Active vs Passive 하다 vs 되다

In Korean, active and passive voice are grammatical constructs used to indicate the relationship between the subject, verb, and object in a sentence.

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Active Voice

In active voice sentences, the subject performs the action denoted by the verb. The structure typically follows the subject-object-verb (SOV) order in Korean.

Example:

• Subject – 주어
• Verb – 동사
• Object – 목적어

Active Voice Sentence Structure: [주어 (Subject)] + [목적어 (Object)] + [동사 (Verb)]

Example:

• 후회했어요 I regret.
  
  “저는” (jeoneun) is the subject marker. It indicates that the subject of the sentence is “I” or “me.”
  
  “후회했어요” (huhwehaesseoyo) is the verb, which means “regretted” or “regret” in English. It is in the past tense form, conjugated to match the subject “I.”
  
  “어요” (eoyo) is the sentence-ending marker, indicating politeness. It makes the sentence more polite.
  
  So, altogether, the sentence “저는 후회했어요” translates to “I regretted” or “I regret” in English, depending on the context.

Passive Voice

In passive voice sentences, the subject receives the action performed by the verb. The structure typically follows the object-subject-verb (OSV) order in Korean.

Passive Voice Sentence Structure: [목적어 (Object)] + [주어 (Subject)] + [동사 (Verb)]

Example:

• 후회됐어요
  
  “저는” (jeoneun) still serves as the subject marker, indicating “I” or “me.”
  
  “후회됐어요” (huhwedoess-eoyo) is a passive verb form. It comes from the verb “후회하다” (huhwehada), meaning “to regret,” but in this form, it indicates that the action is being done to the subject rather than being actively performed by the subject. The verb is conjugated to match the subject “저” and is in the past tense.
  
  “어요” (eoyo) is the sentence-ending marker, adding politeness.

Differences:

• Active Voice: The subject actively performs the action.
• Passive Voice: The subject undergoes the action.

하다 vs 되다

하다 = To Do (ACTIVE)	되다 = To Become (PASSIVE)
Subject 이/가 Object 을/를 하다 [subject does object]	Subject 이/가 되다 [subject gets/becomes…]
준비(를) 해요	준비(가) 되다
저는 외출 준비하고 있어요. I’m getting ready to go out.	외출 준비 다 됐어요. I’m ready to go out. (The preparation is done.)

More 하다 vs 되다 Examples

Emotion Expression Using 하다, 되다

When expressing feelings using 되다, one is not actively doing the action. Rather, one is made to feel that way.

The verb “되다” can be used to express feelings or states from the perspectives of both the first person (speaker 나, 저, 우리, 저희) and the second person (listener 너).

1. 후회되다 (To be regretful):
   • 그 결정을 내리고 나서 후회되었다. (I regretted it after making the decision.)
2. 기대되다 (To look forward to / To be excited):
   • 내일의 파티를 기대되어요. (I’m excited for tomorrow’s party.)
3. 걱정되다 (To be worried):
   • 시험 결과에 대해 걱정되요. (I’m worried about the exam results.)
4. 고민되다 (To be contemplated):
   • 새로운 직장 제안에 대해 고민되고 있어요. (I’m contemplating the new job offer.)
5. 긴장되다 (To be nervous):
   • 발표하기 전에 항상 긴장됩니다. (I always get nervous before giving a presentation.)

Dialogue:

A: 너 이번 주말에 뭘 할까?
B: 아, 나는 여행을 갈 거야. 기대돼.

A: Hey, what are you going to do this weekend?
B: Oh, I’m going on a trip. I’m excited.

3rd Person Feelings Expression

In Korean, verbs like “하다” (to do) are often used to describe the actions or behaviors associated with certain emotions or states rather than directly expressing the emotions themselves. This is because it’s generally more common to describe observable actions rather than directly stating someone’s internal feelings.

1. To regret: 후회하다
   • 그녀는 나중에 자신의 선택을 후회했어요.
     She regretted her decision later.
2. To worry: 걱정하다
   • 부모님은 자녀들의 안전을 걱정해요.
     Parents worry about the safety of their children.
3. To contemplate: 고민하다
   • 그는 자신의 미래에 대해 많이 고민해요.
     He contemplates a lot about his future.
4. To get nervous: 긴장하다
   • 시험을 보기 전에 학생들은 항상 긴장해요.
     Students always get nervous before taking exams.

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