복습시키다

§ What does it mean and when do people use it?

Hello, future Korean speakers! Today, we're diving into a very practical verb: 복습시키다 (bokseupsikida). This word is super useful, especially if you're a teacher, a parent, or someone who helps others study. Let's break it down.

DEFINITION

To make someone review material; to have someone go over lessons.

At its core, 복습시키다 means to cause or make someone else review something. Think of it as the causative form of 복습하다 (bokseupada), which means 'to review'. When you add -시키다 to a noun, it often creates a verb that means 'to make someone do' that noun's action.

So, who uses this word? You'll hear it often in educational settings. For instance, a teacher might tell their students, "I'm going to make you review these grammar points for the exam." A parent might say to their child, "Did you make your little brother review his multiplication tables?" It's all about prompting someone else to engage in the act of reviewing.

Let's look at some scenarios where you'd typically use 복습시키다:

• Teachers to students: After introducing new material, a teacher might assign homework that 복습시키다 the previous lesson.
• Parents to children: A parent might tell an older sibling to 복습시키다 their younger sibling for a test.
• Tutors to tutees: A tutor's job often involves not just teaching new concepts but also regularly 복습시키다 past topics.
• Managers to employees: In some cases, a manager might 복습시키다 their team on company policies or safety procedures.

The key idea is that there's an instigator (the one doing the 복습시키다) and a receiver (the one who is being made to review). It implies a certain level of direction or instruction.

Understanding when to use this verb will make your Korean sound much more natural, especially when discussing educational or instructional contexts. Keep an eye out for it in dialogues and try to incorporate it into your own practice!

KOREAN WORD

복습시키다 (verb)

DEFINITION

To make someone review material; to have someone go over lessons.

§ Where you actually hear this word — work, school, news

§ In School

§ At Work

§ In Daily Life / General Conversations

§ Key Takeaways for 복습시키다

• It's a causative verb: 'to make someone review'.
• Often used in educational or professional contexts.
• The subject is the one initiating the review, not performing it themselves.

§ Don't confuse it with 복습하다

The most common mistake learners make is mixing up 복습시키다 (to make someone review) with 복습하다 (to review). While they come from the same root, the '시키다' ending changes the meaning significantly. 복습하다 is what you do when you review material yourself. 복습시키다 is what a teacher does when they assign review work, or what a parent does when they tell their child to review.

DEFINITION

복습하다: To review material yourself.

DEFINITION

복습시키다: To make someone else review material.

§ Using it for yourself

You wouldn't use 복습시키다 to say you are reviewing something yourself. That would sound like you are making yourself review, which is grammatically correct but stylistically odd in most contexts. Unless you're trying to emphasize a forceful self-instruction to review, stick to 복습하다 for your own review activities.

NOT:

§ Incorrect Subjects

Since 복습시키다 means 'to make someone review', the subject of the verb is the person or entity causing the review, not the person doing the reviewing. This is a common point of confusion for English speakers, as the causative structure might feel less direct.

• Correct: The teacher (subject) makes the students (object) review.

  선생님이 학생들에게 숙제를 복습시키셨습니다. (The teacher made the students review the homework.)

• Incorrect: The students (subject) are made to review by the teacher.

  While this is a passive construction in English, in Korean, you wouldn't typically use 복습시키다 with the students as the subject directly performing the 'making review' action.

§ Overuse or inappropriate formality

While 복습시키다 is useful, ensure you're using it in appropriate contexts. It implies an instruction or a directive. If you're simply asking someone to review, or suggesting it, you might use different phrasing.

• More polite/suggestive:

  다시 한번 복습해 주세요. (Please review it one more time.)

  This is less of a command and more of a request.

• When to use 복습시키다: When there is a clear authority or a task being assigned for review. For example, a doctor telling a patient to review their discharge instructions, or a manager telling an employee to review a report.

  부장님은 저에게 보고서를 다시 복습시키셨습니다. (The department head made me review the report again.)