Passive Voice (피동형)

Korean has at least three different ways of expressing passive voice with its action verbs: i.e., by infixation, structural derivation, and semantic derivation.

Note that the three methods are exclusively used for different types of verbs, with few exceptions. That is, a particular verb has its own form for passive expression, using one form against the others.

Infixation and structural derivation methods are used mostly for native Korean verbs, whereas semantic derivation is used for "~하다" verbs, which are mostly Sino-Korean origin.

Note that stative verbs, however, which are English-equivalent "adjectives" in essence, take different forms in their expressions of passive, and they are seldom used for passive. This section does not deal with stative verbs.

(1) Infixation

This is the most common (and simple) way of expressing passive voice in Korean -- "이/히/리/기" may be added to a action verb stem (or infixed) before an ending as shown below. Nothing else needs to be changed, on the suffice at least.

• 보다 (to see) → 보이다 (to be seen)
   e.g. 내가 보았다 (I saw (it)). →  내가 보였다 (I was seen (by someone)).
  
• 먹다 (to eat) → 먹히다 (to be eaten)
   e.g. 내가 먹었다 (I ate (it)). →  내가 먹혔다 (I was eaten (by someone)).
  
• 팔다(to sale) → 팔리다(to be sold)
  e.g. (그림을) 팔았다 ((I) sold the picture).  →  (그림이) 팔렸다 (The picture was sold).
  

There are no set rules for which verbs taking which infixes, so they have to be learned word by word. Here are common action verbs with their respective passive forms.

• 씻다 (to wash) → 씻기다 (to be washed)
• 안다 (to hold) → 안기다 (to be held)
  
• 쓰다 (to use) → 쓰이다 (to be used)
• 놓다 (to put) → 놓이다 (to be put)
  
• 밀다 (to push) → 밀리다 (to be pushed)
• 열다 (to open) → 열리다 (to be opened)
  
• 읽다 (to read) → 읽히다 (to be read)
• 잡다 (to catch) → 잡히다 (to be caught)

(2) Structural Derivation

This method uses auxiliary verbs to "structurally" derive the passive. That is, by adding "~어/아/여 지다" to a action verb stem, it makes an active sentence into passive, with changes in case markers.

• 주다(to give) → 주어지다(to be given)
  e.g. (내가) 일을 주었다 ((I) give (him) a job). → 일이 (나에게) 주어졌다 (The job was given (to me)).
  
• 쓰다 (to write) → 써지다 (to be written)
  e.g. 글을 잘 쓴다 ((I) write well). → 글이 잘 써진다 (The story goes well).
  
• 그리다 (to draw) → 그려지다 (to be drawn)
  e.g. 그림을 잘 그렸다 ((I) drew the picture well). → 그림이 잘 그려졌다 (The picture was well drawn).

(3) Semantic Derivation

This method uses the verbs that have passive meanings.  That is, using verbs like "당하다(to meet with; to encounter)" or "받다 (to receive)," which inherently have passive meanings, passive expressions are derived.  Most "~하다" verbs belong to this category.

Note that Korean makes a noun a verb easily by adding "~하다(do)," an efficient way of converting a concept, usually Sino-Korean origin words but not restricted to it, into an action.  For example, a Sino-Korean noun, "처벌(處罰 punishment)," becomes a verb "to punish" by adding "~하다(do)" -- "처벌하다" literally translates as "to do punishment," and a native Korean noun, "사랑 (love)," becomes a verb "to love" by adding "~하다" -- "사랑하다."

For some words, both "당하다" and "받다" can be used interchangeably, "당하다" with higher intensity of the action, and for some other words, only one form is acceptable.

Following is the example.

• 처벌하다 (to punish)  →  처벌 당하다; 처벌 받다 (to be punished)
• 공격하다 (to attack) →  공격 당하다; 공격 받다 (to be attacked)
  
• 거절하다 (to reject) → 거절 당하다 (to be rejected)  **거절 받다 - Not Acceptable
• 고소하다 (to sue ) → 고소 당하다 (to be sued)  **고소 받다 - Not Acceptable
  
• 사랑하다 (to love) → 사랑 받다 (to be loved)  **사랑 당하다 - Not Acceptable
• 존경하다 (to respect) → 존경 받다 (to be respected) **존경 당하다 - Not Acceptable