Meaning and Usage
The verb '끊어지다' primarily means 'to be cut off' or 'to break apart.' It is often used to describe something that was continuous but then stops suddenly, such as a phone call, a relationship, or a connection.
Common Contexts
- Phone calls or communication lines suddenly disconnecting.
- Relationships or ties between people ending or breaking.
- Physical things like electricity or water supply being interrupted.
Collocations and Patterns
- 전화가 끊어지다: a phone call gets disconnected.
- 관계가 끊어지다: a relationship breaks off.
- 연결이 끊어지다: a connection is lost.
Register and Politeness
'끊어지다' is neutral and commonly used in both spoken and written Korean. It can be used in formal and informal contexts without change.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '끊어지다' with '끊다.' The former is passive or intransitive (something breaks off by itself), while the latter is active (someone cuts or breaks something). For example, '전화가 끊어졌다' means the call got disconnected, but '전화를 끊었다' means someone hung up the phone.