Core Pattern Rule: -당하다 (To Suffer/Undergo)
This pattern creates a passive verb, indicating that the subject has experienced or been subjected to an action, usually a negative one. It attaches directly to certain nouns, turning them into verbs.
Meaning & Usage
Meaning: It translates to "to get," "to be," or "to suffer" something. It emphasizes that an action happened to the subject, rather than the subject performing the action.
When to use: Use it when describing an unfortunate or undesirable event that you experienced. It's common for situations like being rejected, scammed, or fired.
Formation
Simply attach -당하다 to a noun, most often a Sino-Korean noun that describes an action.
Noun + 당하다
거절 (rejection) + 당하다 → 거절당하다 (to be rejected)
사기 (scam/fraud) + 당하다 → 사기당하다 (to be scammed)
해고 (dismissal) + 당하다 → 해고당하다 (to be fired)
사기당했어. / 거절당했어요. / 회사에서 해고당했어.
Common Nouns & Nuance
-당하다 is not used with all nouns. It pairs with a specific set of nouns, usually those describing negative actions or events. Understanding these common pairings is key to using the pattern naturally.
Common Nouns
Here are some of the most frequent nouns you'll see with -당하다:
무시: disregard, being ignored (무시당하다)
협박: threat, intimidation (협박당하다)
해킹: hacking (해킹당하다)
부상: injury (부상당하다)
강도: robbery (강도를 당하다)
Nuance: Specifying the Agent
When you want to mention who or what caused the action, you can use the particles 한테 (for people) or 에 (for organizations/groups).
사람들한테 무시당했어. (I was ignored by people.)
회사에서 해고당했어요. (I got fired from the company.)
나 지금 협박당하고 있어. / 계정이 해킹당했어요. / 나 어제 강도를 당해서 돈을 뺏겼어.