When something goes from not-so-good to good, we use 좋아지다. Think of it like things are improving! For example, if you're feeling a bit sick, and then you start to feel better, you could say your condition is 좋아지고 있어요.
When you're learning Korean at an A2 level, you're starting to talk about more complex ideas, like things changing or getting better. The verb 좋아지다 is perfect for this. It literally means 'to become good' or 'to get better.'
You can use it to describe improvements in many situations, like someone's health, the weather, or even a difficult situation. It's really useful for everyday conversations about positive changes. For instance, if someone was sick, you could ask, 'Are you feeling better?' using this word.
When discussing improvement, particularly in health or general conditions, 좋아지다 is the most natural and commonly used verb in Korean. It conveys a sense of something moving from a less desirable state to a more desirable one. While you might encounter other verbs like 개선되다 (to be improved) or 향상되다 (to be enhanced), 좋아지다 is much more versatile and frequently used in everyday conversation, especially for personal well-being or situations that spontaneously improve. For instance, if someone asks how you're feeling after being sick, saying 많이 좋아졌어요 (I've gotten much better) is perfectly idiomatic and understandable.
§ 좋아지다 vs. 더 좋다 (Mistake 1: Confusing verb and adjective)
Many learners get tripped up distinguishing between 좋아지다 (a verb) and 더 좋다 (an adjective phrase). While both relate to 'better,' they function differently in a sentence. 좋아지다 means 'to become better' or 'to improve,' indicating a change in state. 더 좋다 means 'is better' and describes a current, static comparison.
- DEFINITION
- 좋아지다 (verb): To get better; to improve.
- DEFINITION
- 더 좋다 (adjective phrase): Is better.
날씨가 좋아졌어요. (The weather got better. / The weather improved.)
이 옷이 저 옷보다 더 좋아요. (These clothes are better than those clothes.)
§ Using -아/어지다 incorrectly (Mistake 2: Overgeneralizing the suffix)
좋아지다 is formed by combining 좋다 (good) with the suffix -아/어지다, which indicates a change into a state. While this suffix is very useful, not every adjective can be used with -아/어지다 to mean 'to become [adjective]'. Some adjectives have their own specific verb forms for this meaning, or it sounds unnatural. For 'good,' it's natural. For 'pretty,' 예뻐지다 (to become pretty) is also natural. But for some, it's not.
- **Correct:** 건강이 좋아졌어요. (My health got better.)
- **Correct:** 방이 깨끗해졌어요. (The room became clean.) (From 깨끗하다 - clean)
- **Less natural:** 키가 커졌어요. (My height became big/tall.) (While grammatically possible, '키가 자랐어요' - my height grew - is more common and natural for 'getting taller.')
§ Incorrect tense or formality (Mistake 3: Basic conjugation errors)
This isn't unique to 좋아지다, but it's a common stumbling block for learners. Make sure you're conjugating 좋아지다 correctly for the tense and politeness level you intend. This means properly applying past tense (-았/었-), future tense (-겠- or -(으)ㄹ 거에요), and different speech levels (해요체, 하십시오체, etc.).
점점 좋아지고 있어요. (It's gradually getting better. - Present progressive, casual polite)
상황이 좋아질 겁니다. (The situation will get better. - Future, formal polite)
§ Omitting context (Mistake 4: Not specifying *what* got better)
While sometimes the context is clear, especially in a conversation, omitting the subject that is improving can make your sentence unclear or sound incomplete. Always try to include what 'it' is that is getting better, even if it's just '상황' (situation) or '컨디션' (condition).
제 한국어 실력이 많이 좋아졌어요. (My Korean skills have improved a lot.)
경제 상황이 좋아질 거예요. (The economic situation will get better.)
Le savais-tu ?
The suffix '-아지다/어지다' is a common way to express a change in state in Korean.
Exemples par niveau
날씨가 좋아졌어요.
The weather got better.
Past tense of 좋아지다 (좋아졌어요) indicating a change for the better.
기분이 좋아졌어요.
My mood improved.
Used to express an improvement in one's feelings or mood.
건강이 좋아지고 있어요.
My health is getting better.
Present progressive tense (-고 있어요) shows an ongoing improvement.
한국어 실력이 좋아졌어요.
My Korean skills have improved.
Describes an improvement in ability or skill.
이 약을 먹으면 더 좋아질 거예요.
If you take this medicine, you will get better.
Future tense (-ㄹ 거예요) indicates an expected improvement.
상황이 조금씩 좋아지고 있어요.
The situation is slowly getting better.
Used with adverbs like '조금씩' (slowly) to describe gradual improvement.
저는 매일 좋아지고 싶어요.
I want to get better every day.
-고 싶어요 (to want to) expresses a desire for improvement.
운동하면 몸이 좋아져요.
If you exercise, your body gets better.
A general statement about how exercise leads to physical improvement.
Souvent confondu avec
This is the direct opposite: 'to get worse; to deteriorate'.
This is the adjective 'good.' '좋아지다' is the verb form meaning 'to become good' or 'to get better'.
This means 'to be satisfied.' While improvement can lead to satisfaction, '만족하다' describes a state of contentment, not the process of betterment.
Modèles grammaticaux
Facile à confondre
Both '좋아지다' and '나아지다' can mean 'to get better' or 'to improve.'
While often interchangeable, '나아지다' tends to emphasize recovery from a negative state, especially health or a difficult situation. '좋아지다' is broader and can describe any improvement.
감기가 많이 나아졌어요. (My cold has gotten a lot better.) / 날씨가 좋아졌어요. (The weather has gotten better.)
'개선되다' also translates to 'to be improved' or 'to be ameliorated.'
'개선되다' is a more formal and often passive verb, typically used for systems, policies, or conditions that are actively improved through effort. '좋아지다' is more general and can describe natural improvement.
업무 환경이 개선되었어요. (The work environment has improved.) / 기분이 좋아졌어요. (My mood has improved.)
This word also means 'to improve' or 'to be enhanced.'
'향상되다' specifically refers to improvement in skill, quality, or standard. It implies a measurable increase in level. '좋아지다' is broader and can refer to general betterment.
한국어 실력이 많이 향상되었어요. (My Korean skills have improved a lot.) / 경제 상황이 좋아졌어요. (The economic situation has gotten better.)
'발전하다' means 'to develop' or 'to progress,' which can seem similar to 'improve.'
'발전하다' implies growth, progress, or advancement, often in a larger, more comprehensive sense, like a country developing or technology progressing. '좋아지다' is about something simply becoming better than it was.
우리나라는 빠르게 발전하고 있어요. (Our country is developing rapidly.) / 피부가 좋아졌어요. (My skin has gotten better.)
This is simply 'to get even better,' and learners might overuse it when '좋아지다' is sufficient.
While grammatically correct, '더 좋아지다' adds emphasis that something is improving *further* from an already good state, or is getting *even* better. '좋아지다' is for general improvement.
지금도 좋은데, 앞으로 더 좋아질 거예요. (It's good now, but it will get even better in the future.) / 건강이 좋아졌어요. (My health has gotten better.)
Structures de phrases
주어(Subject) + 이/가 + 좋아지다 (conjugated)
날씨가 좋아져요. (The weather gets better.)
주어(Subject) + 이/가 + 점점 + 좋아지다 (conjugated)
건강이 점점 좋아지고 있어요. (My health is gradually getting better.)
주어(Subject) + 이/가 + 부사(adverb) + 좋아지다 (conjugated)
기분이 많이 좋아졌어요. (My mood improved a lot.)
주어(Subject) + 이/가 + -고 있다 (present progressive) + 좋아지다
상황이 좋아지고 있어요. (The situation is getting better.)
주어(Subject) + 이/가 + -을/를 거예요 (future tense) + 좋아지다
모든 것이 좋아질 거예요. (Everything will get better.)
조건(-으면/면) + 결과(좋아지다)
열심히 공부하면 성적이 좋아질 거예요. (If you study hard, your grades will improve.)
명사(Noun) + 덕분에 + 좋아지다 (conjugated)
친구의 도움 덕분에 상태가 좋아졌어요. (Thanks to my friend's help, my condition improved.)
V-아/어지다 (passive/resultative) + 좋아지다 (This is often redundant as '좋아지다' already implies a change of state. Use with caution or for emphasis.)
날씨가 더 좋아진 것 같아요. (It seems like the weather has gotten even better.)
Comment l'utiliser
좋아지다 is a versatile verb used to describe an improvement in a state or condition. It can be applied to a person's health, a situation, or even the weather. * When talking about health, you might say "감기가 좋아졌어요" (My cold got better). * For a situation, "경제가 좋아지고 있어요" (The economy is improving). * For the weather, "날씨가 좋아졌어요" (The weather got better). It literally means "to become good." The verb part "-지다" indicates a change of state. You'll often see it paired with nouns followed by the subject marker 이/가.
A common mistake is confusing 좋아지다 with 좋아하다. * 좋아지다 means 'to get better' or 'to improve'. * 좋아하다 means 'to like' (an action of liking something). For example: * Correct: "컨디션이 좋아졌어요." (My condition got better.) * Incorrect: "컨디션이 좋아해요." (My condition likes [something]. - This doesn't make sense.) Another mistake can be using it when a more specific verb for improvement is needed, though 좋아지다 is often acceptable as a general term. For example, while "성적이 좋아졌어요" (My grades got better) is fine, "성적이 올랐어요" (My grades went up) might be more specific in some contexts.
Origine du mot
Native Korean '좋다' (good) + suffix '-아지다' (to become)
Sens originel : To become good
KoreanContexte culturel
When someone's health or a situation improves, Koreans often express relief and happiness using '좋아지다'. It's a versatile verb for any positive change in condition, from getting over an illness to a project progressing well.
Teste-toi 48 questions
저는 오늘 기분이 많이 ___.
To say 'my mood is getting better' in a polite present tense, we use '좋아져요'. '좋아지다' is the dictionary form, and '좋아요' means 'it is good'. '좋아합니다' means 'I like'.
날씨가 ___ 것 같아요. (The weather seems to be getting better.)
To describe a noun (것) with a verb, we use the present descriptive form -는. So, '좋아지는' means 'getting better'. '좋아지다' is the dictionary form.
운동을 하면 건강이 ___.
To express a future outcome, we use the future tense '-ㄹ/을 거예요'. Therefore, '좋아질 거예요' means 'will get better'. '좋아졌어요' is past tense. '좋아지는' is present descriptive form.
약 먹고 많이 ___?
To ask 'Did it get better?' in a polite past tense, we use '좋아졌어요?'. '좋아졌다' is informal past tense, and '좋아져요' is present tense. '좋아해요' means 'like'.
이번 주부터 일이 ___ 시작했어요. (Work started to get better from this week.)
To say 'started to get better', we combine the verb stem with '-아/어서' and '시작하다'. So, '좋아져' is the correct form here. '좋아지다' is the dictionary form. '좋아질' is future descriptive, '좋아지는' is present descriptive.
그의 건강은 빠르게 ___ 있습니다.
To express an ongoing action, we use the '-고 있다' (to be -ing) form. So, '좋아지고 있습니다' means 'is getting better'. '좋아지다' is the dictionary form. '좋아지는' is present descriptive form. '좋아졌다' is past tense.
The weather got better.
My mood improved.
I hope your health gets better.
Read this aloud:
제 한국어 실력이 좋아지고 있어요.
Focus: 실력이 좋아지고
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
요즘 건강이 많이 좋아졌어요.
Focus: 많이 좋아졌어요
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
이 약을 먹으면 더 좋아질 거예요.
Focus: 좋아질 거예요
Tu as dit :
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Which sentence correctly uses 좋아지다?
좋아지다 means 'to get better' or 'to improve'. It's used when something's state changes for the better. The weather changing for the better is a correct usage.
Choose the most natural translation for: 'My Korean skills are improving.'
좋아지다 is the correct verb for 'to improve'. Adding -고 있어요 indicates an ongoing action.
Which of these situations would you use 좋아지다?
좋아지다 refers to a state or condition getting better. A friend's mood improving fits this definition.
You can use 좋아지다 to say 'I like apples'.
좋아지다 means 'to get better' or 'to improve'. The verb for 'to like' is 좋아하다 (좋아해요).
When someone's health is improving, you can say '건강이 좋아지고 있어요'.
Yes, '건강이 좋아지고 있어요' means 'Their health is getting better', which is a perfect use of 좋아지다.
If your Korean speaking ability is improving, you could say '한국어 말하기 실력이 좋아지고 있어요'.
This is a correct usage. '한국어 말하기 실력이 좋아지고 있어요' means 'My Korean speaking ability is improving'.
Write a sentence describing a situation where someone's mood improved after a good meal. Use '좋아지다'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
맛있는 식사를 한 후에 기분이 좋아졌어요.
Imagine you were feeling unwell but are now recovering. Write a sentence saying your condition is getting better. Use '좋아지다'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
약을 먹고 몸이 많이 좋아졌습니다.
Describe a scenario where the weather improves after a long period of rain. Use '좋아지다'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
비가 그치고 날씨가 좋아지고 있어요.
화자는 왜 오늘 아침에 몸이 좋아졌다고 생각하나요?
Read this passage:
저는 어제 감기에 걸렸습니다. 목이 아프고 열도 났어요. 하지만 약을 먹고 푹 쉬어서 오늘 아침에는 몸이 많이 좋아졌습니다. 이제는 활동할 수 있을 것 같아요.
화자는 왜 오늘 아침에 몸이 좋아졌다고 생각하나요?
지문에 '약을 먹고 푹 쉬어서 오늘 아침에는 몸이 많이 좋아졌습니다'라고 나와 있습니다.
지문에 '약을 먹고 푹 쉬어서 오늘 아침에는 몸이 많이 좋아졌습니다'라고 나와 있습니다.
화자의 기분이 좋아진 이유는 무엇입니까?
Read this passage:
요즘 날씨가 계속 흐리고 비가 왔어요. 그래서 기분이 좋지 않았습니다. 그런데 내일부터는 맑아진다고 해서 기분이 조금 좋아졌어요.
화자의 기분이 좋아진 이유는 무엇입니까?
지문에 '내일부터는 맑아진다고 해서 기분이 조금 좋아졌어요'라고 나와 있습니다.
지문에 '내일부터는 맑아진다고 해서 기분이 조금 좋아졌어요'라고 나와 있습니다.
화자의 한국어 실력이 좋아진 이유는 무엇입니까?
Read this passage:
제 한국어 실력이 처음에는 좋지 않았어요. 하지만 매일 꾸준히 공부해서 지금은 많이 좋아졌습니다. 이제는 한국 드라마도 자막 없이 볼 수 있어요.
화자의 한국어 실력이 좋아진 이유는 무엇입니까?
지문에 '매일 꾸준히 공부해서 지금은 많이 좋아졌습니다'라고 나와 있습니다.
지문에 '매일 꾸준히 공부해서 지금은 많이 좋아졌습니다'라고 나와 있습니다.
This sentence means 'My health got much better.' The order is subject (건강이), adverb (많이), then the verb (좋아졌어요).
This means 'The weather is gradually improving.' The order is subject (날씨가), adverb (점점), and then the progressive verb form (좋아지고 있어요).
This sentence means 'His mood will get better.' The order is possessive (그의), subject (기분이), and then the future tense verb (좋아질 거예요).
Describe a time when a difficult situation or your mood started to improve. Use '좋아지다' at least once.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
처음에는 너무 힘들었지만, 시간이 지나면서 기분이 점점 좋아졌어요. 이제는 상황도 많이 좋아지고 있어요. (At first, it was so hard, but as time passed, my mood gradually got better. Now, the situation is also improving a lot.)
Imagine your friend was feeling sick but is now recovering. Write a short message to them using '좋아지다' to express hope for their full recovery.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
몸이 빨리 좋아지고 있다니 다행이야! 곧 완전히 건강해질 거야. 힘내! (It's a relief to hear your body is getting better quickly! You'll be completely healthy soon. Cheer up!)
Write two sentences describing how a skill or ability of yours has improved over time. Use '좋아지다' in one of them.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
매일 연습했더니 한국어 실력이 많이 좋아졌어요. 이제는 더 자신감을 가지고 말할 수 있어요. (My Korean skills have improved a lot because I practiced every day. Now I can speak with more confidence.)
친구의 기분은 어떻게 되었나요?
Read this passage:
친구가 요즘 많이 힘들다고 했는데, 다행히 오늘 기분이 많이 좋아졌다고 연락이 왔어요. 이제 걱정 안 해도 될 것 같아요. (My friend said they were having a really hard time lately, but luckily, they contacted me today to say their mood has improved a lot. I guess I don't have to worry anymore.)
친구의 기분은 어떻게 되었나요?
Passage says '기분이 많이 좋아졌다고 연락이 왔어요' which means their mood improved a lot.
Passage says '기분이 많이 좋아졌다고 연락이 왔어요' which means their mood improved a lot.
이 사람은 무엇을 느끼고 있나요?
Read this passage:
새로운 운동을 시작한 지 한 달 정도 되었는데, 몸 상태가 확실히 좋아지는 것을 느껴요. 더 건강해지는 것 같아 기쁩니다. (It's been about a month since I started a new exercise, and I can definitely feel my body condition improving. I'm happy because I feel like I'm getting healthier.)
이 사람은 무엇을 느끼고 있나요?
The passage states '몸 상태가 확실히 좋아지는 것을 느껴요' which means they feel their body condition improving.
The passage states '몸 상태가 확실히 좋아지는 것을 느껴요' which means they feel their body condition improving.
다음 주에 날씨는 어떻게 될 것으로 예상되나요?
Read this passage:
날씨가 추웠다가 주말부터는 조금씩 따뜻해질 거라고 해요. 다음 주부터는 산책하기에 날씨가 더 좋아질 것 같아요. (They say the weather was cold, but it will gradually get warmer starting this weekend. It seems like the weather will get even better for walks starting next week.)
다음 주에 날씨는 어떻게 될 것으로 예상되나요?
The passage says '다음 주부터는 산책하기에 날씨가 더 좋아질 것 같아요' which indicates the weather will improve.
The passage says '다음 주부터는 산책하기에 날씨가 더 좋아질 것 같아요' which indicates the weather will improve.
Choose the sentence where '좋아지다' is used correctly.
'좋아지다' means to get better or improve. The sentence '날씨가 점점 좋아지고 있어요' means 'The weather is gradually getting better,' which is a correct usage. '음식이 너무 좋아졌어요' would mean 'The food improved too much,' which is grammatically correct but semantically awkward in most contexts. '책을 좋아지고 읽었어요' is incorrect; '좋아하다' (to like) should be used here. '저는 좋아지다 학생입니다' is also incorrect; '좋아하는' (liking) would be appropriate.
Which of the following situations best describes the use of '좋아지다'?
'좋아지다' is used to describe an improvement in condition or state, such as health. When a sick person recovers, their health '좋아지다' (gets better). The other options describe preferences, consumption, or acquisition, not an improvement in condition.
Select the most appropriate English translation for: '그의 한국어 실력이 많이 좋아졌어요.'
'좋아지다' means 'to get better' or 'to improve'. Therefore, '그의 한국어 실력이 많이 좋아졌어요' translates to 'His Korean skills have improved a lot.' 'He became good at Korean' is also a valid translation, but 'improved a lot' conveys the nuance of '많이 좋아졌어요' more directly.
You can use '좋아지다' to say that you started to like a new food.
'좋아지다' refers to an improvement in condition or state, not a change in preference. To say you started to like a new food, you would use '좋아하게 되다' or '좋아하다'.
If someone's mood has improved, you can say '기분이 좋아졌어요.'
'기분이 좋아지다' is a common expression meaning 'mood has improved' or 'to feel better'. This is a correct use of '좋아지다' to describe an improvement in an emotional state.
It is natural to say '날씨가 좋아져서 기분이 좋아요' when the weather gets better and you feel good.
This is a perfectly natural and common Korean sentence. '날씨가 좋아지다' means 'the weather gets better,' and '기분이 좋다' means 'to feel good.' So, '날씨가 좋아져서 기분이 좋아요' means 'Because the weather got better, I feel good.'
This sentence means 'My health has gotten much better.' '건강이' (health) is the subject, '많이' (much) is an adverb modifying '좋아졌어요' (gotten better).
This means 'The weather is gradually improving.' '날씨가' (weather) is the subject, '점점' (gradually) is an adverb, and '좋아지고 있어요' (is improving) is the verb phrase.
This sentence means 'Your skills will get even better through training.' '훈련을 통해' (through training) is a phrase indicating the method, '실력이' (skills) is the subject, '더' (more/even) is an adverb, and '좋아질 거예요' (will get better) is the future tense verb phrase.
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Exemple
날씨가 점점 좋아지고 있습니다.
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A2Indicating the topic or subject; about, concerning.
누적되다
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몸살
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A2To suffer from body aches and fatigue, often due to a cold.
쑤시다
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에취
A2Achoo! (onomatopoeia for sneezing).
급성적이다
A2To be acute or sudden (e.g., an illness).
급성이다
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