Lesson 19
In Level 4 Lesson 28, we introduced the verb ending -아/어/여지다 and how it is used to express “to become + adjective”.
Examples:
예쁘다 = to be pretty
예뻐지다 = to become pretty
조용하다 = to be silent
조용해지다 = to become silent
Some adjective words (or descriptive verbs) are so commonly used in the -아/어/여지다 form though that they are almost considered as independent verbs and have a single-word translation in English as well.
1. 달라지다
다르다 = to be different
다르 → 달라 + -아지다 = 달라지다 = to change, to become different
Sample Sentences
여기 많이 달라졌어요.
= This place has changed a lot.
뭔가 달라진 것 같아요.
= I feel like something has changed.
2. 좋아지다
좋다 = to be good, to be likeable
좋 → 좋 + -아지다 = 좋아지다 = to get better, to improve, to be enhanced, to start to like
Sample Sentences
이 가수가 좋아졌어요.
= I started to like this singer. = I like this singer now.
* The verb literally means “to become better”, but in this sentence, that does not really make sense. Therefore, you can say, “I like this singer now.”
노래 실력이 좋아졌어요.
= My singing skills have improved.
* It could mean going from bad to good, but in most cases, it tends to mean going from good to better.
3. 많아지다
많다 = to be a lot, to be abundant
많 → 많 + -아지다 = 많아지다 = to increase
Sample Sentences
한국으로 여행 오는 사람들이 많아졌어요.
= The (number of) people who come to Korea for tourism have increased.
* 증가하다 also means to increase, however, this word is not used as commonly as 많아지다.
학생이 많아졌어요.
= The (number of) students have increased.
4. 없어지다
없다 = to be not there, to not exist, to not have
없 → 없 + -어지다 = 없어지다 = to disappear
Sample Sentences
제 핸드폰이 없어졌어요.
= My cellphone has disappeared.
아까 여기 있었는데 없어졌어요.
= It was here earlier but it disappeared.