Lesson-8-아어여도 돼요, 해도 돼요

To say something such as “it is okay to…” or “you do not have to/need to…” in Korean, you will need to learn and use the following verb ending: -아/어/여도 되다

How it works:

되다 means “to function”, “to be possible”, or “can do”.

Ex)
지금 인터넷 돼요?
= Does the Internet work now?
지금 배달 돼요?
= Can you deliver the food now? / Is food delivery available now?
배달 돼요?
= Do you deliver food as well? / Can food delivery be done?

도 means “also” or “too” (when used with nouns).

Ex)
저도 갈 거예요.
= I am going to go, too.
저도요.
= Me, too.
이것도 주세요.
= Give me this one, too.

-아/어/여 + -도 means “even if” or “even when” (when used with verb stems).

Ex)
먹어도 = even if you eat
몰라도 = even when you do not know
가도 = even if you go
해도 = even if you do
자도 = even if you sleep
일어나도 = even when you wake up

When combined,
-아/어/여 + -도 + 되다 = -아/어/여도 되다 means “it is okay to…” or “it is okay even if you…”.

Examples

(1)
켜다 = to turn on; to switch on
켜도 되다 = it is okay to turn … on; it is okay even if you switch … on
켜도 돼요. = It is okay. You can turn it on.
불 켜도 돼요. = You can turn the light on.
컴퓨터 켜도 돼요. = You can turn the computer on.

(2)
하다 = to do
해도 되다 = it is okay to do …; it is okay even if you do …
내일 해도 돼요. = It is okay if you do it tomorrow. / You can just do it tomorrow.
내일 해도 돼요? = Is it okay if I do it tomorrow?

(3)
시작하다 = to begin; to start
시작해도 되다 = it is okay to start
시작해도 돼요. = You can start.
시작해도 돼요? = Can I start? / Can we start?

Sample Sentences

이거 나중에 해도 돼요.
= You can do this later.
(Question form: 이거 나중에 해도 돼요? = Can I do this later?)

컴퓨터 써도 돼요?
= May I use the computer?

오늘 쉬어도 돼요.
= You can take a day off today.

How to say “do not have to…”

By using the same structure (-아/어/여 + -도 + 되다) and adding 안 in front of it, you can say “do not have to…” or “it is not necessary to…”

Ex)

(1)
해도 돼요. = You can do it. / It is okay if you do it.
안 해도 돼요. = You do not have to do it. / It is okay if you do not do it.
청소 안 해도 돼요. = You do not have to clean up. / It is okay if you do not clean up.
오늘 일 안 해도 돼요. = You do not have to work today. / It is okay if you do not work today.

(2)
먹어도 돼요. = You can eat it. / It is okay if you eat it.
안 먹어도 돼요. = You do not have to eat it. / It is okay if you do not eat it.
안 마셔도 돼요. = You do not have to drink. / It is okay if you do not drink.

안 + -아/어/여 + -도 + 되다 does NOT translate to “you should not…” in English. However, the next lesson (Level 4, Lesson 9) will cover how to say “you should not” in Korean.