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Easy Korean - Level 6, Unit 17: All you have to do is... (-(으)면 되다)

In Level 2, we learned that -(으)면 means "if." In this unit, we will combine it with 되다 (to work / to be okay) to form the structure -(으)면 되다.

Literally, this means "If you do [X], it is okay/it works." Naturally, it means: "You just need to..." or "All you have to do is..."

How to Conjugate

This is the standard -(으)면 conjugation.

1. Verb stem ends in a VOWEL: Add -면 되다 * 가다 (to go) -> 가면 돼요 (You just need to go / It's fine if you go) * 사다 (to buy) -> 사면 돼요 (All you have to do is buy it)

2. Verb stem ends in a CONSONANT: Add -으면 되다 * 먹다 (to eat) -> 먹으면 돼요 (You just need to eat it) * 찾다 (to find) -> 찾으면 돼요 (All you have to do is find it)

3. Verb stem ends in ㄹ: Add -면 되다 * 알다 (to know) -> 알면 돼요 (You just need to know) * 만들다 (to make) -> 만들면 돼요 (You just have to make it)

Using '만' (Only) for Emphasis

To really emphasize "All you have to do is...", Koreans often add the particle 만 (only) to the noun in the sentence.

  • 이것만 하면 돼요. (You just need to do only this.)
  • 여기만 서명하면 돼요. (All you have to do is sign only here.)

Asking for Instructions

You can use this as a question to ask what is required of you: "What do I need to do?" * 어떻게 하면 돼요? (How should I do it? / What do I need to do?) * 어디로 가면 돼요? (Where do I just need to go?)

Example Sentences

  1. 이 버튼을 누르면 돼요. (You just need to press this button.)
  2. 조금만 더 기다리면 돼요. (All you have to do is wait a little bit more.)
  3. 숙제는 내일까지 내면 돼요. (You just have to submit the homework by tomorrow.)
  4. 저는 뭐 하면 돼요? (What do I need to do?)