-ㄴ/는/ㄹ 만하다
Be Worth Doing
-ㄹ/을 만하다 has two main meanings: 1) something is 'worth doing' and 2) something is 'good enough' or 'tolerable'.
This pattern also has a main page: -(으)ㄹ 만하다 (Worth Doing, Reasonable).
How It Works
This pattern expresses the speaker's judgment about the value or acceptability of an action or state. It has two primary functions:
1. Worthiness or Recommendation
This is the most common usage. It indicates that an action is worth the time or effort. It's often used when recommending something.
- 이 영화는 볼 만해요. (This movie is worth watching.)
- 한국의 전통 시장은 가 볼 만해요. (Korea's traditional markets are worth visiting.)
2. Tolerability or Reasonableness
This usage indicates that a situation, while not ideal, is acceptable, bearable, or of a reasonable quality.
- 이 정도 일은 견딜 만해요. (This amount of work is bearable.)
- 음식이 최고는 아니지만 먹을 만해요. (The food isn't the best, but it's edible/decent.)
Note on -ㄴ/는/ㄹ: While the full pattern is sometimes listed as -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 만하다, the meaning of 'worth doing' or 'tolerable' specifically applies to actions and therefore attaches to verb stems using the future modifier form -ㄹ/을.
Conjugation:
The pattern attaches directly to verb stems.
- Verb stem ends in a vowel or ㄹ: + -ㄹ 만하다
- 보다 → 볼 만하다 (worth seeing)
- 만들다 → 만들 만하다 (worth making) - Verb stem ends in a consonant: + -을 만하다
- 먹다 → 먹을 만하다 (worth eating)
- 읽다 → 읽을 만하다 (worth reading)
Tense and Noun Modification:
- Past Tense: Conjugate the final 하다 to 했다.
- 그 책은 읽을 만했어요. (That book was worth reading.) - Noun Modifier: Use -ㄹ/을 만한 before a noun.
- 볼 만한 영화 (a movie worth watching)
- 가 볼 만한 곳 (a place worth visiting)
This pattern is similar to '-ㄹ 가치가 있다' (to have the value of doing), but '-ㄹ/을 만하다' is more common in everyday conversation.
Examples (5)
- 이 책은 한번 읽을 만해요.
This book is worth reading once.
Word by Word: This book once read is worth it.
This is a recommendation, suggesting the book has enough value to be worth reading.
- 제주도는 가을에 여행할 만한 곳이에요.
Jeju Island is a place worth traveling to in the fall.
Word by Word: Jeju Island in autumn is a travel-worth place.
Here, '여행할 만한' modifies '곳' (place), describing it as a worthwhile travel destination.
- 음식이 아주 맛있지는 않지만 먹을 만해요.
The food isn't delicious, but it's edible/decent.
Word by Word: Food very is not delicious but is edible.
This shows the 'tolerable' or 'good enough' meaning. The food meets a minimum standard of acceptability.
- 힘들었지만 견딜 만했어요.
It was tough, but it was bearable.
Word by Word: It was difficult but was bearable.
The past tense is formed by changing 만하다 to 만했어요. It describes a past difficult situation that was tolerable.
- 요즘은 살 만해요?
Is life treating you well these days? (Lit: Is it worth living these days?)
Word by Word: These days is it worth living?
This is a common idiomatic expression. '살 만하다' means life is good, comfortable, or worth living.
Common Mistakes
Confusing -ㄹ/을 만하다 with -만 하다 (as big as).
Not Quite이 신발은 편해서 신을만 해요.Better이 신발은 편해서 신을 만해요.The construction consists of a verb in its -ㄹ/을 modifier form, followed by a space, and then the auxiliary adjective 만하다. It must be written as 'verb-ㄹ/을 만하다', not combined as 'verb-ㄹ/을만하다'. This is different from the pattern -만 하다 (to be as...as), which has a different meaning and structure.
Using the wrong tense conjugation.
Different Meaning어제 본 영화는 볼 만할 거예요.Better어제 본 영화는 볼 만했어요.The action being evaluated (watching the movie) happened in the past ('어제 본'). Therefore, the evaluation itself should also be in the past tense. The tense is applied to the final verb, changing '만하다' to '만했어요'.
Learn This First
To express 'worth doing', you need modifier forms and conjugation.
Related Patterns
- -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다Can/cannot
Both patterns use the -ㄹ/을 form to assess an action. -ㄹ 수 있다/없다 is about ability ('can do'), while '-ㄹ/을 만하다' is about worthiness ('worth doing').
- -아/어 보다Try Doing
-아/어 보다 (try doing) is often used to suggest an action. After trying it, one might use '-ㄹ/을 만하다' to describe the experience. For example: '한번 먹어 보세요. 정말 먹을 만해요.' (Please try it. It's really worth eating.)
- -(으)ㄹ 필요가 있다/없다Need to, Don't Need to
Both patterns help in deciding whether to perform an action. -ㄹ 필요가 있다/없다 expresses necessity ('need to do'), whereas '-ㄹ/을 만하다' expresses recommendation or value ('worth doing').
- -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 것 같다Seems Like, Looks Like
Both patterns express the speaker's judgment or opinion. -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 것 같다 expresses a guess or feeling ('seems like'), while '-ㄹ/을 만하다' expresses a more concrete evaluation of worth or quality.