haru Korean › Grammar › Level 2A › V-(으)면 되다
V-(으)면 되다 — you just have to … — the easy way, or all you need
You just have to … — the easy way, or all you need. Korean grammar for upper beginner learners — Level 2A, lesson 6: 소포를 부치고 돈을 찾아요 (Sending a parcel and taking out money — errands).
What it means
-(으)면 돼요 means 'you just have to …, that's all you need' — literally 'if you do this, it works'. Add 으면 돼요 after 받침 (찾으면 돼요, 넣으면 돼요) and 면 돼요 after a vowel or ㄹ (보내면 돼요, 만들면 돼요): the same choice as -(으)면 in 1A-12. Use it to show the easy way — 이 버튼을 누르면 돼요 — or to say that one thing is enough: 여권만 있으면 돼요. Compare -아야/어야 돼요 from 1B-5: 가야 돼요 is 'I must go, there is no other way'; 가면 돼요 is 'just go, that's all'. So a 'must' question often gets a -(으)면 돼요 answer: 오늘 가야 돼요? — 아니요, 내일 가면 돼요. 르 words keep 르 here, because 면 does not start with 아/어: 누르면 돼요, 고르면 돼요. The past goes on 되다: 있으면 됐어요.
Forms
| Pattern | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -으면 돼요 | 받침 O | 찾다 + 으면 돼요 → 찾으면 돼요 |
| -면 돼요 | 받침 X · ㄹ | 보내다 + 면 돼요 → 보내면 돼요 |
Key points
- V-(으)면 돼요 = you just have to … · that's all you need: 받침 O → 으면 돼요 (찾으면 돼요) · 받침 X · ㄹ → 면 돼요 (보내면 돼요 · 만들면 돼요)
- -아야/어야 돼요 = must, no other way · -(으)면 돼요 = this is enough, it's easy
Examples
- 찾다 → 찾으면 돼요. 넣다 → 넣으면 돼요.
- 보내다 → 보내면 돼요. 누르다 → 누르면 돼요. 만들다 → 만들면 돼요.
- 여권만 있으면 돼요.
- 오늘 가야 돼요? — 아니요, 내일 가면 돼요.
Where university textbooks teach it
This point also appears in: Seoul National University Korean 2A, lesson 6; Yonsei University Korean 2-2, lesson 12; Sogang University Korean 3A, lesson 2; Hongik University Korean 2B, lesson 7; Hanyang University Korean 2-2, lesson 8.