-(으)면 되다 expresses sufficiency or that something is adequate. It means "it's okay if," "just do," "all you need to do is," or "it's enough if."
Structure
Verb stem + -(으)면 되다
Breakdown:
- -(으)면: If (conditional)
- 되다: To be okay/to work
Literal meaning: "If (you do)... it will be okay"
Conjugation Rules
After Vowel or ㄹ: -면
No final consonant:
- 가다 → 가면 돼요 (just go)
- 오다 → 오면 돼요 (just come)
- 하다 → 하면 돼요 (just do)
After ㄹ (drop ㄹ):
- 만들다 → 만들면 돼요 (just make)
- 팔다 → 팔면 돼요 (just sell)
After Consonant: -으면
Final consonant present:
- 먹다 → 먹으면 돼요 (just eat)
- 읽다 → 읽으면 돼요 (just read)
- 앉다 → 앉으면 돼요 (just sit)
하다 Verbs: -하면
All 하다 verbs:
- 공부하다 → 공부하면 돼요 (just study)
- 연습하다 → 연습하면 돼요 (just practice)
- 전화하다 → 전화하면 돼요 (just call)
Politeness Levels
Formal (합니다체)
- 가면 됩니다 (just go)
- 하면 됩니다 (just do)
- 기다리면 됩니다 (just wait)
Polite (해요체)
- 가면 돼요 (just go)
- 하면 돼요 (just do)
- 기다리면 돼요 (just wait)
Casual (반말)
- 가면 돼 (just go)
- 하면 돼 (just do)
- 기다리면 돼 (just wait)
Core Meanings
1. Simple Solution/Instruction
"Just do this and it's fine":
- 여기 서명하면 돼요 (Just sign here)
- 버튼 누르면 돼요 (Just press the button)
- 쭉 가면 돼요 (Just go straight)
- 이거 쓰면 돼요 (Just use this)
2. Sufficiency
"This is enough":
- 한 개만 먹으면 돼요 (Just one is enough)
- 10분만 기다리면 돼요 (Just wait 10 minutes)
- 조금만 하면 돼요 (Just do a little)
- 한 번만 해보면 돼요 (Just try once)
3. Simplification
"That's all you need to do":
- 이름만 쓰면 돼요 (Just write your name)
- 말만 하면 돼요 (Just say the word)
- 클릭만 하면 돼요 (Just click)
- 전화만 하면 돼요 (Just call)
Common Usage
Giving Instructions
Simple directions:
- 여기 앉으면 돼요 (Just sit here)
- 이거 먹으면 돼요 (Just eat this)
- 저기 가면 돼요 (Just go there)
- 3번 버스 타면 돼요 (Just take bus #3)
Explaining Process
"This is how you do it":
- 물만 끓이면 돼요 (Just boil water)
- 섞기만 하면 돼요 (Just mix it)
- 5분만 기다리면 돼요 (Just wait 5 minutes)
- 여기 입력하면 돼요 (Just enter it here)
Reassuring Someone
"It's not complicated":
- 쉬워요. 이렇게만 하면 돼요 (It's easy. Just do it like this)
- 걱정 마세요. 연습하면 돼요 (Don't worry. Just practice)
- 천천히 하면 돼요 (Just do it slowly)
- 편하게 하면 돼요 (Just do it comfortably)
Question Form
Asking What to Do
Pattern: -면 돼요?
Examples:
- 어떻게 하면 돼요? (What should I do?)
- 뭐 하면 돼요? (What should I do?)
- 어디 가면 돼요? (Where should I go?)
- 몇 시에 오면 돼요? (What time should I come?)
- 언제 내면 돼요? (When should I submit it?)
Confirming Instructions
Checking if action is sufficient:
- 이거만 하면 돼요? (Is it enough to just do this?)
- 여기만 쓰면 돼요? (Is it enough to just write here?)
- 이것만 있으면 돼요? (Is this all I need?)
- 한 개만 사면 돼요? (Is it enough to buy just one?)
With Question Words
어떻게 하면 돼요?
How should I do it?:
- A: 어떻게 하면 돼요?
- B: 이렇게 하면 돼요 (Just do it like this)
뭘 하면 돼요?
What should I do?:
- A: 뭘 하면 돼요?
- B: 아무것도 안 해도 돼요 (You don't have to do anything)
어디에 가면 돼요?
Where should I go?:
- A: 어디에 가면 돼요?
- B: 2층으로 가면 돼요 (Just go to the 2nd floor)
Negative Form: 안 -으면 안 되다
Must do / Have to
Double negative = necessity:
- 안 가면 안 돼요 (You must go / If you don't go, it's not okay)
- 안 먹으면 안 돼요 (You must eat)
- 안 하면 안 돼요 (You have to do it)
Note: This creates obligation, opposite of permission
Past Tense
Was enough / Just needed to
Pattern: -면 됐어요
Examples:
- 가면 됐어요 (Just needed to go)
- 전화하면 됐어요 (Just needed to call)
- 말하면 됐어요 (Just needed to say)
Usage: Talking about past sufficiency
Future Tense
Will be okay if
Pattern: -면 될 거예요
Examples:
- 연습하면 될 거예요 (It will be okay if you practice)
- 시간 지나면 될 거예요 (It will be okay with time)
- 노력하면 될 거예요 (It will work if you try hard)
Contrast with Similar Forms
-(으)면 되다 vs -아/어도 되다
-(으)면 되다: Sufficiency/instruction (just do)
- 가면 돼요 (Just go)
- → Stating what's sufficient
-아/어도 되다: Permission (may/can)
- 가도 돼요 (You may go)
- → Asking/giving permission
Key difference: Solution vs Permission
-(으)면 되다 vs -아/어야 하다
-(으)면 되다: Simple solution (just do this)
- 이거 하면 돼요 (Just do this)
- → Casual, sufficient action
-아/어야 하다: Obligation (must/have to)
- 이거 해야 돼요 (You must do this)
- → Stronger necessity
Common Expressions
Daily Instructions
- 그냥 기다리면 돼요 (Just wait)
- 천천히 하면 돼요 (Just do it slowly)
- 편하게 앉으면 돼요 (Just sit comfortably)
- 말만 하면 돼요 (Just say the word)
At Work/School
- 이메일 보내면 돼요 (Just send an email)
- 보고서 제출하면 돼요 (Just submit the report)
- 등록하면 돼요 (Just register)
- 싸인만 하면 돼요 (Just sign)
Shopping/Services
- 현금으로 내면 돼요 (Just pay in cash)
- 카드로 하면 돼요 (Just use a card)
- 여기 쓰면 돼요 (Just write here)
- 선택만 하면 돼요 (Just choose)
Directions
- 쭉 가면 돼요 (Just go straight)
- 여기서 내리면 돼요 (Just get off here)
- 오른쪽으로 가면 돼요 (Just go right)
- 따라오면 돼요 (Just follow)
With -만 (Only/Just)
Emphasis on Simplicity
Pattern: Noun + -만 + -(으)면 되다
Examples:
- 이것만 하면 돼요 (This is all you need to do)
- 한 번만 해보면 돼요 (Just try once)
- 10분만 기다리면 돼요 (Just wait 10 minutes)
- 이름만 쓰면 돼요 (Just write your name)
Usage: Emphasizing that the action is simple or minimal
Example Dialogues
Dialogue 1: Getting Directions
A: 은행에 어떻게 가요?
(How do I get to the bank?)
B: 쭉 가면 돼요. 5분이면 돼요.
(Just go straight. 5 minutes is enough.)
Dialogue 2: At Restaurant
A: 주문 어떻게 해요?
(How do I order?)
B: 이 버튼 누르면 돼요.
(Just press this button.)
Dialogue 3: Registration
A: 등록하려면 뭐가 필요해요?
(What do I need to register?)
B: 신분증만 있으면 돼요.
(Just having your ID is enough.)
Dialogue 4: Cooking
A: 이거 어떻게 만들어요?
(How do you make this?)
B: 간단해요. 물만 끓이면 돼요.
(It's simple. Just boil water.)
Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect: 가도 되면
Mixing -아/어도 and -(으)면
✅ Correct: 가면 돼요
Use -(으)면 되다 for sufficiency
❌ Incorrect: 하면 해요
Using wrong verb
✅ Correct: 하면 돼요
Must use 되다
Summary Table
| Verb | -(으)면 되다 (Polite) | Casual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 가면 돼요 | 가면 돼 | Just go |
| 먹다 | 먹으면 돼요 | 먹으면 돼 | Just eat |
| 하다 | 하면 돼요 | 하면 돼 | Just do |
| 기다리다 | 기다리면 돼요 | 기다리면 돼 | Just wait |
| 오다 | 오면 돼요 | 오면 돼 | Just come |
Key Takeaways
✅ Expresses sufficiency: "Just do this / This is enough"
✅ Simple solutions: "All you need to do is..."
✅ After vowel/ㄹ: -면 되다
✅ After consonant: -으면 되다
✅ Different from -아/어도 되다: Sufficiency vs Permission
✅ Reassuring tone: Makes tasks seem simpler
-(으)면 되다 is extremely useful for giving instructions, explaining processes, and reassuring someone that something is simple or sufficient. It's one of the most practical expressions in everyday Korean.