Example Sentences#

1. “방향만 바꾸면 돼,” 고양이가 말했고, 쥐를 잡아먹었다.¹
   “You only need to change your direction,” said the cat, and ate it up.

   • 되다 means ‘to be okay’ or ‘to work out well’.
   • -면 되다 is an expression used to indicate that, as long as one does or reaches a certain act or state, there is no problem or it is enough.
   • 어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.

2. 같이 나눠 먹으면 되잖아.²
   We can share them together.

   • 되다 means ‘to be okay’ or ‘to work out well’.
   • -면 되다 is an expression used to indicate that, as long as one does or reaches a certain act or state, there is no problem or it is enough.
   • -잖아 is a sentence-ending particle used when the speaker assumes the listener already knows or should know and agree with what is being said. It stems from the negative form -지 않아, adding a rhetorical tone like ‘isn’t it?’ and may carry a reminder or corrective nuance, often translated as ‘as you know’.