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KOREAN VERB

되다

to become, to work out, to be okay

  • #7 most used
  • Verb

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

현재 · now and habits: polite, formal and casual speech

Form Polite Formal Casual
AffirmativeI become
NegativeI don’t become

Past

과거 · finished actions: 갔어요, 갔습니다, 갔어

Form Polite Formal Casual
AffirmativeI became
NegativeI didn’t become

Future

미래 · plans and guesses: -(으)ㄹ 거예요

Form Polite Formal Casual
AffirmativeI will become
NegativeI won’t become

Honorific

높임말 · to or about an elder: the -시- forms

Form Polite Formal
PresentI become (respectfully)
PastI became (respectfully)
FutureI will become (respectfully)

Connectives

연결 어미 · and, so, if, because, but: joining two sentences

  1. And (-고) becoming, and…, and…
  2. So, and then (-아/어서) becoming, and…, so…
  3. If, when (-(으)면) if I become
  4. Because (-(으)니까) because I become
  5. But (-지만) I become, but…

Requests and commands

명령형 · -(으)세요, -(으)십시오, the casual form, -지 마세요

  1. Please (-(으)세요) please become
  2. Formal request (-(으)십시오) please become (formal)
  3. Plain command become! (casual)
  4. Please don’t please don’t become

How to use 되다

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    저, 여기에서 사진을 찍어도 돼요?

    Excuse me, is it okay to take photos here?

  2. Past

    제 동생은 작년 봄에 대학생이 됐어요.

    My younger brother became a university student last spring.

  3. Future

    걱정하지 마세요. 다 잘 될 거예요.

    Don't worry. It'll all work out.

  4. Honorific

    할머니께서는 올해 봄에 여든이 되셨어요.

    Grandma turned eighty this spring.

  5. Connectives

    준비가 되면 저한테 말해 주세요.

    When you're ready, tell me.

  6. Requests and commands

    새해 복 많이 받으시고 부자 되세요!

    Happy New Year, and may you get rich!

Good to know

  • 돼요 is "it's okay, it works" and 안 돼요 "no, you can't, it doesn't work"; to become something is 선생님이 되다.

Where you hear 되다

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Korean · Beginner Level 2

  • 목요일은 돼요. Thursday works.
  • 어제는 안 됐어요. Yesterday it didn't work out.
  • 내일은 될 거예요. Tomorrow it'll work.

Korean · Beginner Level 3

  • 목요일은 돼요. Thursday works.
  • 어제는 안 됐어요. Yesterday it didn't work out.
  • 내일은 될 거예요. Tomorrow it'll work.
7
The rehearsal timetable

Beginner Level 2 · 안 돼요. · 금요일에는 안 돼요.

Needs a subscription 26
A year older

Beginner Level 2 · 할머니, 연세가 어떻게 되세요?

Needs a subscription 27
The old-houses quarter

Beginner Level 2 · 어서 오세요. 사이즈가 어떻게 되세요? · 제가 묶어 드릴게요. 다 됐어요!

Needs a subscription 16
Tickets

Beginner Level 3 · 즐거운 여행 되세요.

Needs a subscription 30
Grandma on the phone

Beginner Level 3 · 사진 찍어도 돼요? · 여기 앉아도 돼요? · 한 사람 데려가도 돼요?

Needs a subscription 1
Just Su-a

Intermediate Level 1 · 그래도 돼요? 수아 씨하고요?

Free 7
The old streets

Intermediate Level 1 · 형, 한국에 온 지 얼마나 됐어? · 일 년 반 됐어. · 망원에 산 지 일 년 됐어요. · 한복 입은 지 얼마나 됐어요?

Needs a subscription 22
How it all came about

Intermediate Level 1 · 어떻게 한국에 오게 됐어? · 그럼 나는? 어떻게 좋아하게 됐어? · 나는 두 번째에 좋아하게 됐어.

Needs a subscription 24
I nearly climbed a king

Intermediate Level 1 · 저 언덕 올라가도 돼? · 안 돼! 무덤이야. 큰일 날 뻔했어.

Needs a subscription 3
Side dishes from the stall

Intermediate Level 2 · 얼마 내야 돼요? · 지금 가야 돼요. · 돈은 안 받아요. 똑바로 들어야 돼요. · 통은 다시 가져와야 돼요?

Needs a subscription 6
Science week

Intermediate Level 2 · 한국말로요? 실수해도 됩니까? · 뒤에 앉아도 됩니까? · 사진 찍어도 됩니까? · 앉아도 됩니다.

Needs a subscription 7
Rehearsing

Intermediate Level 2 · 제가 최악의 학생이 될게요. · 최악이 되려면 뒤에 앉아서 하품하세요.

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And 68 more lessons.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: verb.