎습니다
to peel
to carve
깍이다
깍여요
깍입니다
to be peeled
to be trimmed

Passive verbs with the suffix “-히”

TransitivesEnglish translationsPassivesEnglish translations
닫다
닫아요
닫습니다
to close
to shut
닫히다
닫혀요
닫힙니다
to be shut
읽다
읽어요
읽습니다
to read읽히다
읽혀요
읽힙니다
to be read
막다
막아요
막습니다
to block막히다
막혀요
막힙니다
to be blocked
잡다
잡아요
잡습니다
to grab잡히다
잡혀요
잡힙니다
to be grabbed
먹다
먹어요
먹습니다
to eat먹히다
먹혀요
먹힙니다
to be eaten
꽂다
꽂아요
꽂습니다
to stick in꽂히다
꽂혀요
꽂힙니다
to be stuck in
밟다
밟아요
밟습니다
to step on밟히다
밟혀요
밟힙니다
to be stepped
찍다
찍어요
찍습니다
to take photo
to stamped
to dip
찍히다
찍혀요
찍힙니다
to be stabbed
to be taken photo
뽑다
뽑아요
뽑습니다
to pull
to pick
뽑히다
뽑혀요
뽑힙니다
to be pulled
to be picked

Passive verbs with the suffix “-리”

TransitivesEnglish translationsPassivesEnglish translations
걸다
걸어요
겁니다*
to hang
to bet
걸리다
걸려요
걸립니다
to be hung
to be caught
듣다
들어요*
듣습니다
to hear들리다
들려요
들립니다
to be heard
열다
열어요
엽니다*
to open열리다
열려요
열립니다
to be opened
팔다
팔아요
팝니다*
to sell팔리다
팔려요
팔립니다
to be sold
밀다
밀어요
밉니다*
to push밀리다
밀려요
밀립니다
to be pushed
풀다
풀어요
풉니다*
to untie
to release
풀리다
풀려요
풀립니다
to be untied
부르다
불러요*
부릅니다
to call
to sing
불리다
불려요
불립니다
to be called
to be sung
달다
달아요
답니다*
to hang
to attach
달리다
달려요
달립니다
to be hooked
to be attached
떨다
떨어요
떱니다*
to shake떨리다
떨려요
떨립니다
to be shaken

Passive verbs with the suffix “-기”

TransitivesEnglish translationsPassivesEnglish translations
끊다
끊어요
끊습니다
to cut (off)끊기다
끊겨요
끊깁니다
to be cut (off)
안다
안아요
안습니다
to hug
to embrace
안기다
안겨요
안깁니다
to be embraced
to be hugged
쫓다
쫓아요
쫓습니다
to pursue
to follow
to drive out
쫓기다
쫓겨요
쫓깁니다
to be pursued
찢다
찢어요
찢습니다
to tear up찢기다
찢겨요
찢깁니다
to be torn
to be ripped
씻다
씻어요
씻습니다
to wash씻기다
씻겨요
씻깁니다
to be washed
담다
담아요
담습니다
to put in담기다
담겨요
담깁니다
to be put in
감다
감아요
감습니다
to wind
to close eyes
감기다
감겨요
감깁니다
to be wound
for eyes to be closed
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