-게 되다
Become, End Up
-게 되다 expresses a change in a situation or state, similar to 'become', 'get to', or 'end up' in English. It often implies the change happened naturally or due to circumstances, rather than by direct intention.
How It Works
-게 되다 is a versatile pattern used to describe a change that has occurred. It focuses on the result or the new state, often with a nuance that the change was brought about by external circumstances, fate, or a natural progression of events rather than a direct, conscious decision by the subject.
Key Meanings:
- 1. Change of State or Situation: This is the most common usage. It describes how a situation has changed over time.
Example: 한국 생활에 익숙해지면서 김치를 좋아하게 되었어요. (As I got used to life in Korea, I came to like kimchi.) - 2. Unintended or Circumstantial Outcome: It's used when you 'end up' doing something you didn't initially plan to do. The situation led you to that outcome.
Example: 친구가 표를 줘서 콘서트에 가게 되었어요. (My friend gave me a ticket, so I ended up going to the concert.) - 3. Passive Voice Nuance / Formal Announcements: In formal contexts, it can be used to announce a decision or plan in a softer, less direct way. It makes the decision sound like a natural outcome of a process rather than a forceful command.
Example: 다음 주부터 새로운 규칙을 적용하게 되었습니다. (We will be applying the new rules starting next week.)
Comparison with -아/어지다:
Both patterns can mean 'to become', but they have different nuances.
- -아/어지다 is typically used with adjectives to describe a gradual change in quality or state (e.g., 날씨가 따뜻해졌어요 - The weather became warm).
- -게 되다 is used with both verbs and adjectives and often describes a change in a more complex situation or the beginning of a new action/state (e.g., 그 사람을 다시 만나게 되었어요 - I came to meet that person again).
Examples (5)
- 한국 회사에서 일하게 되었어요.
I ended up working at a Korean company.
Word by Word: At a Korean company, work-게 became.
This implies that due to circumstances (like getting a job offer), the speaker's situation changed to one where they work at a Korean company.
- 그 영화를 보고 나서 생각을 많이 하게 되었어요.
After watching that movie, I came to think a lot.
Word by Word: That movie after watching, thoughts a lot do-게 became.
The movie caused a change in the speaker's habits or mental state, leading them to think more.
- 열심히 노력하면 모든 것을 잘하게 될 거예요.
If you try hard, you will become good at everything.
Word by Word: Hard if you try, everything well-하게 will become.
This describes a future change that will happen as a result of effort.
- 어떻게 두 사람은 사귀게 되었어요?
How did you two end up dating?
Word by Word: How two people date-게 became?
This question asks about the circumstances that led to the two people starting a relationship.
- 회의는 다음 주로 연기하게 되었습니다.
The meeting has been postponed until next week.
Word by Word: The meeting next week to postpone-게 became (formal).
A formal announcement. It softens the statement, presenting it as a decision that has been reached due to circumstances.
Common Mistakes
Using -게 되다 for a direct, intentional action.
Different Meaning어제 친구를 만나게 되었어요.Better어제 친구를 만났어요.If you intentionally decided to meet your friend, simply use the past tense. Using -게 되다 makes it sound like you met them by chance or due to some external arrangement, not your own will. The correct example is for a planned meeting.
Using -게 되다 instead of -아/어지다 for simple adjective changes.
Not Quite날씨가 춥게 되었어요.Better날씨가 추워졌어요.For simple, gradual changes in quality described by an adjective (like temperature, brightness, etc.), -아/어지다 is much more natural. '추워졌어요' means 'it became cold'.
Learn This First
To express 'become/end up', you need conjugation and 되다 knowledge.
Related Patterns
- -아/어지다Become, Turn into
Both mean 'to become'. However, -아/어지다 is typically used with adjectives for a change in quality (e.g., 예뻐지다 - to become pretty), while -게 되다 is used with verbs and adjectives for a change in situation or circumstance.
- -게 하다Make Someone Do, Cause
This is the causative counterpart. -게 되다 means something 'comes to be' (passive/circumstantial), while -게 하다 means 'to make' someone/something do an action (causative). For example, '공부하게 되었어요' (I ended up studying) vs. '엄마가 공부하게 했어요' (My mom made me study).
- -게-ly (Adverbial Form)
-게 is the adverbial ending that connects the preceding verb/adjective to 되다. Understanding its function as an adverb maker helps clarify the structure: 'to become in a [verb/adjective] manner'.