TL;DR
- -어도 되다 means "it's okay to..." or "you may..." and is used to give or ask for permission 🎫
- Attach -어도 되다 to verb stems, changing the ending based on the final vowel (ㅏ/ㅗ → -아도 되다, everything else → -어도 되다) 🔄
- To ask permission, use the question form: -어도 돼요? ("May I...?") ❓
What Does -어도 되다 Mean? 🤔
-어도 되다 is your go-to grammar pattern when you want to say "it's okay to do something" or "you're allowed to do something" 🟢
Think of it as the Korean way of giving permission or asking for it! 🎟️
How to Form It 🔨
Take a verb stem and add the right ending ✨
If the stem has ㅏ or ㅗ:
→ Add -아도 되다
For all other vowels:
→ Add -어도 되다
If the verb is 하다:
→ It becomes 해도 되다
Examples 📝
가다 (to go) → 가 + 아도 되다 → 가도 돼요 (You may go)
먹다 (to eat) → 먹 + 어도 되다 → 먹어도 돼요 (You may eat)
보다 (to see/watch) → 보 + 아도 되다 → 봐도 돼요 (You may watch)
공부하다 (to study) → 공부 + 해도 되다 → 공부해도 돼요 (You may study)
Full Sentence Examples 💬
→ 여기 앉아도 돼요.
(You may sit here.) 🪑
→ 사진 찍어도 돼요?
(May I take a photo?) 📸
→ 이거 먹어도 돼요.
(It's okay to eat this.) 🍪
→ 지금 나가도 돼요?
(May I leave now?) 🚪
→ 한국어로 말해도 돼요.
(You may speak in Korean.) 🇰🇷
→ 내일 와도 돼요.
(It's okay to come tomorrow.) 📅
Asking for Permission 🙋
To ask "May I...?" just add a question mark and use rising intonation! 🎵
The pattern stays exactly the same, just make it a question ❓
→ 화장실 가도 돼요?
(May I go to the bathroom?) 🚻
→ 창문 열어도 돼요?
(May I open the window?) 🪟
→ 여기서 기다려도 돼요?
(May I wait here?) ⏰
Informal vs Formal 🎭
Informal (casual): -어도 돼 💭
→ 먹어도 돼.
(You can eat it.)
Polite (standard): -어도 돼요 ✨
→ 먹어도 돼요.
(You may eat it.)
Formal (very polite): -어도 됩니다 🎩
→ 먹어도 됩니다.
(You may eat it.)
Exceptions & Special Cases ⚠️
되다 Conjugations 🔄
The verb 되다 itself conjugates, so you'll see:
- 되다 → 돼 (informal)
- 되다 → 돼요 (polite)
- 되다 → 됩니다 (formal)
Don't write "되어요" - it's always shortened to "돼요"! ⭐
Irregular Verbs 🌀
Some verbs have irregular conjugations that affect the stem:
ㄷ irregular: 듣다 → 들어도 돼요 👂
ㅂ irregular: 춥다 → 추워도 돼요 ❄️
ㄹ irregular: 만들다 → 만들어도 돼요 🛠️
르 irregular: 모르다 → 몰라도 돼요 🤷
Pro Tips 💡
You can also use this pattern to tell someone "You don't have to..." by making it negative! 🙅
안 + verb stem + -어도 되다
→ 안 가도 돼요.
(You don't have to go.) 🏠
You can use -지 않아도 되다 for the same meaning (slightly more formal) 📚
→ 하지 않아도 돼요.
(You don't have to do it.) ✋
That's it! Now you can give and ask for permission like a pro! 🎉
Try the following exercise.
Fill in the blanks using -어도 되다 to ask for or give permission. 📝
- 여기에서 사진을 _?
Answer
찍어도 돼요
- 이 책을 _?
Answer
빌려도 돼요
- 내일 좀 늦게 _?
Answer
와도 돼요
- 창문을 _?
Answer
열어도 돼요
- 여기서 음식을 _?
Answer
먹어도 돼요
- 이 의자에 _?
Answer
앉아도 돼요
- 질문 하나 _?
Answer
해도 돼요
- 이 옷을 _?
Answer
입어 봐도 돼요
- 여기 주소를 _?
Answer
써도 돼요
- 이따가 전화 _?
Answer
해도 돼요
Vocabulary
사진 - photo
찍다 - to take (a photo)
책 - book
빌리다 - to borrow
늦게 - late
오다 - to come
창문 - window
열다 - to open
음식 - food
먹다 - to eat
의자 - chair
앉다 - to sit
질문 - question
하다 - to do
옷 - clothes
입어 보다 - to try on
주소 - address
쓰다 - to write
이따가 - later
전화 - phone call
Common mistakes
- 🚫 Don't forget the 도: saying "가요" instead of "가도 돼요" changes the meaning completely from asking permission to just stating you're going.
- 🚫 Remember verb stem changes: 듣다 becomes 들어도 돼요, not 듣어도 돼요.
- 🚫 Don't confuse -어도 되다 (permission) with -어야 되다 (obligation): "먹어도 돼요" means you MAY eat, while "먹어야 돼요" means you MUST eat.
- 🚫 When answering permission questions, you can say 네, 괜찮아요 or 네, 돼요 but not just 네 alone—it sounds incomplete.