The exact meaning of 게 되다 is To End up Doing. 게 되다 grammar is used when you eventually do something. ‘-게 되다’ is attached after a verb stem. 게 되다 is an expression that combines the verb ‘되다’ and ‘게.’ This expression is used when a situation changes. This expression is used to indicate when you will reach a certain situation regardless of the will of the subject.
In the present tense, the verb ‘되다’ is conjugated as ‘되어요, and short-form ‘돼요’.
계속 먹게 되요. I keep (ended up) eating it.
In past tense form – ‘되었어요’, and short-form is ‘됐어요’. Let’s look at an example phrase.
Minjo went to the cafe that she used to go to often. But there is a card saying ‘Closed’ in the cafe. So Minjo asks: 사장님, 여기 이제 문을 닫아요? Sir(owner of the shop), do you close down the cafe?
Owner: 네, 손님이 없어서 문을 닫게 되었어요. Yes, I was forced to close down the shop as there were no customers.
‘닫게 되었어요.’ Is used in this conversation.
‘손님이 없어서 문을 닫게 되었어요.’ The shop was closed because there were no customers. (I run a cafe. There were many customers. However, there are no customers due to COVID-19. So I closed down the shop.)
Verb ‘닫다’ and ‘-게 되다’ combined and form ‘닫게 되었어요’.
The cafe is closed down without the will of an owner. ‘문을 닫게 되었어요.’
When a situation happens disregarding one’s wish, you can say ‘-게 되다’ after the verb.
Let’s look at another example.
다리 다쳐서 산에 하이킹 못 가게 되었어요. I hurt my leg so I couldn’t go hiking.
Here, Verb ‘가다’ and ‘-게 되다.’ combined to make ‘가게 되었어요’. I was going hiking. But I hurt my leg. So I can’t go to the mountain. ‘하이킹 못 가게 되었어요.’
Like this, when a situation happens regardless of one’s will, you can say using ‘-게 되다’ after the verb ‘가다.’ ‘못 가게 되었어요.’
And in the future tense – ‘될 거예요’. Let’s see an example sentence.
미안해요. 갑자기 일이 생겨서 못 가게 될 것 같아요. Sorry. I don’t think I can go there because something suddenly happened.
The grammar ‘가게 될것 같아요.’ is the future form of 게 되다. ‘가게 될것 같아요’ is the combination of the verb ‘가다’ and ‘-게 되다’ and ‘-ㄹ 것 같다’.
나중에 알게 될 거에요. You will find out later.
How to use 게 되다 grammar?
Let’s look at the combination information.
‘-게 되다’ is used in both cases whether a verb stem has the final consonant or not, For example=
먹다
when you look at the verb 먹다 which has the final consonant, remove ‘다’. Then there is the final consonant before ‘다’. Then you can use ‘-게 되다.’
So you can say ‘먹게 되다’
보다
Let’s look at the verb 보다 which does not have the final consonant. First, remove ‘다’. Then there is no final consonant before ‘다.’ Then you can use ‘-게 되다.’ So you can say ‘보게 되다’
In summary, whether a verb stem has the final consonant or not, ‘-게 되다’ is used for both cases. So ‘먹다’ becomes ‘먹게 되다,’ ‘보다’ becomes ‘보게 되다.’
게 되다 practice
저는 한국에 취직해서 한국에서 살게 되었어요. (됐어요.) (살다 + 게 되다). I got a job in Korea and ended up living in Korea.
그 사람을 사랑하게 되었어요. (됐어요). (사랑하다 + 게 되다) I fell in love with him.
어제 밤 3시까지 공부를 하게 됐어요. (공부를 하다 + 게 되다 I ended up studying until 3 o’clock last night.
허리가 아파서 치료 하게 됐어요. My back hurt so I ended up getting therapy.
교통사고가 나서 병원에 입원하게 되었어요. (됐어요). (오다 + 게 되다) There was a car accident and I was admitted to the hospital.
그 책을 좋아하게 되었어요. (됐어요). (좋아하다 + 게 되다) I ended up liking the book.
헤어진 여자 친구의 소식을 우연히 듣게 되었어요. (됐어요). (듣다 + 게 되다) I happened to hear about my ex-girlfriend.
내일 급한 일이 생겨서 모임에 참석하지 못 하게 되었어요. (됐어요). (못하다 + 게 되다) I can’t attend the meeting tomorrow because of an emergency.
게 되다 conjugation
How would you conjugate 게 되다? Let’s practice.
‘차가 밀려서 지각을, 하다’ I got late because of the traffic jam.
차가 밀려서 지각을 하게 됐어요. ‘하게 됐어요’ is a combination of the verb ‘하다’ and ‘-게 되다’.’
‘머리가 아파서 병원에, 오다’ I came to the hospital because I had a headache.
머리가 아파서 병원에 오게 됐어요. ‘오게 됐어요’ is a combination of the verb ‘오다’ and ‘-게 되다’.’
취직을 해서 서울에 2년 동안, 살다 I got a job and lived in Seoul for 2 years.
취직을 해서 서울에 2년 동안 살게 됐어요. ‘살게 됐어요’ is a combination of the verb ‘살다’ and ‘-게 되다’
게 되다 grammar summary
Today we’ve learned ‘Verb -게 되다 grammar.’ Whether you intend to do it or not, this grammar is used. 게 되다 is used when some event change or turn. Generally, it is used like 게 됐어요 (I happened to do something.)
이번 주부터 회사에서 일하게 됐어요.I got to work in a company from this week.
게 되다 is also used to ask a question.
여자 친구를 어떻게 만나게 됐어요? How did you eventually meet your girlfriend?
한국의 어떻게 오게 됐어요? How did you end up coming to Korea?
