돼요 grammar - dwaeyo grammar

~어/아/여도 되다 - (it’s okay even if..), allowed to, it’s okay if..

되다 - can, to be possible, to function
지금 인터넷 돼요? - Does the Internet work now? 
배달 돼요? - Can you deliver it?

여기 앉아도 돼요? - Is it all right if I sit here? 
이거 먹어도 돼요? - Do you mind if I eat this? 
돈 좀 빌려도 돼요? - Would it be all right if I borrowed some money?
먼저 먹어도 돼요? - Would you mind if I went ahead and ate?
이거 써도 돼요? - Would it be all right if I used this?

내일 해도 돼요 - It’s okay if you do it tomorrow. You can just do it tomorrow
네, 써도 돼요 - Yes, you can use that.
TV 봐도 돼요 - You are allowed to watch TV
이 케잌 먹어도 돼요 - You can eat this cake
어제까지 놀아도 됐었어요 - Until yesterday, I was allowed to muck around.
맛이 없으면 안 먹어도 돼요 - If it’s not tasty, it’s okay not to eat it.

지하철을 타도 괜찮아요? - Is it alright to take the subway?
네, 지하철을 타도 괜찮아요 Yes, it is alright to take the subway.

안 해도 돼요 - You don’t have to do it. It is okay if you don’t do it.
안 먹어도 돼요 -  You don’t have to eat it. It’s okay if you don’t eat it

~아/어/여도 될까요? - i wonder if it’s okay if i..

여기 앉아도 될까요? = Do you mind if I sit here?
창문 닫아도 될까요? = Could I close the window?
나중에 전화해도 될까요? = Do you mind if I call you later?= Can I call you later?

아니요, 내 휴대폰 쓰면 안 돼요 - No, it’s not all right for you to borrow my phone
아니요, 거기 앉으면 안 돼요 - No, you can’t sit down there
아니요, 먼저 먹으면 안 돼요 - No, you shouldn’t just go ahead and eat
술과 담배는 사면 안돼요 - You are not allowed to buy alcohol and tobacco
작년까지 빅토리아공원에는 들어가면 안됐었어요 - Until last year, people were not allowed to enter the Victoria park
고양이 만지면 안 돼요 - You’re not supposed to touch the cat.
지금 가면 안 돼요 - You shouldn’t go now.
아직 먹으면 안 돼요. 아직 뜨거워요 - You should eat yet. It’s still hot.

By adding this grammar point to the end of a sentence (or clause) you can express that by doing what is said that the action adequately fulfills a condition.

This grammar point is similar to -아/어야 하다 in that you are stating that something “should” be done or “ought” to be done, but by using -으면 되다 instead the implication is much softer. Using this grammar point implies that if the action is taken, things will be alright/will work out for the positive, so it’s used most often when giving/offering advice. Let’s look at an example.

레오: 노래를 잘하고 싶어요.
켄: 간단해요. 좋아하는 노래 CD를 자주 듣고 따라하면 돼요.
Leo: I want to sing well.
Ken: It’s simple. Listen to a CD you like often and imitate it.

In this example, Ken tells his friend that if he wants to be good at singing, all he has to do is listen to and imitate the music. This is because 되다 in this grammar point means “to be enough” in order to complete the task.

-으면 되다 is used with verbs, adjectives, 있다/없다, and 이다/아니다.
-으면 되다 is added to word stems ending in consonants.
-면 되다 is added to word stems ending in vowels.

Using this grammar point with words like 그냥 and [noun]-만 make it sound the most natural.

가다: 가 + 면 되다 →  가면 돼요
먹다: 먹 + 으면 되다 →  먹으면 돼요

레오: 시험을 잘 보고 싶으세요? 시험을 보기 전에 이 책만 읽으면 됩니다.
켄: 정말 이 책만 읽으면 돼요??
Leo: Do you want to do well on your exam? Then before taking your exam you should read this book [and you will do well].
Ken: Really, just read this book [and I’ll do well]??

켄: 키가 크고 예쁜 여자가 좋아요?
레오: 아니요. 다 필요 없어요. 그냥 성격만 좋으면 돼요.
Ken: Do you like tall, pretty women?
Leo: No, I don’t need that. All that’s needed is a good personality.

비비안: 한국어를 잘하려면 어떻게 해야 해요?
수키: 그냥 텔레비전 드라마를 많이 보면 돼요.
Vivian: If I want to get better at Korean, what do I have to do?
Suki: Just watch a lot of TV dramas.

한설: 도서관에 거려면 어떻게 해야 해요?
신행: 학생증만 있으면 돼요.
Hansol: How do I get to the library?
Shinhaeng: All you need is a student ID.

찬미: 마실 것 좀 드릴까요?
벤: 그냥 물이면 돼요.
Chanmi: Would you like something to drink?
Ben: Just water [should be fine].

This grammar point is fairly straight forward. Most of the time when it’s used, the speaker, especially when giving advice, implies that the action in question is often something they consider easy to complete. Just keep in mind that the overall meaning of using the grammar point indicates that everything is/will be okay if the action is completed, you should have no problem using this grammar point in Korean! :)

And don’t forget that there are irregular verb/adjective rules that apply to this grammar point.

See you next time!

돼요 grammar - dwaeyo grammar
사진을 찍

어도 돼요?

May I take a picture?

여기 앉

아도 돼요?

May I sit here?

펜을

써도 돼요?

May I use that pen?

Grammar Focus:
A/V-아/어도 되다 expresses permission or approval for a behavior. It corresponds to ‘may’ or ‘be allowed to, in English. If the stem ends in the vowel ㅏ or ㅗ, then -아도 되다 is used, and for all other vowel endings, -어도 되다 is used. As for verbs ending in 하다, the form changes to 해도 되다. In place of -아/어도 되다, -아/어도 괜찮다 and -아/어도 좋다 can also be used.



돼요 grammar - dwaeyo grammar

Conversation:
A: 밤에 전화

해도 돼요?

May I call you at night?
B: 물론이에요. 전화하세요. Sure. Please call anytime.

A: 창문을 열

어도 돼요?

Do you mind if I open the window?
B: 그럼요, 열

어도 돼요

. Not at all. You may open it.

A: 라디오를

켜도 돼요?

May I turn on the radio?
B: 아이가 자고 있어요. 켜지 마세요.
The child is asleep. Please don't turn it on.

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돼요 grammar - dwaeyo grammar