How to use Korean Grammar: A + 아/어/여지다

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Adjective + / / 여지다

The Korean grammar patterns -아지다, -어지다, and -여지다 are used to indicate a change in the property, state, or characteristics of a person, object, or situation. These endings are attached to adjectives, which then become verbs.
See Past Tense lesson to learn when you should use -아, -어, and -여.

See examples,
(click on translation and grammar buttons)

날씨가 점점 추워져요.

Korean

날씨

점점

춥다

English

weather

gradually

cold

The weather is getting colder.

날씨 점점 춥+어지+어요.
(춥습니다 - adjective, 추워집니다 - verb)

날씨가 언제 따뜻해지겠지요?

Korean

날씨

언제

따뜻하다

English

weather

when

warm

When will it get warm?

날씨 언제 따뜻하+여지++지요?
(따뜻합니다 - adjective, 따뜻해집니다 - verb)

이 가방이 왜 갑자기 가벼워졌지?

Korean

가방

갑자기

가볍다

English

this

bag

why

suddenly

light

Why did this bag suddenly get lighter?

이 가방 왜 갑자기 가볍+어지++?
(가볍습니다 - adjective, 가벼워집니다 - verb)

It is also possible to attach -아 / -어 / -여지다 to certain verbs to create a passive voice. Not not all verbs are suitable for this though.
The dog chased the cat. (Active voice)
The cat was chased by the dog.(Passive voice)

See examples,
(click on translation and grammar buttons)

우리 집에 매일 불이 꺼져요.

Korean

우리

매일

끄다

English

we

house

everyday

lights, fire

to turn off

The lights in my house go out every day.

우리 집 매일 불 끄+어지+어요.

제 꿈이 드디어 이루어졌어요.

Korean

드디어

이루다

English

I

dream

at last

to accomplish, to fulfill

My dream has finally come true.

저+ 드디어 이루+어지++어요.

Quick reference (click to open)

Vowels: a, e, i, o, u

Consonants: b, c, d, f, g, h, j

Syllable: Bra-zil (2 syllables), Ar-gen-ti-na (4), In-di-a (3), Viet-nam (2), thin-king (2), beau-ti-ful (3), good (1)

Batchim: is a final consonant in a syllable. → Bra-zil (batchim: 'l'), Ar-gen-ti-na (batchims: 'r' and 'n'), In-di-a ('n'), Viet-nam ('t', 'm')

Romanization: is a conversion of text (not pronunciation ! ) from different writing system (Korean, Arabic, Russian, etc.) to the Roman (Latin) alphabet.

IPA: is an alphabetic system of phonetic (pronunciation) notation.

Noun: road, user, sister, table, sky

Pronoun: I, my, we, you, they, her

Verb: to go, to study, to think, to feel

Adjective: cold, kind, hungry, curious, expensive

Adverb: quickly, nicely, never, exactly, urgently

Preposition: from, to, on, in, with, till

Conjuction: and, because, if, but, while

Declarative sentence: I learn Korean.

Interrogative sentence: Do you learn Korean?

Imperative sentence: You must learn Korean!

Exclamative sentence: Wow, you learn Korean!

Verb / Adj. stem in Korean: part of a verb or adj. which is left after removing the last syllable -다 ( e.g. 가다 → 가, 예쁘다 → 예쁘, 듣다 → 듣 ).