아도/어도 되다 (ado/eodo doeda) means "may, it's okay to".
Asking for or granting permission. 'May I...?'
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- Stems with ㅏ or ㅗ take 아도 ado, others take 어도 eodo, and 하다 hada becomes 해도 haedo.
Build it
The forms you need
May I?
해도 돼요?haedo dwaeyo?can I do it?You may
해도 돼요haedo dwaeyoit's fine to do itNot allowed
하면 안 돼요hamyeon an dwaeyoyou can't do itCasual
해도 돼haedo dwaeit's fine (to friends)When to use it
Asking permission
Say it as a question.
Giving permission
Say it as a statement.
Don't have to
Put 안 an in front.
Watch out
For "not allowed", use (으)면 안 되다 (eu)myeon an doeda.
After ㅏ, the extra 아 a drops: 가도 gado.
In context
8 examples- 1
사진 찍어도 돼요?
Sajin jjigeodo dwaeyo?
Can I take a picture?
- 2
여기 앉아도 돼요.
Yeogi anjado dwaeyo.
You can sit here.
- 3
이 옷 입어 봐도 돼요?
I ot ibeo bwado dwaeyo?
Can I try this on?
- 4
화장실 좀 써도 돼요?
Hwajangsil jom sseodo dwaeyo?
Could I use your bathroom?
- 5
피곤하면 먼저 자도 돼.
Pigonhamyeon meonjeo jado dwae.
If you're tired, you can go to bed first.
- 6
오늘은 일찍 퇴근해도 됩니다.
Oneureun iljjik toegeunhaedo doemnida.
You may leave work early today.
- 7
숙제 다 했으면 놀아도 돼.
Sukje da haesseumyeon norado dwae.
If you've finished your homework, you can go play.
- 8
여기 잠깐 주차해도 될까요?
Yeogi jamkkan juchahaedo doelkkayo?
Would it be okay if I parked here for a minute?
Practice
8 questions마시다 + 아/어도 되다
Yes and no: 아/어도 되다 vs (으)면 안 되다
These two are a pair. One gives permission, the other takes it away. When someone asks 가도 돼요? gado dwaeyo, you answer with one or the other:
- 가도 돼요. gado dwaeyo "Yes, you can go."
- 가면 안 돼요. gamyeon an dwaeyo "No, you can't go."
Don't answer with 안 가도 돼요 an gado dwaeyo: that means "you don't have to go", a different thing.
Softer ways to ask
돼요? dwaeyo is fine almost everywhere. To sound more careful, with a stranger or someone older, switch the ending:
- 앉아도 될까요? anjado doelkkayo "Would it be all right if I sat here?"
- 앉아도 괜찮아요? anjado gwaenchanayo "Is it okay if I sit here?"
Don't have to vs have to
Put 안 an in front and you get "don't have to", the opposite of "have to" from the 아/어야 하다 lesson:
- 오늘 가야 해요. oneul gaya haeyo "I have to go today."
- 오늘 안 가도 돼요. oneul an gado dwaeyo "I don't have to go today."
Hanja in this lesson
Words from the examples that are written with Chinese characters. Tap a character to see its page.
Use it with
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 아 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.
