The Korean grammar pattern ‘-(으)ㄹ 만하다’ is an essential expression for describing when something is worth doing or possible to do. You will hear ‘-(으)ㄹ 만하다’ in daily conversations, from recommending food to evaluating experiences. Mastering ‘-(으)ㄹ 만하다’ will help you sound more natural when expressing judgments in Korean.
Contents
1. Definition
‘-(으)ㄹ 만하다’ is used to show that something is worth doing, manageable, or possible.
In English, it often corresponds to expressions like “worth doing,” “deserves to,” or “possible to.”
It conveys a positive or neutral evaluation rather than a strong recommendation.
2. Form (Structure)
Conjugation rules
- Verb/adjective stems ending with a consonant → -을 만하다
먹다 (to eat) → 먹을 만하다 (worth eating)
찾다 (to find) → 찾을 만하다 (worth finding)
읽다 (to read) → 읽을 만하다 (worth reading) - Verb/adjective stems ending with a vowel → -ㄹ 만하다
가다 (to go) → 갈 만하다 (worth going)
주다 (to give) → 줄 만하다 (worth giving)
사다 (to buy) → 살 만하다 (worth buying) - Verb/adjective stems ending with ㄹ → drop ㄹ + 만하다
만들다 (to make) → 만들 만하다 (worth making)
열다 (to open) → 열 만하다 (worth opening)
놀다 (to play) → 놀 만하다 (worth playing/doing for fun)
3. Meaning & Usage
1. Expressing worth or recommendation
Shows that something is worth trying, eating, watching, etc.
- 이 식당은 정말 갈 만해요. (This restaurant is really worth visiting.)
- 이 책은 읽을 만해요. (This book is worth reading.)
- 오늘 날씨는 산책할 만해요. (The weather today is good enough for a walk.)
- 이 노래는 들을 만해요. (This song is worth listening to.)
- 그 영화는 볼 만했어요. (That movie was worth watching.)
2. Expressing adequacy or acceptability
Indicates that something is not perfect but acceptable.
- 가격이 조금 비싸지만 살 만해요. (It’s a bit expensive, but it’s worth buying.)
- 음식 맛이 괜찮아서 먹을 만했어요. (The food tasted okay, so it was acceptable.)
- 거리가 멀지만 갈 만해요. (It’s far, but manageable to go.)
- 방이 작지만 지낼 만해요. (The room is small, but livable.)
- 일이 많지만 할 만해요. (There’s a lot of work, but it’s doable.)
3. Expressing possibility or manageability
Used when something can be done without much difficulty.
- 지금도 고칠 만해요. (It can still be fixed.)
- 이 문제는 혼자 풀 만해요. (This problem is solvable alone.)
- 그 상자는 혼자 들 만해요. (That box is light enough to carry alone.)
- 내일이면 끝낼 만할 거예요. (It should be possible to finish it by tomorrow.)
- 그 일은 충분히 할 만해요. (That task is perfectly manageable.)
4. Key Points to Remember
- -(으)ㄹ 만하다 attaches mainly to verbs, not adjectives.
- With ㄹ-ending stems, drop ㄹ before adding 만하다.
- Expresses adequacy, possibility, or moderate recommendation rather than strong praise.
- Can be used in past, present, and future tenses.
- Often confused with -(으)ㄹ 수 있다: the difference is that -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 shows ability or possibility, while -(으)ㄹ 만하다 adds the speaker’s evaluation.
- Commonly used in recommendations, reviews, and personal opinions.
5. Practice Exercises
Fill in the blanks with -(으)ㄹ 만하다.
- 이 영화는 정말 (보다) ______.
(This movie is really worth watching.) - 저 식당은 조금 비싸지만 (먹다) ______.
(That restaurant is a bit expensive, but it’s worth eating at.) - 오늘 날씨가 좋아서 (산책하다) ______.
(The weather is nice today, so it’s worth taking a walk.) - 이 문제는 혼자 (풀다) ______.
(This problem can be solved alone.) - 그 책은 시간 날 때 (읽다) ______.
(That book is worth reading when you have time.) - 방이 작지만 (지내다) ______.
(The room is small, but it’s livable.) - 아직 (고치다) ______.
(It can still be fixed.) - 그 일은 생각보다 (하다) ______.
(That work is more doable than expected.) - 내일이면 (끝내다) ______.
(It should be possible to finish it by tomorrow.) - 이곳은 친구와 함께 (가다) ______.
(This place is worth going to with a friend.)
6. Answers
- 볼 만하다
- 먹을 만하다
- 산책할 만하다
- 풀 만하다
- 읽을 만하다
- 지낼 만하다
- 고칠 만하다
- 할 만하다
- 끝낼 만하다
- 갈 만하다
7. Common Mistakes and Tips
⚠️ Mistake 1: Using it with nouns directly
Incorrect: 음식 만하다 ❌ (Food worth)
Correct: 음식을 먹을 만하다 ✅ (The food is worth eating.)
💡 Tip: -(으)ㄹ 만하다 must attach to verbs, not plain nouns.
⚠️ Mistake 2: Confusing with -려고 하다
Incorrect: 그 집에 가려고 만하다 ❌ (Unnatural attempt to mix with -려고)
Correct: 그 집에 갈 만하다 ✅ (Worth going)
💡 Tip: -(으)려고 하다 expresses intention, while -(으)ㄹ 만하다 expresses evaluation.
⚠️ Mistake 3: Overusing for strong praise
Incorrect: 이 음식은 세계 최고라서 먹을 만하다 ❌ (It’s the best, so worth eating)
Correct: 이 음식은 괜찮아서 먹을 만하다 ✅ (It’s decent enough to eat.)
💡 Tip: -(으)ㄹ 만하다 shows adequacy or worth, not extreme praise.
The pattern -(으)ㄹ 만하다 is used to express that something is worth doing, trying, or experiencing. By mastering the conjugation rules, you can give smooth recommendations and evaluations, making your Korean sound more natural and fluent.