불합격시키다

The Korean verb 불합격시키다 (bulhapgyeoksikida) means 'to cause someone to fail' or 'to fail someone'. It is most commonly used in the context of examinations, tests, or evaluations where a person does not meet the required standard and is therefore not passed. This verb implies an active decision or judgment by an authority or an outcome that results in a negative assessment. You'll often hear this when discussing academic results, job application screenings, or any situation where a pass/fail outcome is determined.

Core Meaning

To make someone fail; to fail someone.

Context

Primarily used for exams, tests, interviews, and evaluations.

Implication

An active decision or a definitive negative outcome.

The structure of the verb is derived from '불합격' (bulhapgyeok), meaning 'failure' or 'unsuccessful result', combined with the causative suffix '-시키다' (-sikida), which means 'to make' or 'to cause'. Therefore, literally, it means 'to make someone have a failure'. This is a common way to form causative verbs in Korean, indicating that someone is causing an action or state to happen to another person or thing. Understanding this structure can help you decipher other similar verbs.

Breakdown

불 (not) + 합격 (pass) + 시키다 (to make/cause) = To cause someone to not pass.

It is important to distinguish this from simply 'failing' oneself, which would use a different verb like '불합격하다' (bulhapgyeokhada). '불합격시키다' specifically denotes that someone *else* is the agent causing the failure. For instance, a student might 'fail' an exam (불합격하다), but the teacher or the grading system 'causes the student to fail' (학생을 불합격시키다).

This verb is quite direct and often carries a sense of finality. It's used in contexts where the stakes are high, such as entrance exams for universities, professional licensing tests, or competitive job selections. The implication is that the person was judged and found wanting, leading to their exclusion or rejection.

Usage Scenarios

University entrance exams, driver's license tests, job interviews, performance reviews, certification exams.

Using 불합격시키다 correctly involves understanding its grammatical function as a transitive verb, meaning it takes an object (the person being failed). The typical sentence structure is: [Agent] + [Object] + 불합격시키다. The agent is the one performing the action of causing the failure, and the object is the recipient of that action.

Basic Sentence Structure

Subject (Agent) + Object (Person Failed) + Verb (불합격시키다).

Conjugation is important. Like other Korean verbs, 불합격시키다 changes its ending based on tense, politeness level, and sentence type. Here are some common conjugations:

Present Tense (Informal)

불합격시켜요 (bulhapgyeoksikyeoyo)

Present Tense (Formal)

불합격시킵니다 (bulhapgyeoksikimnida)

Past Tense (Informal)

불합격시켰어요 (bulhapgyeoksikyeosseoyo)

Past Tense (Formal)

불합격시켰습니다 (bulhapgyeoksikyeotseumnida)

Future Tense (Informal)

불합격시킬 거예요 (bulhapgyeoksikil geoyeyo)

Future Tense (Formal)

불합격시킬 것입니다 (bulhapgyeoksikil geosimnida)

You can also use it in negative sentences, typically by adding '안' (an) before the verb or using the '-지 않다' (-ji anta) structure, though the former is more common. For example, '안 불합격시키다' means 'not to fail someone'.

Negative Example

The examiner decided not to fail the candidate, giving them a passing grade. (심사관은 응시자를 불합격시키지 않기로 결정했습니다.)

The verb can also be used in passive voice, although it's less common than the active form. The passive form would indicate that someone was caused to fail, but the agent might be unspecified or less important. This is often formed using the '-되다' (-doeda) suffix, creating '불합격되다' (bulhapgyeokdoeda), which means 'to be failed'. However, '불합격시키다' itself focuses on the active causing of failure.

Passive vs. Active

불합격시키다 (Active): The teacher failed the student. (선생님이 학생을 불합격시켰다.)
불합격되다 (Passive): The student was failed. (학생이 불합격되었다.)

When forming questions, you can add the question ending '-나요?' (-nayo?) or '-습니까?' (-seumnikka?) to the verb stem. For example, '불합격시키나요?' (Do you fail them?) or '불합격시키셨습니까?' (Did you fail them? - polite past tense).

Question Example

Did the driving test instructor 불합격시키다 you?
(운전 시험관이 당신을 불합격시켰나요?)

Using 불합격시키다 in hypothetical situations is also common. For example, 'If I don't study, the teacher might 불합격시키다 me.' (공부 안 하면 선생님이 나를 불합격시킬지도 몰라요.)

You will most frequently encounter 불합격시키다 in discussions surrounding formal assessments and evaluations. Think about situations where there's a clear standard to meet, and individuals are judged against it. The word carries a formal tone, fitting for official pronouncements and outcomes.

Academic Settings

This is perhaps the most common arena. University entrance exams (수능 - Suneung), placement tests, final exams, and even qualifying exams for graduate programs are contexts where professors, administrators, or examination boards might 불합격시키다 students. News reports about exam results or discussions among students about their performance often use this term. For example, 'The university decided to 불합격시키다 candidates who didn't submit all required documents.' (대학은 필요한 서류를 모두 제출하지 않은 후보자들을 불합격시키기로 결정했다.)

Professional and Licensing Exams

Professional certifications, bar exams, medical licensing exams, and even driver's license tests are areas where this verb is applicable. The examining body or the licensing board is the agent that can 불합격시키다 an applicant. A news headline might read, 'The bar association will 불합격시키다 lawyers who fail to pass the ethical exam.' (변호사 협회는 윤리 시험에 불합격하는 변호사들을 불합격시킬 것이다.)

Job Interviews and Recruitment

While less direct than exam failures, a hiring committee or HR department can be seen as causing a candidate to fail in the recruitment process. They might say, 'Due to the high number of applicants, we had to 불합격시키다 many qualified individuals.' (지원자가 많아서, 많은 자격 있는 지원자들을 불합격시켜야 했습니다.) This usage is slightly more metaphorical but still understood in the context of not being selected.

Performance Reviews and Evaluations

In some organizational contexts, performance reviews can lead to a negative outcome. A manager might state, 'If performance does not improve, we will have to 불합격시키다 the employee from the promotion list.' (성과가 개선되지 않으면, 직원을 승진 명단에서 불합격시킬 수밖에 없습니다.)

In everyday conversation, people might discuss past experiences with exams or interviews using this verb. For instance, someone might recount, 'My friend was so disappointed because the interview committee 불합격시켰어요 him.' (제 친구는 면접 위원회에서 그를 불합격시켜서 너무 실망했어요.) The key is that there is an external entity or system making the judgment.

Learners of Korean often make mistakes with 불합격시키다, primarily due to confusion with similar-sounding verbs or misunderstanding the causative nature of the word. Here are some common pitfalls to watch out for:

Confusing with '불합격하다' (bulhapgyeokhada)

The most frequent error is using 불합격시키다 when the intended meaning is simply 'to fail' or 'to be failed' without an explicit agent causing the failure. '불합격하다' is the intransitive verb meaning 'to fail an exam' or 'to be unsuccessful'. For example, a student says 'I failed the exam' (시험에 불합격했어요), not 'The exam failed me'. Using 불합격시키다 here would imply the exam itself actively failed the student, which is unnatural. Conversely, if a teacher states 'I failed the student', they would use '학생을 불합격시켰어요'.
Incorrect: 저는 시험에 불합격시켰어요. (I failed the exam - implies you caused the exam to fail.)
Correct: 저는 시험에 불합격했어요. (I failed the exam.)
Correct: 선생님이 저를 불합격시켰어요. (The teacher failed me.)

Misunderstanding the Causative Nature

불합격시키다 is a causative verb. It means 'to cause someone to fail'. This implies an active agent performing the action. Learners might use it in situations where the failure is a natural consequence or a result of one's own actions without an external agent. For instance, saying 'The difficult questions 불합격시켰어요 me' is incorrect. The correct phrasing would be 'The difficult questions made me fail' (어려운 문제들 때문에 제가 불합격했어요) or 'The difficult questions caused me to fail' (어려운 문제들이 저를 불합격하게 만들었어요), although the latter is a bit wordy. The most natural way is to use the intransitive form for self-failure.
Incorrect: 어려운 문제가 저를 불합격시켰어요. (Difficult questions failed me.)
Correct: 어려운 문제들 때문에 제가 시험에 불합격했어요. (Because of the difficult questions, I failed the exam.)

Incorrect Particle Usage

As 불합격시키다 is transitive, it requires an object. Learners might forget to include the object marker '을/를' (eul/reul) or use the wrong particle for the subject. The agent (who is causing the failure) takes the subject marker (이/가 or 은/는), and the person being failed takes the object marker (을/를).
Incorrect: 심사관이 불합격시켰다. (The examiner failed. - Missing the object, who was failed.)
Correct: 심사관이 지원자를 불합격시켰다. (The examiner failed the applicant.)

Overusing the Term

While 불합격시키다 is a valid verb, it's often more natural to use more specific or softer language depending on the context. For casual conversations about minor setbacks, it might sound too harsh or formal. For example, instead of saying 'The restaurant 불합격시켰어요 our reservation' (which isn't really a standard usage), you'd say 'The restaurant rejected our reservation' (식당에서 우리 예약을 거절했어요) or 'Our reservation was canceled' (우리 예약이 취소되었어요). Use 불합격시키다 primarily for formal evaluations and tests.

While 불합격시키다 is specific, Korean offers various ways to express the concept of failure or rejection. Choosing the right word depends heavily on the context, formality, and the nuance you wish to convey.

불합격하다 (bulhapgyeokhada) - To fail (intransitive)

Meaning: To fail an exam, test, or qualification. This is the most direct counterpart when the subject is the one who fails, without an explicit agent causing it. It focuses on the outcome for the individual.
Usage: Used when a person does not pass. It is the internal failure of the subject.
Example: 저는 운전면허 시험에 불합격했어요. (I failed the driver's license test.)
Comparison: 불합격시키다 is causative (someone causes someone to fail), while 불합격하다 is intransitive (someone fails).

떨어뜨리다 (tteoreotteurida) - To make someone fall; to cause to fail

Meaning: This verb is a more general causative verb that can mean 'to make something fall' or, in the context of evaluations, 'to cause someone to fail'. It's often used for slightly less formal situations or when the failure is due to a specific action or mistake that 'drops' the person's score or standing.
Usage: Can be used for exams, competitions, or even making someone fall from a height. It implies an active agent causing the fall or failure.
Example: 심사위원들이 실력 부족으로 참가자를 떨어뜨렸다. (The judges made the participant fail due to lack of skill.)
Comparison: 떨어뜨리다 is broader and can apply to physical falling. 불합격시키다 is specifically for formal passing/failing in evaluations.

탈락시키다 (tallaksikida) - To eliminate; to cause someone to be eliminated

Meaning: This verb means 'to eliminate someone' or 'to cause someone to drop out'. It's often used in competitions, tournaments, or selection processes where participants are removed from a pool of candidates. While it can imply failure, the focus is on removal from a group.
Usage: Common in sports, reality shows, and any elimination-style contest.
Example: 감독은 부상당한 선수를 팀에서 탈락시켰다. (The coach eliminated the injured player from the team.)
Comparison: 탈락시키다 is about removal from a larger group, whereas 불합격시키다 is specifically about not meeting a standard for a pass/fail result.

거절하다 (geojulhada) - To refuse; to reject

Meaning: This is a more general term for rejection. It can be used for applications, requests, proposals, or even people.
Usage: Broadly applicable to any situation where something is turned down.
Example: 은행은 그의 대출 신청을 거절했다. (The bank rejected his loan application.)
Comparison: While failing an exam is a form of rejection, 거절하다 is not specific to academic or test results. You wouldn't typically say a university 거절했어요 you from passing an exam; it would 불합격시키다 you.

실패하다 (silpaehada) - To fail (intransitive)

Meaning: This is a very general term for failure, applicable to any endeavor, not just tests. It can mean to not succeed in a plan, a task, or a life goal.
Usage: Very broad, can be used for anything that doesn't achieve its intended outcome.
Example: 그의 사업은 결국 실패했다. (His business ultimately failed.)
Comparison: 실패하다 is about the lack of success in general. 불합격하다 is specifically about failing an exam or test. 불합격시키다 is the causative of 불합격하다.