-아/어지다

• -아/어지다 is attached to adjectives and indicates a change in state or condition.

• In English, it corresponds to BECOME or TURN.

• 아지다 is attached to adjectives ending in ㅗ or ㅏ while 어지다 is attached to adjectives ending in vowels other than ㅗ or ㅏ. Meanwhile, for adjectives ending in 하다, we attach 해지다

(It became colder today.)

[The weather was either hot or cold last time.]

(The weather became a little chilly since last weekend.)

[The weather was either hot or cold last time.]

Note:

While this grammar particle is only attached to adjectives, its tense may also be modified to better express the change in state of the noun described.

(weather)

(The weather gets better.)

(The weather is getting better.)

[The weather was bad, but it gets better and better everyday.]

(The weather was already good.)

[This isn’t actually in past tense, but rather in a completed state – from being bad to being good already.]

(The weather will get better.)

[The speaker may have heard from the news that the weather will get better.]

• 네요 is attached to verbs and adjectives to show a surprise or admiration caused by something.

사진이

(The pictures are great! You took amazing pictures!) 요즘

(It’s pretty cold these days! I think winter has already come.)

저기

(Here comes Steve!)

Note:

When translated in English, the example sentences above would just be the regular declarative sentences, so it’s important to note the use of the grammar particle to express the meaning appropriately.

Both sentences when translated in English say “Here comes Steve.” However, example A indicates a feeling of surprised since (1) the speaker is probably used to Steve not coming and is surprised that he came; (2) Steve has already told the speaker that he won’t come but eventually came; or (3) the speaker is relieved that Steve came, while example B simply states that Steve came with no background information at all.