되다
doeda[twe̞da̠]
The Korean verb for 'to become' is 되다 (doeda). If unsure, use 되다. Wiktionary also lists -지다 (-jida).
Meaning: to begin to be (verb)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 되다 | doeda | [twe̞da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [tø̞da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| -지다 | -jida | auxiliary |
되다 is used to express a change in state or identity, such as a person changing their role or an object changing its form.
Which one should you use?
While 되다 expresses a change in identity or state, the auxiliary -지다 is attached to adjectives to indicate that a specific state has been realized or has occurred, such as becoming pretty.
How does it change in a sentence?
In spoken Korean, you must conjugate 되다 rather than using the dictionary form, for example using 되어요 or 돼요.
How do you pronounce it?
doeda
Did you know?
- The verb 되다 can also mean 'to be enough' or 'to be sufficient'. For example, if a waiter asks if you need more water, you can simply answer 돼요 to say 'it is enough'.
- When someone asks for permission, a Korean speaker might answer 돼요, which literally means 'it becomes'. In this context, it functions as the English 'you may' or 'it is allowed'.
- In the 15th century, 되다 appeared in the 'Hunminjeong'eum eonhae' as ᄃᆞ외다〮, which used an archaic vowel and tone marker that no longer exist in modern Korean.
Examples in context
- 왕이 되다To become kingThis sentence shows how to use 되다 to describe a change in status.
- 씨가 나무가 되다For the seed to become a treeThis sentence demonstrates using 되다 to describe a natural transformation.
- 저는 의사가 됩니다.I will become a doctor.
- 나는 가수가 돼.I'm going to become a singer.
- 친구가 엄청난 축구선수가 돼요.My friend is going to become an amazing soccer player.
- 그 회사에 입사하면 경영자가 될 거예요.If you get hired at that company, you will become a manager.
- 제 아들은 수영 선수가 되고 싶어해요.My son wants to become a swimmer.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “become” translations and entries 되다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 되다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
