TL;DR
- -을/를 만하다 means "worth doing" or "deserving of" — it's used to recommend something or say it has value! 🌟
- Attach -을 만하다 to verb stems (action verbs) and -ㄹ/을 만하다 to descriptive verbs to express that something is worth the action 💎
- It carries a positive nuance — you're saying something is good enough to deserve attention, effort, or praise! 👍
What does -을 만하다 mean? 🤔
-을 만하다 is attached to verbs to say something is "worth doing" or "deserves" something ✨
It's like giving your seal of approval — you're recommending it or saying it has value! 💯
How to use it 🔧
The structure is super simple! 😊
With Action Verbs (동사) 🏃♀️
Verb stem + -을 만하다
→ 이 영화는 볼 만해요.
This movie is worth watching.</span>
→ 이 식당은 갈 만해요.
This restaurant is worth going to.</span>
→ 그 책은 읽을 만해요.
That book is worth reading.</span>
With Descriptive Verbs (형용사) 🎨
Verb stem + -ㄹ/을 만하다
→ 가격이 싸 만해요.
The price is reasonably cheap. (It's cheap enough to deserve consideration)</span>
→ 맛이 좋을 만해요.
The taste is good enough. (It's worth praising)</span>
The vibe: Always positive! 🌈
Here's the key thing to remember: -을 만하다 carries a positive recommendation vibe 💕
You're not just stating a fact — you're saying "this deserves your attention!" or "this has value!" 🎁
→ 이 노래는 들을 만해요.
This song is worth listening to. 🎵</span>
→ 한국어는 배울 만한 언어예요.
Korean is a language worth learning. 📚</span>
→ 이 드라마는 볼 만한 가치가 있어요.
This drama has value worth watching. 📺</span>
Common patterns you'll see 👀
-을 만한 + Noun 📝
You can use -을 만한 before a noun to describe it!
→ 읽을 만한 책
A book worth reading 📖</span>
→ 먹을 만한 음식
Food worth eating 🍜</span>
→ 살 만한 가치
Value worth buying 💰</span>
-을 만하다 vs. -을 만큼 🤷♀️
Don't confuse these two! They look similar but mean different things:
- -을 만하다 = worth doing (positive recommendation) ⭐
- -을 만큼 = to the extent that, enough to (degree/comparison) 📏
→ 볼 만해요. = It's worth watching. ✅
→ 울 만큼 슬퍼요. = I'm sad enough to cry. 😢
Real-life examples 🌍
→ 서울은 여행할 만한 도시예요.
Seoul is a city worth traveling to. ✈️</span>
→ 이 카페는 방문할 만해요.
This cafe is worth visiting. ☕</span>
→ 그 사람은 믿을 만해요.
That person is trustworthy. (deserves trust) 🤝</span>
→ 이 가격이면 살 만해요.
At this price, it's worth buying. 🛍️</span>
→ 그 영화는 추천할 만해요.
That movie is worth recommending. 🎬</span>
Quick tip! 💡
When someone asks for your opinion about something, -을 만하다 is perfect for giving a gentle recommendation without being too pushy! 😊
It's softer than saying "You MUST do this!" — instead you're saying "It has merit!" 🌟
Exceptions ⚠️
There are no major exceptions for this grammar pattern! 🎉
Just remember that -을 만하다 is always used with a positive connotation — if something is NOT worth doing, you'd use different grammar like -을 가치가 없다 (not worth doing) or simply say it's not good! 🙅♀️
Try the following exercise.
Fill in the blanks using '-을 만하다' to express that something is worth doing or deserves something. 📝
- 이 영화는 정말 _.
Answer
볼 만해요 / 볼 만합니다
- 제주도는 여행 _.
Answer
갈 만한 곳이에요 / 갈 만한 곳입니다
- 이 식당 음식은 _.
Answer
먹을 만해요 / 먹을 만합니다
- 그 사람은 신뢰 _.
Answer
할 만해요 / 할 만합니다
- 이 책은 한 번 _.
Answer
읽을 만해요 / 읽을 만합니다
- 그 호텔은 가격 대비 _.
Answer
머물 만해요 / 머물 만합니다
- 이 문제는 고민 _.
Answer
할 만해요 / 할 만합니다
- 그의 노력은 칭찬 _.
Answer
받을 만해요 / 받을 만합니다
- 이 카페는 다시 _.
Answer
방문할 만해요 / 방문할 만합니다
- 그 제안은 진지하게 _.
Answer
고려할 만해요 / 고려할 만합니다
Vocabulary
영화 - movie
제주도 - Jeju Island
여행 가다 - to travel
식당 - restaurant
신뢰하다 - to trust
한 번 - once
호텔 - hotel
가격 대비 - for the price
머물다 - to stay
문제 - problem
고민하다 - to worry about
노력 - effort
칭찬받다 - to be praised
방문하다 - to visit
제안 - suggestion
진지하게 - seriously
고려하다 - to consider
Common mistakes ⚠️
- 🚫 Don't forget to use the correct verb stem before -을/를 만하다
- 🚫 Remember that -을 만하다 attaches to verb stems, not adjective stems
- 💡 -을 만하다 can express both "worth doing" and "deserving of" depending on context
- ✏️ When describing a noun, use the form -을 만한 + noun (e.g., 볼 만한 영화)