Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 8 - Advanced Korean #1 (Lessons 211 to 240) ᚛ Lesson 239 - If you keep, you only have to in Korean [-다(가) 보면] [-기만 하면]
If you keep, you only have to in Korean [-다(가) 보면] [-기만 하면]
Two structures in this lesson say that an action is enough to bring about a result. -다(가) 보면, "if you keep…, over time", combines the interruption connector -다(가) and the verb 보다 in the conditional: by doing the action for a while, you will come to notice a result. -기만 하면, "you only have to… / as soon as…", combines the nominalizer -기, the particle 만 and 하다: merely doing the action triggers what follows. We'll finish with -기만 하다, "to do nothing but".
"If you keep…, over time" with -다(가) 보면
[Verb]-다(가) 보면 [Expected result, often in the future]
-다(가) 보면 presents a repeated or prolonged action whose effects you eventually come to see: "if you keep listening to Minji, you'll understand", "if you keep going straight, you'll see the clinic". Since the result hasn't been observed yet, the main clause is most often in the future (-(으)ㄹ 거예요, -(으)ㄹ 것입니다), or describes a habit (-게 되다, -아/어지다). It is also the structure of advice and directions. 가 is optional: 하다가 보면 and 하다 보면 are equivalent, the short form being the most common. Don't confuse it with -다(가) 보니(까), from lesson 204, which reports a result already observed.
한동안 하지 못했던 이야기를 하다가 보면 둘 사이에 오해했던 것을 풀 수 있을 거예요.
→ If you talk about the things you haven't been able to say to each other for a while, you'll be able to clear up the misunderstandings between you.
민지 말을 듣다 보면 그동안 민지가 왜 그렇게 행동했는지 이해할 수 있을 거예요.
→ If you keep listening to Minji, you'll understand why she has behaved that way all this time.
그 사람을 계속 만나다 보면 내가 말한 그 사람의 장점들을 많이 볼 수 있을 거예요.
→ If you keep seeing him, you'll discover many of the good points I told you about.
지금처럼 희망을 잃지 않고 열심히 살다 보면 분명히 좋은 일이 있을 것입니다.
→ If you keep living wholeheartedly without losing hope, as you do now, good things will surely come your way.
지금은 옷이 조금 작다고 느껴질 텐데 조금만 입다 보면 살짝 늘어나면서 몸에 딱 맞을 거예요.
→ Right now the garment must feel a little small, but if you wear it for a bit, it will stretch slightly and fit you perfectly.
한국 드라마를 보면서 대사를 따라 하다 보면 자연스럽게 말하기 실력도 늘 것입니다.
→ If you keep repeating the lines while watching Korean dramas, your speaking skills will naturally improve.
이 소설책을 읽다 보면 울기도 하고 웃기도 하고 내가 마치 그 소설의 주인공이 된 기분이 들어.
→ When I read this novel, I cry, I laugh, and I feel as if I had become the hero of the story.
다른 나라의 언어를 배우다 보면 그 나라의 문화나 풍습에 대해서도 많이 알게 되는 것 같아요.
→ As you learn another country's language, I feel you also come to learn a lot about its culture and customs.
"You only have to, as soon as" with -기만 하면
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"To do nothing but" with -기만 하다
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Exercises
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Podcasts in Korean specially designed for beginners, to learn Korean by really listening to it from the very beginning.
You’re starting to learn Korean (or you already know the basics), but as soon as you listen to spoken Korean, everything suddenly feels too fast?
The words blend together, the pronunciation escapes you, and you feel like “real Korean” is very different from what you learned in textbooks.
That’s normal!
Listening comprehension is the most difficult part for all beginners.
