Passive Voice in Korean: How to Use -이/히/리/기

📌 Passive Voice in Korean: How to Use -이/히/리/기

Want to say “The window was opened” or “The child was hugged” in Korean? Passive voice is key to speaking politely and naturally — especially in situations where no one wants to be blamed! In this post, you’ll learn how to use the most common passive verb endings: -이, -히, -리, and -기. We'll look at examples, grammar patterns, common mistakes, and even how passive voice connects to Korean culture.

1. Why Passive Voice Matters

Have you ever wanted to describe something that happened — without saying who did it? Passive voice helps with that! In English, you’d say:

“The lights were turned off.”
“My phone was stolen.”
“The cake was eaten.”

In Korean, the concept is similar — but the grammar is totally different. Rather than using "was/were", Korean uses verb endings like -이, -히, -리, and -기.

2. Understanding -이/히/리/기

These endings attach to active verbs to create passive versions.

-이: For verbs ending in ㄱ, ㅂ, or ㅅ (ex: 보다 → 보이다)
-히: Used with ㄷ or ㅂ-ending verbs (ex: 닫다 → 닫히다)
-리: Common with ㄹ-ending verbs (ex: 물다 → 물리다)
-기: For irregular/other verbs (ex: 안다 → 안기다)

There's no one perfect rule — the best way to learn is by recognizing patterns and practicing through real examples.

3. Practical Examples

한국어: 문이 닫혔어요.
발음: mun-i dat-hyeot-seo-yo
영어: The door was closed.
한국어: 창문이 열렸어요.
발음: chang-mun-i yeol-lyeot-seo-yo
영어: The window was opened.
한국어: 개에게 물렸어요.
발음: gae-e-ge mul-lyeot-seo-yo
영어: I was bitten by a dog.
한국어: 아이가 안겼어요.
발음: a-i-ga an-gyeot-seo-yo
영어: The child was hugged.

4. Common Mistakes and Tips

⚠️ Don’t confuse passive and active forms!

❌ Incorrect: 저는 문이 닫았어요.
✅ Correct: 문이 닫혔어요.

If the subject receives the action, you need the passive form. And if no passive form exists, use -아/어지다. For example: 바뀌다 = to be changed.

5. 🤔 Did you know?

In Korean culture, indirectness is often preferred. Instead of saying "You broke the vase," Koreans might say, "The vase was broken." It’s not just about avoiding blame — it's about preserving social harmony.

This is why passive voice is not just a grammar point in Korean — it's a way to show respect, avoid confrontation, and sound more polite in daily conversation.

6. Practice on italki

💬 Want to practice using passive voice in real conversation?

👉 Book a live Korean class with me on italki and get confident with polite and natural Korean!

📌 Passive Voice in Korean: How to Use -이/히/리/기

📌 Passive Voice in Korean: How to Use -이/히/리/기

📚 Table of Contents

1. Why Passive Voice Matters

2. Understanding -이/히/리/기

3. Practical Examples

4. Common Mistakes and Tips

5. 🤔 Did you know?

6. Practice on italki

7. Related Posts