In the previous lesson (Level 7 Lesson 24), we looked at how you can combine the Passive Voice form with -어 있다 to express a “resultant state”. In this lesson, we are looking at a similar, yet fixed, structure using the verb 되다.

되다 = to become, to be done
되다 can be the verb “to become”, but it can also work as the passive voice of the verb 하다 and mean “to be done”.

-게 되다 = to get to do something, to gradually do something
-게 되다 (Level 4 Lesson 29) expresses how someone or something happens, comes to be in or becomes a certain state

-게 되어 있다 = to be destined to do something, to be bound to be in a certain state
“Passive Voice + -어 있다” expresses a “resultant state” of things, therefore when you say -게 되어 있다, you mean that something is “bound” to be in a certain state or “destined” to happen in a certain way.

Examples
1.
알다 = to know
알게 되다 = to get to know,
알게 되어 있다 = to be in a situation where you are bound to know or find out

2.
보이다 = to be seen
보이게 되다 = to become visible
보이게 되어 있다 = can’t help but be visible

3.
하다 = to do
하게 되다 = to get to do
하게 되어 있다 = to be bound to do, to have no other choice but to do

Sample Sentences
1. 공부는 정말 필요하면 열심히 하게 되어 있어요.
[gong-bu-neun jeong-mal pi-ryo-ha-myeon yeol-sim-hi ha-ge doe-eo i-sseo-yo.]
= As for studying, if it’s really necessary, you are bound to study hard.

2. 아무리 게을러도, 손님이 오면 청소를 하게 되어 있어요.
[a-mu-ri ge-eul-leo-do, son-ni-mi o-myeon cheong-so-reul ha-ge doe-eo i-sseo-yo.]
= No matter how lazy you are, you are bound to clean the house when a guest comes.

3. 아무리 바빠도, 데이트 시간은 생기게 되어 있어요.
[a-mu-ri ba-ppa-do, de-i-teu si-ga-neun saeng-gi-ge doe-eo i-sseo-yo.]
= No matter how busy you are, you somehow always find time for dating.

4. 영원한 비밀은 없어요. 사람들이 알게 되어 있어요.
[yeong-won-han bi-mi-reun eop-seo-yo. sa-ram-deu-ri al-ge doe-eo i-sseo-yo.]
= There is no eternal secret. People will eventually find out.

5. 재미있게 공부하면 성적도 좋아지게 되어 있어요.
[jae-mi-it-ge gong-bu-ha-myeon seong-jeok-do jo-a-ji-ge doe-eo i-sseo-yo.]
= If you have fun while studying, your grades are bound to get better.