되다

Korean

Etymology 1

First attested in the Hunminjeong'eum eonhae (訓民正音諺解本 / 훈민정음언해본), 1446, as Middle Korean ᄃᆞ외다〮 (Yale: tòwòytá). Also attested in the Yongbi eocheon'ga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447, as Middle Korean ᄃᆞᄫᆡ다〮 (Yale: tòWòytá).

Cognate with Jeju 뒈다 (dweda).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): ~

  • (file)

• Phonetic hangul:

Verb

되다 • (doeda) (infinitive 돼 or 되어, sequential 되니)

1. to become

   왕이 되다 ― wang-i doeda ― to become king

   씨가 나무가 되다 ― ssi-ga namu-ga doeda ― for the seed to become a tree

2. (of a time) to come, to arrive

   약속한 시간이 되었다. ― Yaksokhan sigan-i doeeotda. ― The appointed time has arrived.

3. (auxiliary, after the 어/아 (-eo/-a) infinitive) to be permissible; to be OK; may

   질문 해도 돼요? ― Jilmun haedo dwaeyo? ― May ask a question?

4. to be... -ed; follows nouns and nominals to form passive verbs. The noun functions as the 이 (-i) / 가 (-ga)-complement of the verb. When there is no particle in between, the construction is written without spaces.

   Coordinate term: 하다 (hada, for active verbs)

   ‎과장(誇張) (gwajang, “exaggeration”) + ‎되다 (doeda) → ‎과장되다 (gwajangdoeda, “to be exaggerated”)

   ‎납치(拉致) (napchi, “kidnapping”) + ‎되다 (doeda) → ‎납치되다 (napchidoeda, “to be kidnapped”)

   언론에서 사건이 지나치게 과장이 되었습니다.

   Eollon-eseo sageon-i jinachige gwajang-i doeeotseumnida.

   The incident has been excessively exaggerated in the media.

   납치는 되었으나 살해되지는 않았습니다.

   Napchi-neun doeeosseuna salhae-doeji-neun anatseumnida.

   He has been kidnapped, but not murdered.

5. Forms certain adjectives.

   ‎속(俗) (sok, “being secular; being vulgar”) + ‎되다 (doeda) → ‎속되다 (sokdoeda, “to be vulgar”)

Usage notes

• Both the subject and the complement of this verb take the "nominative" case markers, 이 (-i) for consonant-final nouns and 가 (-ga) for vowel-final ones.

Conjugation

Derived terms

Etymology 2

First attested in the Worin seokbo (月印釋譜 / 월인석보), 1459, as Middle Korean 되〯다〮 (Yale: twǒytá).

Cognate with Jeju 뒈다 (dweda).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): ~
• Phonetic hangul:
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Adjective

되다 • (doeda) (infinitive 돼 or 되어, sequential 되니) (possibly dated)

1. (of paste or rice) (to be) hard, (to be) thick

   Antonym: 묽다 (mukda)

2. (to be) severe

Conjugation

Derived terms

Etymology 3

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 되〮다〮 (Yale: twóytá).

Cognate with Jeju 뒈다 (dweda).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): ~
• Phonetic hangul:
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Verb

되다 • (doeda) (infinitive 돼 or 되어, sequential 되니)

1. (transitive, dated, used with 을 (-eul) and 으로 (-euro)) to measure the amount of powder, grains, liquids, etc., using measurements such as 말 (mal), 되 (doe), and 홉 (hop)

   쌀을 되로 되다 ― ssar-eul doe-ro doeda ― to grains rice in dwe

Conjugation