수동태는 왜 타동사에서만 될까?

수동태는 왜 타동사에서만 될까?

(자동사 수동 불가 + 전치사 수동태 예외 정리)

수동태(passive voice)는 “누가 했는지(행위자)”보다 “무엇이 어떻게 되었는지(대상)”를 앞세우는 표현입니다. 그런데 중요한 원칙이 하나 있어요.

---

1) 핵심 원칙: 수동태는 ‘타동사(transitive verb)’에서만 가능

원칙적으로 수동태는 목적어를 가지는 동사(타동사)에서만 만들 수 있어요. 이유는 간단합니다. 수동태는 능동태의 목적어를 주어로 올리는 구조이기 때문이에요.

Active (능동): Someone built the bridge. (목적어 있음)

Passive (수동): The bridge was built. ✅

---

2) 자동사(intransitive)는 보통 수동태 불가

자동사(intransitive verb)는 목적어가 없어서 “올릴 대상”이 없으니 보통 수동태가 불가능해요.

• He arrived. (목적어 없음) → He was arrived ❌
• The accident happened. → The accident was happened ❌

✅ 대신 이런 자동사들은 수동태로 만들기보다, 상황에 맞는 다른 동사(타동사)로 바꿔 쓰는 게 자연스러워요.

A problem occurred → A problem was reported / found / identified.

The accident happened → The accident was caused by … (원인 강조)

---

3) 예외처럼 보이지만 가능한 케이스 (중요!)

3-1) 전치사 수동태 (Prepositional Passive)

동사가 자동사처럼 보여도, 전치사 뒤에 목적어가 있으면 수동태가 가능합니다. (목적어가 동사 바로 뒤에 없을 뿐, 전치사 뒤에 존재하는 구조!)

• People talked about the issue. → The issue was talked about. ✅
• They looked after the child. → The child was looked after. ✅

핵심 정리
목적어가 “동사 바로 뒤”에 없을 뿐, about / after 뒤에 목적어가 존재하므로 수동태가 되는 것입니다.

3-2) “문형은 자동사처럼 보이지만” 의미상 목적어가 있는 구동사/전치사구

• This bed has been slept in. ✅ (누군가 이 침대에서 잤다)
• The topic was spoken about. ✅

3-3) 상태수동(stative passive)은 ‘수동태’라기보다 ‘상태 표현’

be + p.p. 형태지만 “누가 했다”보다는 “상태”를 말하는 경우가 많아요.

• be married / be gone / be finished / be located
• The shop is located downtown. (위치해 있다 = 상태)
• The work is finished. (끝난 상태)

---

4) 수동태 가능/불가 동사 & 예문 표

4-1) 원칙: 목적어가 있으면 수동 가능 (타동사)

동사	능동 예문	수동 예문
build	They built a bridge.	A bridge was built.
make	People make cars.	Cars are made.
complete	She completed the report.	The report was completed.
announce	They will announce the results.	The results will be announced.
discuss	They are discussing the issue.	The issue is being discussed.
mention	He didn’t mention the change.	The change wasn’t mentioned.
decide	They decided on the plan.	A decision was made about the plan. (더 자연스러움)

✅ 포인트: 목적어가 있으니, 그걸 주어로 올려 수동태가 됩니다.

4-2) 기본적으로 수동태 불가 (자동사: 목적어 없음)

동사	올바른 문장	수동태
happen	The accident happened.	❌ 불가 (✗ was happened)
occur	A problem occurred.	❌ 불가 (✗ was occurred)
arrive	He arrived.	❌ 불가 (✗ was arrived)
go	She went home.	❌ 불가
come	They came early.	❌ 불가
die	He died yesterday.	❌ 불가 (✗ was died)
appear	A message appeared.	❌ 불가 (✗ was appeared)
exist	Such rules exist.	❌ 불가 (✗ are existed)

4-3) 자동사처럼 보이지만 수동 가능 (전치사 수동태)

표현	능동	수동
talk about	People talked about the issue.	The issue was talked about.
speak of/about	They spoke about the plan.	The plan was spoken about.
look after	She looked after the child.	The child was looked after.
listen to	Everyone listened to the speech.	The speech was listened to. (가능하지만 다소 딱딱/덜 흔함)
laugh at	They laughed at him.	He was laughed at.

---

5) 한 줄 결론

✅ 원칙: 수동태는 타동사(목적어 있는 동사)에서만 가능
✅ 확장: 자동사처럼 보여도 전치사 뒤에 목적어가 있으면 수동 가능 (전치사 수동태)

---

 

---

💬 미니 퀴즈  — 수동태 가능/불가 판별 5문항

아래 문장들을 수동태로 바꿀 수 있는지 판단해보세요!
댓글로 ①~⑤ (가능/불가) + 이유 한 줄 남겨주시면 더 재밌게 공부할 수 있어요 😊

1. Someone stole my phone.
2. The accident happened last night.
3. People talked about the issue.
4. He arrived at the airport at 6.
5. Everyone laughed at him.

✅ 정답 보기 (클릭)

① 가능 → My phone was stolen.
(stole = 타동사, 목적어(my phone) 있음)

② 불가 → happen은 자동사라 목적어가 없어 수동태 불가
(✗ The accident was happened)

③ 가능 → The issue was talked about.
(전치사 about 뒤에 목적어가 있어서 전치사 수동태 가능)

④ 불가 → arrive는 자동사라 수동태 불가
(✗ He was arrived)

⑤ 가능 → He was laughed at.
(전치사 at 뒤 목적어가 존재하는 구조 → 전치사 수동태 가능)

✨ 보너스 질문: ③, ⑤처럼 전치사 수동태가 가능한 이유를 한 문장으로 설명해보세요!