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Easy Korean - Level 6, Unit 27: If you keep doing... (-다(가) 보면)

When you want to say "If you keep doing [X], eventually [Y] will happen," you use the structure -다(가) 보면.

The word '가' can be dropped, so it is often just pronounced -다 보면.

Structure Breakdown

  • -다가 = while doing an action, stopping, and transitioning
  • -아/어/여 보다 = to try doing
  • -(으)면 = if Literally: "If you try doing this continuously..."

How to Conjugate

Just attach -다 보면 or -다가 보면 directly to the verb stem.

  • 살다 -> 살다 보면 (As you live your life... / If you keep living...)
  • 먹다 -> 먹다 보면 (If you keep eating...)
  • 공부하다 -> 공부하다 보면 (If you keep studying...)
  • 하다 -> 하다 보면 (If you keep doing it...)

What follows -다 보면?

Because this grammar point describes an expected or inevitable result of repeating an action, the second half of the sentence usually ends with something like: * -게 될 거예요 (You will eventually become/do...) * -아/어/여질 거예요 (It will become...) * 알게 될 거예요 (You will come to know...)

Example Sentences

  1. 한국어를 매일 공부하다 보면 잘하게 될 거예요. (If you keep studying Korean every day, you will become good at it.)

  2. 매일 만나다 보면 정이 들 거예요. (If you keep meeting every day, you will grow attached.)

  3. 계속 걷다 보면 역이 나올 거예요. (If you keep walking, the station will appear.)

  4. 지금은 어렵지만, 계속 하다 보면 쉬워질 거예요. (It's difficult now, but if you keep doing it, it will get easier.)