Korean grammar '-아야/어야/여야 되다.'

1. Explanation

 : '-아야/어야/여야 되다.' is an expression that indicates obligation or necessity regarding some situation or event attached after verbs or adjectives. So it indicates that there is an obligation to perform a certain act or a necessity to be in a certain state. It is used when referring to duties that must be performed or inevitable conditions. Let's look at the rules together.

 

 (1) If the verb stem has vowel 'ㅏ or ㅗ',

     you have to conjugate it with '-아야 돼요.'

 (2) If the verb stem has except vowel 'ㅏ or ㅗ',

     you have to conjugate it with '-어야 돼요.'

 (3) The form '-하다.' changes to '-해야 돼요.'

  * 하다 conjugates with '-여야 돼요.'

   => '하여야 돼요.' => '하여' can be contracted to '해' => '해야 돼요.'

 

 * Tip : How to make past tense

   1) Step 1 - Cheak the verb or adjective stem 

   2) Step 2 - Cheak the ending syllable's vowel 

   3) Step 3 - Conjugate with the correct one

 

2. Examples

 서울을 여행할 때, 반드시 경복궁에 가야 돼요. (When you travel to Seoul, you must go to the Gyeongbokgung palace.)

 *가다 to go

  1) A verb stem is '가-'

  2) It has a vowel 'ㅏ'

  3) It conjugates with '-아야 돼요.'

  4) 가아야 돼요.

  5) '가아' can be contracted to '가'

  6) 가야 돼요.

 

 주말에 특가 상품을 사야 돼요. (I have to buy the special deal on weekends.)

 *사다 to buy

  1) A verb stem is '사-'

  2) It has a vowel 'ㅏ'

  3) It conjugates with '-아야 돼요.'

  4) 사아야 돼요.

  5) '사아' can be contracted to '사'

  6) 사야 돼요.

 

 내일 일찍 일어나야 돼요. (I need to wake up early tomorrow.)

 *일어나다 to wake up

  1) A verb stem is '일어나-'

  2) It has a vowel 'ㅏ'

  3) It conjugates with '-아야 돼요.'

  4) 일어나아야 돼요.

  5) '나아' can be contracted to '나'

  6) 일어나야 돼요.

 

 밤 10시까지 계약서를 보내야 돼요. (I have to send the contract to 10 p.m.)

 *보내다 to send

  1) A verb stem is '보내-'

  2) It has a vowel 'ㅐ'

  3) It conjugates with '-어야 돼요.'

  4) 보내어야 돼요.

  5) '내어' can be contracted to '내'

  6) 보내야 돼요.

 

 시험 범위를 전부 읽어야 돼요. (I have to read whole range of exam.)

 *읽다 to read

  1) A verb stem is '읽-'

  2) It has a vowel 'ㅓ'

  3) It conjugates with '-어야 돼요.'

  4) 읽어야 돼요.

 

 무리한 운동 후에는 반드시 쉬어야 돼요. (I must rest after excessive exercise.)

 *쉬다 to take a rest

  1) A verb stem is '쉬-'

  2) It has a vowel 'ㅟ'

  3) It conjugates with '-어야 돼요.'

  4) 쉬어야 돼요.

 

 사람은 항상 다른 사람에게 친절해야 돼요. (People always have to be kind to other people.)

 *친절하다 kind

  1) A form of the word is '-하다.'

  2) '-하다.' changes to '-해야 돼요.'

  3) 친절해야 돼요.

 

 가급적이면 방을 자주 청소해야 돼요. (I should clean the room as often as possible.)

 *청소하다 to clean

  1) A form of the word is '-하다.'

  2) '-하다.' changes to '-해야 돼요.'

  3) 청소해야 돼요.

 

 다음 주가 시험이라 주말에 공부해야 돼요. (I have to study over the weekend because I have an exam next week.)

 *공부하다 to study

  1) A form of the word is '-하다.'

  2) '-하다.' changes to '-해야 돼요.'

  3) 공부해야 돼요. 

 

3. Practice

  I need to take a photo to be issued my passport.

  여권 발급받기 위해서 사진을 _________________. ( *사진을 찍다 to take a photo )

 

  People must fasten their seatbelt when they get in the car.

  사람이 자동차에 타면 안전벨트를 _________________. ( *매다 to fasten )

 

  You should put the exercise equipment back in its place after use.

  사용한 운동기구는 제자리에 _________________. ( *놓다 to put )

 

  Even though it's summer, you should dress warmly at night.

  여름이지만 밤에는 따뜻하게 _________________. ( *입다 to wear ) 

 

  I need to submit my homwork till tonight.

  과제를 오늘 밤까지 _________________. ( *제출하다 to submit )

 

  People need to see the traffic lights carefully when crossing the crosswalk.

  횡단보도를 건널 때 신호등을 잘 _________________. ( *보다 to see )

 

  The medicine should be taken after meals.

  약은 식사 후에 _________________. ( *먹다 to take )

 

  I should be more careful when driving at night.

  밤에 운전할 때는 더 _________________. ( *조심하다 be careful )

 

4. Vocabulary

 여행하다 to travel / 반드시 must / 경복궁 Gyeongbokgung palace / 가다 to go / 주말 weekend / 특가 상품 special deal / 사다 to buy / 내일 tomorrow / 일찍 early / 일어나다 to wake up / 밤 night / 까지 till, by / 계약서 contract / 보내다 to send / 시험 exam / 범위 range / 전부 whole / 읽다 to read / 무리한 excessive / 운동 exercise / 후 after / 쉬다 to take a rest / 항상 always / 사람 people / 친절 kind / 가급적이면 as ~ as possible / 방 room / 청소하다 to clean / 다음 next / 주 week / 시험 exam / 공부하다 to study / 여권 passport / 발급받다 be issued / 사진을 찍다 to take a photo / 자동차를 타다 get in the car / 안전벨트 seatbelt / 매다 to fasten / 사용하다 to use / 운동기구 exercise equipment / 제자리 in place / 놓다 to put / -이지만 even though / 여름 summer / 따뜻하게 warmly / 입다 to wear / 밤 night / 과제 homework / 오늘 today / 제출하다 to submit / 횡단보다 crosswalk / 건너다 to cross / 때 when / 신호등 traffic light / 잘 carefully / 보다 to see / 약 medicine / 식사 meal / 먹다 to eat, take / 운전하다 to drive / 조심하다 be careful

 

5. Answer

 찍어야 돼요. / 매야 돼요. / 놓아야 돼요. / 입어야 돼요. / 제출해야 돼요. / 봐야 돼요. / 먹어야 돼요. / 조심해야 돼요.