TL;DR
- -만큼 means "as much as" or "to the extent of" and shows comparison or degree 📏
- Attach it directly to nouns, or to verb stems to compare actions and states 🔗
- It emphasizes that two things are equal in amount, degree, or intensity ⚖️
What does -만큼 mean? 🤔
-만큼 is used to express extent or degree 📊
It translates to:
- "as much as"
- "to the extent of"
- "as ~ as"
Think of it like a measuring stick 📏 that shows two things are equal in some way!
How to use it 🛠️
With Nouns 📦
Just attach -만큼 directly to the noun!
Noun + 만큼
→ 나만큼 키가 큰 사람이 없어요.
(There's no one as tall as me.)
→ 커피를 물만큼 마셔요.
(I drink coffee as much as water.)
→ 너만큼 좋아하는 사람 없어.
(There's no one I like as much as you.)
With Verbs 🏃
Attach -만큼 to the verb stem!
Verb stem + -는 만큼 / -(으)ㄴ 만큼
Use -는 만큼 for present tense 🎯
→ 먹는 만큼 운동해야 해요.
(You need to exercise as much as you eat.)
→ 일하는 만큼 돈을 받아요.
(I get paid as much as I work.)
Use -(으)ㄴ 만큼 for past tense or completed actions 🕐
→ 노력한 만큼 결과가 나올 거예요.
(You'll get results to the extent you put in effort.)
→ 공부한 만큼 성적이 올랐어요.
(My grades went up as much as I studied.)
With Adjectives 🎨
Attach -만큼 to the adjective stem!
Adjective stem + -(으)ㄴ 만큼
→ 예쁜 만큼 성격도 좋아요.
(Her personality is as good as she is pretty.)
→ 비싼 만큼 품질이 좋아요.
(The quality is as good as the price is high.)
Special meanings 💫
"To the extent that..." / "So much that..." 🌟
Sometimes -만큼 emphasizes a high degree of something!
→ 죽을 만큼 아팠어요.
(It hurt so much I could die. / It hurt to the extent of dying.)
→ 미칠 만큼 좋아해요.
(I like it so much I could go crazy.)
"Considering that..." / "Since..." 🤓
-는 만큼 can also mean "since" or "considering that" when explaining reasons!
→ 학생인 만큼 열심히 공부해야죠.
(Since you're a student, you should study hard.)
→ 어른인 만큼 책임감이 있어야 해요.
(Since you're an adult, you need to have responsibility.)
Common expressions 💬
→ 할 수 있는 만큼 해 보세요.
(Do as much as you can.)
→ 아는 만큼 보여요.
(You see as much as you know. / Knowledge determines what you see.)
→ 먹고 싶은 만큼 드세요.
(Eat as much as you want.)
Exceptions ⚠️
None for this grammar point! 🎉
-만큼 works consistently across nouns, verbs, and adjectives! Just remember the different forms (-는 만큼 vs -(으)ㄴ 만큼) depending on what you're attaching it to 🔧
Try the following exercise.
Fill in the blanks using -만큼 to express extent or degree. 📏
- 나는 너___ 한국어를 잘하고 싶어.
Answer
나는 너만큼 한국어를 잘하고 싶어.
- 오늘은 어제___ 춥지 않아요.
Answer
오늘은 어제만큼 춥지 않아요.
- 이 케이크는 생각한 것___ 달아요.
Answer
이 케이크는 생각한 것만큼 달아요.
- 동생이 키가 나___ 커졌어요.
Answer
동생이 키가 나만큼 커졌어요.
- 서울은 부산___ 따뜻하지 않습니다.
Answer
서울은 부산만큼 따뜻하지 않습니다.
- 저는 선생님___ 열심히 공부할 거예요.
Answer
저는 선생님만큼 열심히 공부할 거예요.
- 이 영화는 기대한 것___ 재미있었어요.
Answer
이 영화는 기대한 것만큼 재미있었어요.
- 한국 음식이 예상한 것___ 매워요.
Answer
한국 음식이 예상한 것만큼 매워요.
- 제 방은 언니 방___ 크지 않아요.
Answer
제 방은 언니 방만큼 크지 않아요.
- 오빠는 먹은 것___ 운동을 해야 돼요.
Answer
오빠는 먹은 것만큼 운동을 해야 돼요.
Vocabulary
잘하다 - to be good at
춥다 - to be cold
달다 - to be sweet
키 - height
커지다 - to grow, get bigger
따뜻하다 - to be warm
열심히 - diligently, hard
기대하다 - to expect
재미있다 - to be fun, interesting
예상하다 - to anticipate
맵다 - to be spicy
언니 - older sister (for females)
운동 - exercise
Common mistakes
- 🚫 Don't forget that -만큼 attaches directly to nouns without particles (나만큼, not 나는 만큼)
- 🚫 Remember that -만큼 can be used in both positive and negative comparisons
- 🚫 When comparing with "것", use 것만큼, not 거만큼 in formal writing
- 🚫 Be careful not to confuse -만큼 (extent) with -처럼 (similarity/likeness)