Basically,되다 means to be okay or to be all right. It is attached to many words and make different meanings.(으)면 되다 you just have to/ have only to…., (으)면 안되다 prohibition, 어/아/야 되다- have to/ must, 어/아 도 되다- taking permission these are sentence endings conjugated from 되다.
V + (으)면 되다 is used to say it’s enough to/you just have to…. in English. In other words V + (으)면 되다 shows the minimum requirement that is required to achieve a result.
In simple words (으)면 되다 means if you do this everything will be okay. Suppose you have completed almost all of your task and only one task remains and another person says if you do this (remaining task) everything will be okay, in this case, he/ she has to say (으)면 되다 in Korean.
If you have to say something is enough in Korean you can use this grammar. ‘(으)면 되다’ attaches after an adjective/verb stem. (으)면 되다 is the combination of ‘(으)면’ and ‘되다’.
Let’s look at some examples for better understanding of today’s grammar (으)면 되다.
Example 1 :
Suppose you are planning to go abroad and you got a visa and bought a ticket also. You only need to pack luggage then in this case you can say 저는 짐만 싸면 돼요.
Example 2 :
Person A: 우리 내일 공원에 몇 시까지 와야 돼요?” What time should we come to the park tomorrow?
Person B: “8시 30분에 출발할 거예요.” We’re leaving at 8:30.
“그러니까 8시까지 오면 돼요.” So, you can come by 8.
‘내일 공원에 8시까지 오면 돼요.’ You can come to the park by 8. Here, ‘오면 돼요’ is a combination of the verb ‘오다 (to come) and ‘면 되다.’
So it means if you arrive at the park by 8 or if you come to the park by 8, it’s enough.
Example 3:
‘시험을 통과하려면 40점만 넘으면 돼요.’ You only need to get over 40 points to pass the exam.
‘넘으면 돼요’ is a combination of the verb ‘넘다 (to pass)’ and 면 되다.
100 points is the full score and if you pass 40 points, you can pass the exam. So it means ‘Over 70 points are enough.’
‘시험을 통과하려면 70점만 넘으면 돼요.’ You only need to get over 40 points to pass the exam.
(으)면 되다
(으)면 되다 Rule
Now we’re going to look at the combination information.
When an adjective/verb stem has the final consonant, you can use ‘으면 되다.’ For example, when you look at the verb ‘먹다 (to eat)
Remove ‘다’. Then there is the final consonant. Then you can add ‘으면 되다.’ So it becomes ‘먹으면 되다’
Let’s look at the adjective ‘좋다’ (to be good).’
Remove ‘다’. Then there is the final consonant.
Then you can add ‘으면 되다.’ So it becomes ‘좋으면 되다.’
On the other hand, when an adjective/verb does not have the final consonant, ‘면 되다’ is used.
For example, when you look at the verb ‘오다 (to come),’ remove ‘다.’ Then there is no final consonant. Then you can use ‘면 되다.’ So it becomes ‘오면 되다.’
Let’s look at the adjective ‘크다 (to be big)’.
Remove ‘다’. Then there is no final consonant. You can use ‘면 되다.’ So it becomes ‘크면 되다.’
Lastly, when an adjective/verb stem ends with the final consonant ‘ㄹ,’ ‘면 되다’ is used. For example, when you look at the verb 만들다 (to make), remove ‘다’. Then the final consonant is ‘ㄹ’ before ‘다’. So you can add ‘면 되다.’ So it becomes ‘만들면 되다.’
Let’s look at the adjective ‘길다 (to be long)’.
Remove ‘다’. Then the final consonant is ‘ㄹ’ before ‘다’.
You can use ‘면 되다.’
So it becomes ‘길면 되다.’
아야/어야/해야 되다 vs 으면/면 되다
Now let’s compare ‘아야/어야/해야 되다’ with ‘으면/면 되다.’ ‘아야/어야/해야 되다’ expresses ‘one must/should do something’ that has the meaning of obligation or necessity.
On the other hand, ‘(으)면 되다’ has the meaning that if a certain condition is fulfilled, it’s enough.
So ‘(으)면 되다’ does not empathize obligation or necessity.
Let’s look at some examples.
“내일 회사에 몇 시까지 와야 돼요?” What time should I come to the company tomorrow?
Answer using ‘아야/어야/해야 되다’ first.
‘9시까지 와야 돼요.’ You have to be here by 9.
This expression indicates an obligation.
It’s your obligation to be here by 9:00. You should come by 9.
On the other hand, when you answer using ‘(으)면 되다’, you can answer
‘9시까지 오면 돼요.’ You can come by 9.
This expression means ‘9 o’clock is enough’.
It doesn’t emphasize obligation or necessity.
‘9시까지 오면 돼요.’ You can come by 9.
Let’s practice by looking at some more examples.
(으)면 되다 Examples
Let’s make a sentence using ‘으면/면 되다.’
1.
“한국어능력시험을 보려면 어떻게 신청해요?” How do I apply for TOPIK?
“온라인으로 신청하면 돼요.” You can apply online.
‘신청하면 돼요’ is a combination of the verb ‘신청하다 (to apply)’ and ‘면 되다’.
2.
‘이 약은 하루에 한 번만 먹으면 돼요.’
‘먹으면 돼요’ is a combination of the verb ‘먹다 (to take)’ and ‘으면 되다’
‘You only need to take this medicine once a day.’
3.
‘휴대폰은 성능만 좋으면 돼요.
The mobile phone just needs a good performance.
‘좋으면 돼요’ is a combination of the adjective ‘좋다 (to be good)’ and ‘으면 되다’
4.
‘컵라면은 뜨거운 물을 붓고 3분만 기다리면 돼요.’ Just pour hot water and wait for 3 minutes for the cup noodle.
‘기다리면 돼요’ is a combination of the verb ‘기다리다 (to wait)’ and ‘면 되다’
5.
‘시험 볼 때 이 내용만 알면 돼요.’ All you need to know is this content when you take the test.’
‘알면 돼요’ is a combination of the verb ‘알다 (to know)’ and ‘으면 되다’.
6.
인터넷에서 찾으면 돼요. all you need to do is search on internet. 찾으면 돼요 is a combination of verb 찾다 and 으면 돼다.
아/어/야 되다
아/어/야 되다 = have to, must
If you need to say you have to do something or you must do something in korean you can use 아/어/야 되요.
가야 되요. You have to go.
많이 먹어야 되요. You have to eat a lot.
공부 해야되요. You have to study.
어/아 도 되다
어/아 도 되다- taking permission
It is used to take permission from another person. 어/아 도 되요? means can i do something? in Korean.
사장님 저 가도 되요? Boss, is it okay if i leave now?
많이 먹어도 되요? Can i eat a lot?
공부 안해도 되요. Is it okay if i don’t read/ study?
담배 피워도 돼요? Can I smoke?
(으)면 안되다
(으)면 안되다 prohibition
It is another form of 지 마세요. 지 마세요 is more direct and (으)면 안되다 is more polite way of saying don’t do this/ that in korean.
많이 먹으면 안돼요. Don’t eat a lot.
공부 하면 안돼요. Dont study a lot.
여기 담배를 피우면 안돼요 You shouldn’t smoke here.
(으)면 되다 summary
되다 has lots of structure and 으면 되다 is one of them which means if you do this then the thing/ problem/ situation will be okay or solved.
When an adjective/verb stem has the final consonant, ‘으면 되다’ is used. So ‘먹다’ becomes ‘먹으면 되다.’
When an adjective/verb stem does not have the final consonant, ‘면 되다’ is used. So ‘오다’ becomes ‘오면 되다.’
When an adjective/verb stem ends with the final consonant ‘ㄹ,’ ‘면 되다’ is used. So, ‘만들다’ becomes ‘만들면 되다.’
