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Lesson 137: ~아/어야: One must do an action in order to do another

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Introduction

~아/어야

 

Vocabulary

Nouns:
단지 = building complex

Common Usages:
대단지 = large apartment complex
단지내 = inside a complex
아파트 단지 = apartment complex

Examples:
제가 사는 곳은 아파트 단지가 모여 있는 주거 지역입니다
= The place that I live is a residential area with (many) apartment complexes huddled together

아파트 단지에 들어가기 전에 경비실에 들렀다 가야 들어갈 수 있어요
= Only if you stop in to the guard room before entering the apartment complex will you be able to enter

시집 = one’s husband’s family/home

Common Usages:
시집을 가다 = to get married (for a woman to marry a man)
시집을 보내다 = to “send one’s daughter off” to get married

Examples:
우리 부모님은 시집을 가야 애기를 낳을 수 있대요
= My parents say that only if I get married can I have a baby

우리가 시집에 어제 가야 했어요
= We had to go to the in-laws place yesterday (and therefore, we did go)

탈모 = hair loss

Common Usages:
탈모방지 = hair loss prevention
탈모방지 샴푸 = hair loss prevention shampoo
탈모수술 = hair loss surgery

Examples:
의사랑 일찍 상담해야 탈모를 예방할 수 있어요
= Only if you consult with a doctor early can you prevent hair loss

탈모로 인한 스트레스를 줄이기 위해 스페셜 샴푸를 사용하세요
= To reduce stress from hair loss, use special shampoo

대기 = atmosphere

Common Usages:
대기 오염 = atmospheric pollution

Examples:
대기 중에는 질소와 산소가 있어요
= There is nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere

공장을 엄격하게 통제해야 오염물질을 대기에 배출하지 않을 거예요
= Only if we strictly control factories will they not discharge/belch pollutants into the atmosphere

농도 = the concentration of something

Examples:
이 용액의 농도를 조절해야 해요
= You need to adjust the concentration of this solution

소금을 정확히 백 그램을 넣어야 농도가 맞아요
= Only if you put exactly one hundred grams of salt in will the concentration be correct

날것 = something raw (uncooked)

Examples:
생선이 날것이어야 맛있어요
= Only if fish is raw is it delicious

음식을 날것으로 먹는 것은 위험할 수 있어요
= Eating food raw can be dangerous

지폐 = bill (of currency)

Common Usages:
천원짜리 지폐 = 1,000 won bill
만원짜리 지폐 = 10,000 won bill

Examples:
지폐를 거꾸로 넣어야 들어가요
= Only if you put the bill in upside down does it go in

위조한 지폐가 아닌지 확인했었어야지
= You should have checked to see that it wasn’t a forged bill

신맛 = sour taste

Examples:
음식에 레몬을 넣어야 신맛이 나요
= Only if you put lemon in food does the sour taste come out (does it taste sour)

레몬에는 신맛이 있지만, 상큼하고 맛있어요
= Lemons have a sour taste, but they’re refreshing and tasty

매장 = shop, store

Common Usages:
온라인 매장 = online store
오프라인 매장 = offline store

Examples:
나이키 매장에 가야 그 신발을 살 수 있어요
= Only if you go to the Nike store can you purchase those shoes

청바지 매장에 들렸다가 갈게요
= I will stop at the jeans store and leave

화살 = arrow (that is shot)

Common Usages:
화살표 = arrow (that points in a direction)
화살을 돌리다 =ask me

Examples:
사냥꾼은 화살을 쏘아 동물을 사냥해요
= Hunters shoot arrows to hunt animals

옛날에는 전쟁에 화살을 사용하기도 했어요
= A long time ago, people also used arrows in war

화살표 = arrow (that points in a direction)

Examples:
길을 잃지 않도록 화살표를 따라 가세요
= Follow the arrows to not get lost

세무서에 가려면 노란색 화살표를 따라가야 해요
= If you want to go to the tax office, you must follow the yellow arrows

장학사 = superintendent

Examples:
장학사가 학교에 오셔야 알 수 있어요
= Only if the superintendent comes to the school can we know

학교의 장학사는 학생들의 학업과 생활을 도와줘요
= The school’s superintendent helps students with their academic and personal lives

모국어 = one’s mother tongue

Examples:
한국어가 제 모국어예요
= Korean is my mother tongue

문학 수업을 모국어로 배워야 책의 뉘앙스를 더 잘 이해할 수 있어요
= Only if you take a literature class in your own mother tongue will you be able to understand the nuances of the book(s)

근육통 = muscle pain

Examples:
이 약을 발라야 근육통이 없어져요
= Only if you apply this medicine does the muscle pain go away

운동 후에는 근육통이 생길 수 있어요
= You may experience muscle pain after exercising

세무서 = tax office

Examples:
소득세를 세무서에서 납부해야 정확해요
= Only if you pay your tax at the tax office will it be accurate

세무서에 가려면 노란색 화살표를 따라가야 해요
= If you want to go to the tax office, you must follow the yellow arrows

경비실 = security office/room

Examples:
경비실에 택배를 맡겨 주세요
= Please leave my package at the security office

아파트 단지에 들어가기 전에 경비실에 들렀다 가야 들어갈 수 있어요
= Only if you stop in to the guard room before entering the apartment complex will you be able to ente

소비자 = consumer

Common Usages:
소비자물가 = consumer price
소비자보호원 = organization to protect consumers

Examples:
대부분의 소비자가 제품을 구입할 때 내는 가격이 소매가격이에요
= The price that most consumers pay when purchasing products is the retail price

소비자는 사서 먹는 모든 음식에 대한 영양소를 알 권리가 있어요
= Consumers have the right to know all of the nutrition (facts) about the foods they buy and eat

Verbs:
소비하다 = to consume

Common Usages:
과소비하다 = to over-consume

Examples:
매년 전 세계 사람들은 많은 양의 아보카도를 소비해요
= Every year people from all over the world consume lots of avocados

사람들이 전기제품을 아껴 써야 전기소비를 줄일 수 있어요
= Only if people limit the amount that they use electronic products can we decrease the consumption of electricity

이수하다 = to finish a course

Examples:
학생들이 이 수업을 이수해야 졸업할 수 있어요
= Only if students finish this course can they graduate

대학에서 한 과정을 이수하려면 충분한 학점을 취득해야 돼요
= To complete a course at university, you need to earn enough credits

환기하다 = to ventilate, to air out

Common Usages:
통환기하다 = to completely ventilate things out (usually by opening all the windows in a house)

Examples:
창문을 열어야 방에 환기가 잘 돼요
= Only if you open the window will the room be well ventilated

실내를 환기시키면 공기가 깨끗해져요
= Ventilating the room makes the air cleaner

납부하다 = to make a payment

Common Usages:
납부기한 = payment period
소득세 납부 = payment of income tax
제때 납부하다 = to make a payment in/by the right time

Examples:
매월 전기 요금을 납부해야 해요
= You need to make monthly payments for electricity

소득세를 세무서에서 납부해야 정확해요
= Only if you pay your tax at the tax office will it be accurate

준수하다 = to obey/follow the rules

Common Usages:
법을 준수하다 = to obey the law
신호를 준수하다 = to obey the signs (usually in traffic)

Examples:
교통 규칙을 준수해야 안전해요
= Following traffic rules ensures safety

사람들이 운전을 할 때 신호를 준수해야 안전해요
= When people drive, only when they obey the traffic signals is it safe

추락하다 = to fall

Examples:
비행기가 추락하면 큰 사고가 발생할 수 있어요
= If an airplane falls, it can lead to a major accident

가파른 절벽에 안내판이 있어야 추락을 방지할 수 있어요
= Only if there is a sign at steep cliffs can you prevent falling

배출하다 = to discharge, to emit

Common Usages:
오염물질을 배출하다 = to emit pollutants

Examples:
공장에서 유해 물질을 배출하지 않도록 주의해야 해요
= Factories should be careful not to discharge harmful substances

공장을 엄격하게 통제해야 오염물질을 대기에 배출하지 않을 거예요
= Only if we strictly control factories will they not discharge/belch pollutants into the atmosphere

호출하다 = to summon, to call

Example:
이 벨을 눌러서 호출해야 직원이 와요
= Only if you press this button and call a worker will one come

해석하다 = to interpret

Examples:
번역기를 사용하여 외국어 문서를 해석할 수 있어요
= You can interpret foreign language documents using a translator

다른 사람이 우리를 위해 말을 해석해야 우리는 서로를 이해할 수 있어요
= Only if another person interprets what we say can we understand each other

Adverbs and Other Words:
손수 = with one’s own hands

Common Usages:
손수 만들다 = to make with one’s own hands
손수 준비하다 = to prepare with one’s own hands

Examples:
저는 손수 요리를 준비했어요
= I prepared the meal with my own hands

김치는 손수 만들어야 맛있어요
= Kimchi must be made at home/with one’s own hands for it to be delicious

For help memorizing these words, try using our mobile app.

 

 

Introduction

In this lesson, you will learn how to add ~아/어야 to the end of a clause. You saw this grammatical principle in a previous lesson, but only followed by 하다. We will look at how this is used in all other situations. Let’s get started.

 

 

~아/어야: One must do an action in order to do another

In Lesson 46, you learned that you can attach ~아/어야 하다 to the end of a clause to indicate that one “must” do an action. For example:

세무서에 가려면 노란색 화살표를 따라가야 해요
= If you want to go to the tax office, you must follow the yellow arrows

식당을 운영하면 모든 음식의 원산지를 표시해야 해요
= If one manages a restaurant, you must display the origin of all of the food

This is actually true in Korea. Here is a video that explains one of these signs.

~아/어야 하다 is actually not an addition. The addition is simply ~아/어야. The use of 하다 at the end simply indicates that one must do the action attached to ~아/어야. I introduce it in Lesson 46 as a grammatical principle because 하다 is the most common verb that follows ~아/어야. However, in theory, any verb or adjective can be placed after ~아/어야. For example:

김치는 손수 만들어야 맛있어요
학생들이 이 수업을 이수해야 졸업할 수 있어요

I deliberately didn’t translate those two sentences. I want you to think about what an appropriate translation would be. In order for the stuff before ~아/어야 to occur, the stuff after it must happen. You could say that the following would be appropriate:

김치는 손수 만들어야 맛있어요
= Kimchi must be made at home/with one’s own hands for it to be delicious

학생들이 이 수업을 이수해야 졸업할 수 있어요
= Students must finish this course so they can graduate

Those translations are possible, but the common translation for ~아/어야 in English is “only if…” The effect is the same, though. For example:

김치는 손수 만들어야 맛있어요
= Only if kimchi is made at home/with one’s own hands is it delicious

학생들이 이 수업을 이수해야 졸업할 수 있어요
= Only if students finish this course can they graduate

Below are some more examples:

생선이 날것이어야 맛있어요
= Only if fish is raw is it delicious

지폐를 거꾸로 넣어야 들어가요
= Only if you put the bill in upside down does it go in

장학사가 학교에 오셔야 알 수 있어요
= Only if the superintendent comes to the school can we know

소득세를 세무서에서 납부해야 정확해요
= Only if you pay your tax at the tax office will it be accurate

사람들이 운전을 할 때 신호를 준수해야 안전해요
= When people drive, only when they obey the traffic signals is it safe

The example sentences used thus far have been fairly simple. Essentially, you have only seen one word after ~아/어야 – replacing 하다 from the format you are accustomed to from Lesson 46. What comes after ~아/어야 can be 하다, a verb, an adjective, or another clause altogether. For example:

창문을 열어야 방에 환기가 잘 돼요
= Only if you open the window will the room be well ventilated

Below are many more sentences:

나이키 매장에 가야 그 신발을 살 수 있어요
= Only if you go to the Nike store can you purchase those shoes

음식에 레몬을 넣어야 신맛이 나요
= Only if you put lemon in food does the sour taste come out (does it taste sour)

이 약을 발라야 근육통이 없어져요
= Only if you apply this medicine does the muscle pain go away

이 벨을 눌러서 호출해야 직원이 와요
= Only if you press this button and call a worker will one come

소금을 정확히 백 그램을 넣어야 농도가 맞아요
= Only if you put exactly one hundred grams of salt in will the concentration be correct

의사랑 일찍 상담해야 탈모를 예방할 수 있어요
= Only if you consult with a doctor early can you prevent hair loss

우리 부모님은 시집을 가야 애기를 낳을 수 있대요
= My parents say that only if I get married can I have a baby

시집을 가다 is a way to indicate that a woman gets married. Other similar words are 시아버지 and 시어머니 to refer to the father- and mother-in-law for a woman. I don’t particularly like these words, as they assume that a woman must move in to the house of her husband with his family. Whether I like these words and the term “시집을 가다” or not, Korean people use them.

가파른 절벽에 안내판이 있어야 추락을 방지할 수 있어요
= Only if there is a sign at steep cliffs can you prevent falling

사람들이 전기제품을 아껴 써야 전기소비를 줄일 수 있어요
= Only if people limit the amount that they use electronic products can we decrease the consumption of electricity

공장을 엄격하게 통제해야 오염물질을 대기에 배출하지 않을 거예요
= Only if we strictly control factories will they not discharge/belch pollutants into the atmosphere

문학 수업을 모국어로 배워야 책의 뉘앙스를 더 잘 이해할 수 있어요
= Only if you take a literature class in your own mother tongue will you be able to understand the nuances of the book(s)

아파트 단지에 들어가기 전에 경비실에 들렀다 가야 들어갈 수 있어요
= Only if you stop in to the guard room before entering the apartment complex will you be able to enter

다른 사람이 우리를 위해 말을 해석해야 우리는 서로를 이해할 수 있어요
= Only if another person interprets what we say can we understand each other

————–

Whenever I learned a grammatical principle, I tried to force a concept into as many situations as possible. This allowed me to see what works and what doesn’t work.

I noticed that sentences with ~아/어야 usually have a positive outcome after ~아/어야. For example, notice how these two sentences end with an outcome that is positive for the speaker:

Only if we work hard will we win
Only if we add salt will it be delicious

This usually appears to be true with ~아/어야. It’s better to use it when the outcome of the sentence is positive. To further explain my point, look at this sentence:

사람들은 물을 마셔야 살아요 = Only if people drink water will they live

Living is typically advantageous to people.

You could theoretically create a similar meaning by using the opposite of “drinking” and “living.” For example:

사람들은 물을 안 마셔야 죽어요

Dying is typically disadvantageous to people. Therefore, this sentence would not be said in Korean. Instead, what you would want to say is something like this:

사람들이 물을 안 마시면 죽어요 = If people don’t drink water, they die

This doesn’t mean that the grammar within the sentence can’t be negative – but rather the outcome of the sentence usually is not negative. For example, the following sentence (also shown above) ends in 않을 거예요. It is grammatically negative, but the outcome is something positive – not discharging pollution.

공장을 엄격하게 통제해야 오염물질을 배출하지 않을 거예요

————–

I talk about the use of 그렇다 in a lot of lessons. It’s a common word that is easily adaptable to most grammatical principles. I first talked about 그렇다 in Lesson 23.

~아/어야 is commonly added to 그렇다. For example:

그래야 맛있어요 = Only if you do it like that will it be delicious
그래야 집중을 잘 할 수 있어요 = Only if you do it like that can you concentrate well

That’s it for this lesson!

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