👍

Worth Doing: -(으)ㄹ 만하다

Keywords
-(으)ㄹ 만하다
Lesson #
S
Done
Section
Basic Grammar
🎯
TL;DR 🦄
  • -(으)ㄹ 만하다 [-eul/l man-ha-da] means “worth doing”, “good enough to do”, or “doable/bearable.”
  • Use it when something is worth trying, watching, eating, visiting, reading, or when a situation is tolerable.
  • Write a space before 만하다 as the learner-safe form: 볼 만해요, 먹을 만해요, 가 볼 만해요.
🔊
🎧 Iru Helper Note Use
Korean Helper Widgets
Korean Helper Widgets to hear the recommendation tone. Try 볼 만해요 [bol man-hae-yo], 먹을 만해요 [meo-geul man-hae-yo], 가 볼 만해요 [ga bol man-hae-yo], and 참을 만해요 [cha-meul man-hae-yo].
 

🌈 The Big Picture

-(으)ㄹ 만하다 is used when something is worth doing, reasonable to do, or possible/tolerable enough.
Think of it as:
“It’s worth…”
“It’s good enough to…”
“It’s doable.”
“It’s bearable.”
“It deserves trying/checking.”
  • 이 영화는 볼 만해요.
      • [i yeong-hwa-neun bol man-hae-yo]
      This movie is worth watching. 🎬
  • 그 식당은 가 볼 만해요.
      • [geu sik-dang-eun ga bol man-hae-yo]
      That restaurant is worth visiting/trying. 🍽️
  • 이 정도는 참을 만해요.
      • [i jeong-do-neun cha-meul man-hae-yo]
      This level is bearable. 😌
It is very useful for recommendations, reviews, and “not amazing, but okay” opinions.

🧠 Core Meanings

1. Worth doing

Use it when something has enough value to try, watch, read, eat, buy, or visit.
  • 이 책은 읽을 만해요.
      • [i chae-geun il-geul man-hae-yo]
      This book is worth reading. 📖
  • 이 전시회는 볼 만해요.
      • [i jeon-si-hoe-neun bol man-hae-yo]
      This exhibition is worth seeing. 🖼️
  • 제주도는 한 번 가 볼 만해요.
      • [je-ju-do-neun han beon ga bol man-hae-yo]
      Jeju Island is worth visiting at least once. 🏝️

2. Good enough / acceptable

Use it when something is not necessarily perfect, but acceptable or decent.
  • 이 음식은 먹을 만해요.
      • [i eum-si-geun meo-geul man-hae-yo]
      This food is decent / good enough to eat. 🍲
  • 그 호텔은 지낼 만했어요.
      • [geu ho-te-reun ji-nael man-hae-sseo-yo]
      That hotel was okay enough to stay at. 🏨
  • 이 앱은 쓸 만해요.
      • [i ae-beun sseul man-hae-yo]
      This app is usable / worth using. 📱

3. Doable / possible

Use it when something is possible enough to do.
  • 혼자 할 만해요.
      • [hon-ja hal man-hae-yo]
      It’s doable alone. 💪
  • 이 문제는 풀 만해요.
      • [i mun-je-neun pul man-hae-yo]
      This problem is solvable / doable. 🧩
  • 걸어갈 만한 거리예요.
      • [geo-reo-gal man-han geo-ri-ye-yo]
      It’s a walkable distance. 🚶

4. Bearable / tolerable

Use it for pain, difficulty, heat, cold, waiting, and similar situations.
  • 아프지만 참을 만해요.
      • [a-peu-ji-man cha-meul man-hae-yo]
      It hurts, but it’s bearable. 🩹
  • 날씨가 춥지만 견딜 만해요.
      • [nal-ssi-ga chup-ji-man gyeon-dil man-hae-yo]
      The weather is cold, but it’s bearable. 🧥
  • 기다릴 만했어요.
      • [gi-da-ril man-hae-sseo-yo]
      It was worth waiting for / tolerable to wait. ⏳
💡
Tone tip
먹을 만해요 can mean “It’s worth eating,” but it can also sound like “It’s edible / okay, not amazing.” Tone and context matter.

🎨 Formation Rules

Use the future/adnominal form -(으)ㄹ + 만하다.

1. Verb stem ending in a vowel or ㄹ + ㄹ 만하다

  • 보다 [bo-da] → 볼 만하다 [bol man-ha-da] = worth watching/seeing
  • 가다 [ga-da] → 갈 만하다 [gal man-ha-da] = worth going / possible to go
  • 사다 [sa-da] → 살 만하다 [sal man-ha-da] = worth buying / affordable enough
  • 만들다 [man-deul-da] → 만들 만하다 [man-deul man-ha-da] = worth making / possible to make

2. Verb stem ending in a consonant + 을 만하다

  • 먹다 [meok-da] → 먹을 만하다 [meo-geul man-ha-da] = worth eating / edible
  • 읽다 [ik-da] → 읽을 만하다 [il-geul man-ha-da] = worth reading
  • 참다 [cham-da] → 참을 만하다 [cha-meul man-ha-da] = bearable
  • 믿다 [mit-da] → 믿을 만하다 [mi-deul man-ha-da] = trustworthy / worth believing

3. Irregulars and common forms

  • 듣다 → 들을 만하다 = worth listening to
  • 걷다 → 걸을 만하다 = worth walking / walkable
  • 돕다 → 도울 만하다 = worth helping / possible to help
  • 짓다 → 지을 만하다 = worth building/making
  • 낫다 → 나을 만하다 = likely/worth getting better; recoverable enough

4. Past and polite forms

  • 볼 만해요. = It’s worth watching.
  • 볼 만했어요. = It was worth watching.
  • 볼 만할 거예요. = It will probably be worth watching.
  • 볼 만한 영화예요. = It’s a movie worth watching.

5. Spacing

The learner-safe spelling is to write a space before 만하다.
  • ✅ 볼 만해요.
  • ✅ 먹을 만해요.
  • ✅ 참을 만해요.
Officially, because 만하다 is a supporting adjective in this pattern, spacing is the principle, but attached spelling is sometimes allowed. For study notes, use the spaced form consistently.
⚠️
Different pattern warning
먹을 만하다 = worth eating / edible
집만 하다 = as big as a house
 
The first uses 만하다 after a verb. The second uses 만 하다 after a noun for comparison.

🛠️ How It Works in Real Sentences

Recommendations

  • 이 드라마는 볼 만해요.
      • [i deu-ra-ma-neun bol man-hae-yo]
      This drama is worth watching. 📺
  • 그 카페는 가 볼 만해요.
      • [geu ka-pe-neun ga bol man-hae-yo]
      That café is worth checking out. ☕

Reviews

  • 가격이 비싸지만 살 만해요.
      • [ga-gyeo-gi bi-ssa-ji-man sal man-hae-yo]
      It’s expensive, but it’s worth buying. 💸
  • 맛은 평범하지만 먹을 만해요.
      • [ma-seun pyeong-beom-ha-ji-man meo-geul man-hae-yo]
      The taste is ordinary, but it’s decent enough to eat. 🍜

Ability / possibility

  • 이 정도 숙제는 혼자 할 만해요.
      • [i jeong-do suk-je-neun hon-ja hal man-hae-yo]
      This amount of homework is doable alone. 📚
  • 여기에서 역까지 걸어갈 만해요.
      • [yeo-gi-e-seo yeok-kka-ji geo-reo-gal man-hae-yo]
      It’s walkable from here to the station. 🚉

Trust and reliability

  • 그 사람은 믿을 만해요.
      • [geu sa-ra-meun mi-deul man-hae-yo]
      That person is trustworthy. 🤝
  • 이 정보는 참고할 만해요.
      • [i jeong-bo-neun cham-go-hal man-hae-yo]
      This information is worth referring to. 📌

🔍 -(으)ㄹ 만하다 vs -(으)ㄹ 가치가 있다 vs 가능하다

-(으)ㄹ 만하다 = worth doing / good enough / doable

  • 이 영화는 볼 만해요.
      • This movie is worth watching / decent.

-(으)ㄹ 가치가 있다 = has value to do

More formal and stronger than -(으)ㄹ 만하다.
  • 이 책은 읽을 가치가 있어요.
      • This book is worth reading / has value.

가능하다 = possible

More direct and less “review-like.”
  • 혼자 할 수 있어요. / 혼자 하는 것이 가능해요.
      • It’s possible to do alone.
Daily learner tip: Use -(으)ㄹ 만하다 when you want a natural opinion: worth trying, decent, doable, or tolerable.

🧩 Common Patterns

1. 가 볼 만하다 = worth visiting/checking out

  • 그 식당은 가 볼 만해요. = That restaurant is worth trying.
  • 이 박물관은 가 볼 만해요. = This museum is worth visiting.
  • 서울에서 가 볼 만한 곳이에요. = It’s a place worth visiting in Seoul.

2. 볼 만하다 = worth watching/seeing

  • 이 영화는 볼 만해요. = This movie is worth watching.
  • 야경이 볼 만해요. = The night view is worth seeing.
  • 볼 만한 공연이에요. = It’s a performance worth watching.

3. 믿을 만하다 = trustworthy

  • 믿을 만한 사람이에요. = They’re a trustworthy person.
  • 믿을 만한 정보예요. = It’s reliable information.
  • 믿을 만한 사이트예요. = It’s a reliable website.

📚 Cross-check note

This lesson was checked against korean.go.kr. Their guidance describes 만하다 in this pattern as a supporting adjective used after a verb’s adnominal form -(으)ㄹ. It can mean that the action has enough value or reason to do, or that doing the action is possible. Korean.go.kr also explains the spacing: 믿을 만하다, 참을 만하다, and 알 만하다 are spaced in principle, while attached writing may be allowed in some supporting-verb cases. For clear learner writing, this lesson uses the spaced form.
Practical lesson choice: teach -(으)ㄹ 만하다 as “worth doing / doable / bearable,” and keep the spacing consistent for beginner clarity.

⚠️ Pitfalls to Dodge

  • ❌ 먹는 만해요 → ✅ 먹을 만해요
  • ❌ 볼만 해요 → ✅ learner-safe: 볼 만해요
  • ❌ Thinking 먹을 만해요 always means “delicious” → ✅ It can mean “decent / edible / worth eating.”
  • ❌ Confusing 믿을 만하다 with 믿다 → ✅ 믿을 만하다 means “trustworthy / worth trusting.”
  • ❌ 집 만하다 for comparison → ✅ 집만 하다 = as big as a house.
Bottom line: -(으)ㄹ 만하다 is the “worth doing / doable / bearable” grammar. Use it for natural opinions and recommendations: 볼 만해요, 가 볼 만해요, 참을 만해요. 👍✨
 

Try this exercise

Instructions Complete each sentence with the correct -(으)ㄹ 만하다 form.
1. 보다 → 이 영화는 ＿＿＿＿. 🎬
Answer
볼 만해요 — “This movie is worth watching.”
2. 먹다 → 이 음식은 ＿＿＿＿. 🍲
Answer
먹을 만해요
3. 읽다 → 이 책은 ＿＿＿＿. 📖
Answer
읽을 만해요
4. 가 보다 → 그 카페는 ＿＿＿＿. ☕
Answer
가 볼 만해요
5. 참다 → 이 정도는 ＿＿＿＿. 😌
Answer
참을 만해요
6. 믿다 → 그 사람은 ＿＿＿＿. 🤝
Answer
믿을 만해요
7. 듣다 → 이 노래는 ＿＿＿＿. 🎧
Answer
들을 만해요
8. Choose the learner-safe spacing.
① 볼 만해요.
② 볼만 해요.
Answer
① 볼 만해요.
9. Choose the correct meaning of 먹을 만해요.
① It is worth eating / edible enough.
② It already ate.
Answer
① It is worth eating / edible enough.
10. 걷다 → 역까지 ＿＿＿＿ 거리예요. 🚶
Answer
걸을 만한 — “It’s a walkable distance to the station.”
📚
Vocabulary Box
  • 보다 → to watch/see
  • 먹다 → to eat
  • 읽다 → to read
  • 가 보다 → to go try/check out
  • 참다 → to endure
  • 믿다 → to believe/trust
  • 듣다 → to listen
  • 거리 → distance
Tip 💡 -(으)ㄹ 만해요 often sounds like a natural review.
🚀
Want more reps? Visit the Practice Hub when you're ready! 🚀
 
📦
🎯 Practice Hub — Worth Doing: -(으)ㄹ 만하다
 
This Practice Hub trains -(으)ㄹ 만하다 for recommendations, reviews, doable actions, bearable situations, spacing, irregular forms, and comparison traps. Each exercise has 10 questions, A–J. 🧩
 

Exercise 1 — Form Builder ✅

A. 보다 → 볼 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
B. 먹다 → 먹을 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
C. 읽다 → 읽을 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
D. 가다 → 갈 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
E. 사다 → 살 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
F. 참다 → 참을 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
G. 믿다 → 믿을 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
H. 듣다 → 들을 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
I. 걷다 → 걸을 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
J. 돕다 → 도울 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
📚
Form reminder
  • Vowel/ㄹ stem → ㄹ 만하다
  • Consonant stem → 을 만하다
  • Adjective form before noun → -(으)ㄹ 만한
  • Learner-safe spacing: 볼 만해요
 

Exercise 2 — Reviews and Recommendations 👍

A. This movie is worth watching.
이 영화는 볼 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
B. This restaurant is worth trying.
이 식당은 가 볼 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
C. This book is worth reading.
이 책은 읽을 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
D. The night view is worth seeing.
야경이 볼 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
E. This app is worth using.
이 앱은 쓸 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
F. This café is worth visiting.
이 카페는 가 볼 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
G. This song is worth listening to.
이 노래는 들을 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
H. That product is worth buying.
그 제품은 살 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
I. This place is worth taking pictures at.
이곳은 사진을 찍을 ＿＿＿＿ 곳이에요.
Answer
만한
J. It’s a game worth trying once.
한 번 해 볼 ＿＿＿＿ 게임이에요.
Answer
만한
💡
Recommendation pattern
가 볼 만해요 = worth going/checking out
해 볼 만해요 = worth trying
 

Exercise 3 — Doable and Bearable 💪

A. It’s doable alone.
혼자 할 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
B. This pain is bearable.
이 통증은 참을 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
C. It’s cold, but bearable.
춥지만 견딜 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
D. This problem is solvable.
이 문제는 풀 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
E. It’s a walkable distance.
걸을 ＿＿＿＿ 거리예요.
Answer
만한
F. It’s something worth waiting for.
기다릴 ＿＿＿＿ 일이에요.
Answer
만한
G. It’s understandable.
이해할 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
H. This plan is worth considering.
이 계획은 생각해 볼 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
I. This information is worth referencing.
이 정보는 참고할 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
J. They are trustworthy.
그 사람은 믿을 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
📌
Meaning range
-(으)ㄹ 만하다 can mean:
  • worth doing
  • doable
  • bearable
  • trustworthy/reliable
 

Exercise 4 — Spacing and Meaning 🧱

A. Learner-safe: worth watching
① 볼 만해요
② 볼만 해요
Answer
① 볼 만해요
B. Learner-safe: worth eating
① 먹을 만해요
② 먹을만 해요
Answer
① 먹을 만해요
C. As big as a house
① 집만 하다
② 집 만하다
Answer
① 집만 하다
D. Worth believing
① 믿을 만하다
② 믿을만 하다
Answer
① 믿을 만하다
E. Worth reading book
읽을 ＿＿＿＿ 책이에요.
Answer
만한
F. A reliable website
믿을 ＿＿＿＿ 사이트예요.
Answer
만한
G. Not worth seeing
볼 ＿＿＿＿ 않아요.
Answer
만하지 → 볼 만하지 않아요
H. It was worth going.
갈 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만했어요
I. It will be worth trying.
해 볼 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만할 거예요
J. It is barely tolerable.
겨우 참을 ＿＿＿＿.
Answer
만해요
🧠
Spacing shortcut
After a verb: 볼 만하다
After a noun for size/comparison: 집만 하다
 

Exercise 5 — Pitfall Patrol 🛡️

A. ❌ 먹는 만해요 → ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
먹을 만해요
B. ❌ 읽는 만해요 → ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
읽을 만해요
C. ❌ 볼만 해요 → learner-safe ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
볼 만해요
D. ❌ 듣을 만해요 → ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
들을 만해요
E. ❌ 걷을 만해요 → ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
걸을 만해요
F. ❌ 집 만해요 for “as big as a house” → ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
집만 해요 / 집만 하다
G. ❌ 먹을 만해요 always means “very delicious” → ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
It can mean “worth eating,” but also “edible/decent.”
H. ❌ 믿을 만해요 means “I believe” → ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
It means “trustworthy / worth trusting.”
I. ❌ 할 만한 and 할 만해요 are identical grammar positions → ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
할 만한 modifies a noun; 할 만해요 ends a sentence.
J. ❌ 거의 다 할 만해요 for “I’m almost done” → ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
거의 다 했어요.
⚠️
Common traps
  • Use -(으)ㄹ, not -는.
  • Use spaced form for learner clarity.
  • 먹을 만하다 can be mild praise.
  • Don’t confuse verb + 만하다 with noun + 만 하다.
 
🎉 Worth-doing grammar unlocked. With -(으)ㄹ 만하다, you can make natural reviews and recommendations: 볼 만해요, 먹을 만해요, 믿을 만해요. 👍✨