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. 앨리스: “—어디든 가기만 하면 돼요,” 앨리스가 덧붙였다.²
   Alice: “—so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added.
   • 되다 means ‘to be okay’ or ‘to work out well’.
   • -기만 하면 되다 is an expression used to indicate that, as long as one performs a certain action, there is no problem or it is enough.
   • 어요 is a polite ending used in informal polite speech.
3. 또 기회 되면 꼭 다시 가고 싶어.³
   I’d love to go again if I get the chance.
   • 되다 means ‘to become’ or ‘to come’, referring to reaching a certain time or state.
   • -면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’ or ‘when’.
4. 지수: 그치, 그 두 사람 다 상처가 많았는데, 그냥 옆에 있어 주는 것만으로도 힘이 되는 게 보여서 좋았어.⁴
   Jisoo: Right, both of those people had many wounds, but it was good to see that just being by their side was enough to give them strength.
   • 되다 means ‘to become’.
   • 힘이 되다 is an idiomatic expression meaning ‘to be a source of strength’ or ‘to be supportive’.
   • 는 is a present tense modifier that makes the preceding phrase function as an adjective.
5. 저는 인류 전체를 사랑할수록 특정 사람을 덜 사랑하게 됩니다.⁵
   The more I love humanity, the less I come to love any particular person.
   • 되다 means ‘to become’, and here functions as an auxiliary verb in the -게 되다 construction, expressing that the state or situation in the preceding statement comes to be.
   • -게 되다 is a construction expressing that something comes to be in the state or situation mentioned in the preceding statement, often due to circumstances rather than deliberate intention.
   • ㅂ니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.
6. 눈부신 길 따라 시작되는 세상⁶
   A world begins along the dazzling path
   • 시작되다 is a compound verb formed from 시작 (beginning) and 되다 (to become), a verb commonly used to form the passive voice in Korean, meaning ‘to be started’ or ‘to begin’ in the passive voice.
   • -는 is a present tense modifier that turns the preceding statement into a phrase describing the following noun.
7. 길 남기지 않는 발자국 되고파⁷
   I want to be footprints that leave no trail
   • 되다 means ‘to become’.
   • 고파 is a casual contracted form of -고 싶다, a grammar pattern expressing desire or wish, meaning ‘want to’.
8. 그러나 언젠가 이 떨어져 있는 지식들이 모이면, 현실의 무서운 모습을 드러내고, 그 속에서 우리의 무서운 위치를 알게 되어 우리는 그 사실로 인해 미쳐버리거나 그 빛을 피해 새로운 어두운 시대의 평화와 안전 속으로 도망칠 것입니다.⁸
   However, someday, if these separate pieces of knowledge come together, they will reveal the fearful reality, and in that, we will come to know our terrifying position and either go mad or flee into the peace and safety of a new dark age, avoiding the light.
   • 되다 means ‘to become’, and here functions as an auxiliary verb in the -게 되다 construction, expressing that the state or situation in the preceding statement comes to be.
   • -게 되다 is a construction expressing that something comes to be in the state or situation mentioned in the preceding statement, often due to circumstances rather than deliberate intention.
   • -어서 is a connective ending that indicates a sequence of related events, cause and effect, or ways or means. In this context, 서 is omitted.
9. “어떻게 하면 돼?” 어린 왕자가 물었다.⁹
   “How do I do that?” asked the little prince.
   • 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.
10. 자유가 내 감옥이 되고 말았지¹⁰
    Freedom ended up becoming my prison.
    • 되다 means ‘to become’.
    • -고 is a connective ending used to link two actions or states, meaning ‘and’, or to join the main verb to auxiliary verbs.
11. 어느 저녁, 그는 오래된 나무 아래에서 쉬고 있을 때, 나뭇잎 사이로 신비한 목소리가 들려왔습니다.¹¹
    One evening, while he was resting under an old tree, he heard a mysterious voice through the leaves.
    • 오래되다 is a compound word meaning ‘to be old’, composed of 오래 (long time) and 되다 (to become).
    • -ㄴ is a modifier that turns the preceding statement into a phrase describing the following noun.
12. 같이 나눠 먹으면 되잖아.¹²
    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’.
13. 체셔 고양이: “오, 넌 분명히 갈 곳이 있을 거야,” 고양이가 말했다, “오래 걷기만 하면 돼.”²
    Cheshire Cat: “Oh, you’re sure to find a place,’ said the cat, ‘as long as you walk long enough.”
    • 되다 means ‘to be okay’ or ‘to work out well’.
    • -기만 하면 되다 is an expression used to indicate that, as long as one performs a certain action, there is no problem or it is enough.
    • 어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.
14. 태민: 응, 말 없이도 서로 힘이 되어 주는 게 진짜 감동이었지.⁴
    Taemin: Yes, it was really touching that they could be a source of strength for each other even without words.
    • 되다 means ‘to become’.
    • 힘이 되다 is an idiomatic expression meaning ‘to be a source of strength’ or ‘to be supportive’.
    • 어 is part of the pattern -어 주다, which indicates that the action is done for someone else.
15. 사람들이 가까이 오면 저는 즉시 싫어하게 됩니다.⁵
    When people get close to me, I immediately start to dislike them.
    • 되다 means ‘to become’, and here functions as an auxiliary verb in the -게 되다 construction, expressing that the state or situation in the preceding statement comes to be.
    • -게 되다 is a construction expressing that something comes to be in the state or situation mentioned in the preceding statement, often due to circumstances rather than deliberate intention.
    • ㅂ니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.
16. 그러면서 날마다 조금씩 더 내게 가까이 앉으면 돼…”⁹
    And as you do so, you can sit a little closer to me each day…”
    • 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.
17. 그것은 숲의 오래된 영혼의 목소리였고, 타로에게 원하는 무엇이든 변할 수 있는 힘을 주겠다고 했습니다.¹¹
    It was the voice of an old spirit of the forest, promising Taro the power to change anything he wanted.
    • 오래되다 is a compound word meaning ‘to be old’, composed of 오래 (long time) and 되다 (to become).
    • -ㄴ is a modifier that turns the preceding statement into a phrase describing the following noun.
18. 앨리스: 앨리스는 이 말이 전혀 증명되지 않는다고 생각했지만, 계속해서 물었다.²
    Alice: Alice thought that this statement was not proven at all, but she continued to ask.
    • 증명되다 means ‘to be proven’, where 증명 means ‘proof’, and 되다 (to become) is commonly used to create the passive form of a verb.
    • -지 않다 is a negation pattern, with 지 attached to the verb stem and 않다 as an auxiliary verb for negation.