당하다 and 받다 are verbs that create passive-like constructions in Korean. They're especially useful for verbs that don't have natural passive forms with -이/히/리/기 or -아/어지다.
당하다 (Suffer, Undergo)
Basic Meaning
당하다 = suffer, undergo, experience (usually negative)
Pattern: Noun + 당하다
Implies:
- Receiving negative action
- Being subjected to something unpleasant
- Suffering from something
Formation
Verb stem (noun form) + 을/를 당하다:
- 공격 (attack) + 당하다 → 공격을 당하다 (be attacked)
- 사기 (fraud) + 당하다 → 사기를 당하다 (be defrauded)
- 폭행 (assault) + 당하다 → 폭행을 당하다 (be assaulted)
Often with 하다 verb stems:
- 비난하다 (criticize) → 비난을 당하다 (be criticized)
- 무시하다 (ignore) → 무시를 당하다 (be ignored)
- 거절하다 (reject) → 거절을 당하다 (be rejected)
Common Uses of 당하다
Negative Actions
Being attacked or harmed:
- 공격을 당하다 (be attacked)
- 폭행을 당하다 (be assaulted)
- 습격을 당하다 (be raided, be assaulted)
- 피해를 당하다 (suffer damage)
- 해를 당하다 (suffer harm)
Social/psychological harm:
- 비난을 당하다 (be criticized, be blamed)
- 무시를 당하다 (be ignored, be disregarded)
- 거절을 당하다 (be rejected)
- 차별을 당하다 (be discriminated against)
- 모욕을 당하다 (be insulted)
Deception
Being tricked or cheated:
- 사기를 당하다 (be defrauded, be scammed)
- 속임을 당하다 (be deceived)
- 배신을 당하다 (be betrayed)
Disasters and Accidents
Natural disasters:
- 재해를 당하다 (suffer disaster)
- 화재를 당하다 (suffer fire damage)
- 홍수를 당하다 (suffer flooding)
Accidents:
- 사고를 당하다 (have an accident)
- 교통사고를 당하다 (have traffic accident)
Legal/Criminal
Criminal actions:
- 살해를 당하다 (be murdered)
- 도난을 당하다 (be robbed, have theft)
- 강도를 당하다 (be robbed)
Example Sentences with 당하다
Attacks and Violence
- 길에서 공격을 당했어요 (I was attacked on the street)
- 폭행을 당한 사람 (person who was assaulted)
- 갑자기 습격을 당했어요 (Suddenly was attacked)
Fraud and Deception
- 사기를 당했어요 (I was scammed)
- 친구한테 배신을 당했어요 (I was betrayed by friend)
- 온라인에서 사기를 당했어요 (I was scammed online)
Social Harm
- 무시를 당한 기분이에요 (I feel ignored)
- 차별을 당했어요 (I was discriminated against)
- 거절을 당했어요 (I was rejected)
Accidents
- 교통사고를 당했어요 (I had a traffic accident)
- 어제 사고를 당했어요 (I had an accident yesterday)
받다 (Receive)
Basic Meaning
받다 = receive, get
Pattern: Noun + 받다
Implies:
- Receiving action (neutral or positive)
- Being given something
- Undergoing something (neutral)
More neutral than 당하다
Formation
Verb stem (noun form) + 을/를 받다:
- 사랑 (love) + 받다 → 사랑을 받다 (be loved, receive love)
- 도움 (help) + 받다 → 도움을 받다 (receive help, be helped)
- 교육 (education) + 받다 → 교육을 받다 (receive education, be educated)
With 하다 verb stems:
- 존경하다 (respect) → 존경을 받다 (be respected)
- 칭찬하다 (praise) → 칭찬을 받다 (be praised)
- 비판하다 (criticize) → 비판을 받다 (be criticized)
Common Uses of 받다
Positive Reception
Being loved/liked:
- 사랑을 받다 (be loved, receive love)
- 환영을 받다 (be welcomed)
- 인정을 받다 (be recognized, receive recognition)
- 존경을 받다 (be respected)
Praise and reward:
- 칭찬을 받다 (be praised)
- 상을 받다 (receive a prize)
- 보상을 받다 (receive compensation)
Neutral Actions
Services and procedures:
- 교육을 받다 (receive education, be educated)
- 훈련을 받다 (receive training, be trained)
- 치료를 받다 (receive treatment)
- 수술을 받다 (undergo surgery, receive surgery)
- 검사를 받다 (undergo examination, be examined)
Help and support:
- 도움을 받다 (receive help, be helped)
- 지원을 받다 (receive support)
- 조언을 받다 (receive advice)
Communication
Messages and information:
- 연락을 받다 (receive contact)
- 전화를 받다 (receive a call, answer phone)
- 메시지를 받다 (receive a message)
- 답장을 받다 (receive a reply)
Negative Reception (More Neutral than 당하다)
Criticism:
- 비판을 받다 (be criticized - neutral tone)
- 비난을 받다 (be blamed - but less harsh than 당하다)
Note: 받다 is more neutral/factual, 당하다 emphasizes suffering
당하다 vs 받다
Emotional Tone
당하다:
- Negative connotation
- Implies suffering or being victimized
- Emphasizes helplessness
받다:
- Neutral or positive
- Simply receiving action
- Can be willing or unwilling
Same Noun, Different Feeling
비판 (criticism):
- 비판을 받다 (be criticized - neutral, factual)
- 비판을 당하다 (be criticized - feels attacked)
무시 (ignore):
- 무시를 받다 (be ignored - neutral)
- 무시를 당하다 (be ignored - feels hurt)
Generally:
- Positive/neutral → use 받다
- Negative/suffering → use 당하다
Example Sentences with 받다
Positive
- 선생님께 칭찬을 받았어요 (I was praised by teacher)
- 많은 사람들에게 사랑을 받아요 (I'm loved by many people)
- 회사에서 상을 받았어요 (I received a prize from company)
Neutral Services
- 병원에서 치료를 받았어요 (I received treatment at hospital)
- 교육을 받고 있어요 (I'm receiving education)
- 정기적으로 검사를 받아요 (I receive regular checkups)
Communication
- 친구한테 연락을 받았어요 (I received contact from friend)
- 전화를 받았어요 (I received/answered a call)
- 아직 답장을 못 받았어요 (I haven't received a reply yet)
Help
- 친구한테 도움을 받았어요 (I received help from friend)
- 지원을 받고 있어요 (I'm receiving support)
Conjugation
당하다 Conjugation
Present:
- 당해요 (suffer, undergo)
- 당합니다 (suffer - formal)
Past:
- 당했어요 (suffered, underwent)
- 당했습니다 (suffered - formal)
Future:
- 당할 거예요 (will suffer)
- 당할 겁니다 (will suffer - formal)
받다 Conjugation
Present:
- 받아요 (receive)
- 받습니다 (receive - formal)
Past:
- 받았어요 (received)
- 받았습니다 (received - formal)
Future:
- 받을 거예요 (will receive)
- 받을 겁니다 (will receive - formal)
With Different Particles
Object Particle 을/를
Most common:
- 공격을 당하다
- 사랑을 받다
- 치료를 받다
From Particle 에게/한테/께
Showing the agent:
- 선생님께 칭찬을 받았어요 (received praise from teacher)
- 친구한테 배신을 당했어요 (was betrayed by friend)
- 경찰에게 조사를 받았어요 (was investigated by police)
Common Expressions
With 당하다
Everyday complaints:
- 사기를 당했어요 (I was scammed)
- 무시를 당한 것 같아요 (I feel like I was ignored)
- 차별을 당했어요 (I was discriminated against)
With 받다
Everyday situations:
- 병원에서 검사를 받았어요 (I had a checkup at hospital)
- 친구한테 도움을 받았어요 (I got help from friend)
- 선생님께 칭찬을 받았어요 (I was praised by teacher)
Example Dialogues
Dialogue 1: Accident
A: 무슨 일 있어요? 다쳤어요?
(What happened? Are you hurt?)
B: 네, 어제 교통사고를 당했어요.
(Yes, I had a traffic accident yesterday.)
A: 큰일이네요! 병원에 갔어요?
(That's terrible! Did you go to hospital?)
B: 네, 치료를 받았어요.
(Yes, I received treatment.)
Dialogue 2: Praise
A: 발표 잘했어요!
(Good job on the presentation!)
B: 감사합니다. 교수님께도 칭찬을 받았어요.
(Thank you. I also received praise from professor.)
A: 축하해요!
(Congratulations!)
Dialogue 3: Scam
A: 요즘 온라인 사기가 많대요.
(There are many online scams these days.)
B: 맞아요. 저도 작년에 사기를 당했어요.
(Right. I was also scammed last year.)
A: 조심해야 해요.
(We have to be careful.)
Dialogue 4: Help
A: 어떻게 한국어를 이렇게 잘해요?
(How do you speak Korean so well?)
B: 친구들한테 많은 도움을 받았어요.
(I received a lot of help from friends.)
A: 좋은 친구들이 있네요!
(You have good friends!)
Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect: 칭찬을 당하다
Using 당하다 for positive action
✅ Correct: 칭찬을 받다
Use 받다 for positive/neutral
❌ Incorrect: 사기를 받다
Using 받다 for clearly negative
✅ Correct: 사기를 당하다
Use 당하다 for suffering
❌ Awkward: 도움을 당하다
Wrong verb for help
✅ Correct: 도움을 받다
받다 for receiving help
Quick Reference Table
당하다 (Negative/Suffering)
| Noun | Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 공격 | 공격을 당하다 | be attacked |
| 사기 | 사기를 당하다 | be scammed |
| 무시 | 무시를 당하다 | be ignored (hurt) |
| 차별 | 차별을 당하다 | be discriminated |
| 사고 | 사고를 당하다 | have accident |
받다 (Neutral/Positive)
| Noun | Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 사랑 | 사랑을 받다 | be loved |
| 칭찬 | 칭찬을 받다 | be praised |
| 도움 | 도움을 받다 | receive help |
| 치료 | 치료를 받다 | receive treatment |
| 교육 | 교육을 받다 | be educated |
| 연락 | 연락을 받다 | receive contact |
Key Takeaways
- ✅ 당하다 = suffer: Negative actions, being victimized
- ✅ 받다 = receive: Neutral or positive actions
- ✅ Pattern: Noun + 을/를 + 당하다/받다
- ✅ Emotional tone: 당하다 emphasizes suffering, 받다 is neutral
- ✅ Choose wisely: Same noun can use both (비판을 받다 vs 당하다)
- ✅ Very productive: Works with many nouns
- ✅ Common in news: Frequently used for reporting incidents
- ✅ Essential vocabulary: Learn common noun + 당하다/받다 combinations
당하다 and 받다 are essential for creating passive-like meanings with nouns in Korean. Master the emotional difference: use 당하다 when emphasizing suffering or victimization, and 받다 for neutral or positive reception. These patterns greatly expand your ability to express passive meanings beyond the basic passive verb forms!