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TOPIK II · LEVEL 3

-(으)ㄹ 만하다

Use it to say an action is worth doing, or that something is good enough or bearable to do.

능력·허락·의무Can, may & must

Han: The verb keeps the -(으)ㄹ form (볼) and only 만하다 changes for tense: 볼 만했어요, not *봤을 만했어요.

Examples

이 영화는 한 번쯤 볼 만해요.This movie is worth watching at least once.
수술 후에 좀 아프긴 했지만 참을 만했어요.It hurt a little after the surgery, but it was bearable.
처음에는 좀 매웠는데 계속 먹으니까 먹을 만했어요.It was a bit spicy at first, but after a while it was quite manageable to eat.
제주도에는 가 볼 만한 곳이 많아요.There are many places worth visiting on Jeju Island.

Don’t mix up

-(으)ㄹ 만하다vs-(으)ㄹ 수 있다수 있다 only states possibility or ability; 만하다 adds your judgment that it is worth it or acceptable: 먹을 수 있어요 (I can eat it) vs 먹을 만해요 (it's pretty decent).
-(으)ㄹ 만하다vs-(으)ㄹ 가치가 있다가치가 있다 is formal, stresses serious value and lacks the 'just bearable' sense; 만하다 is everyday speech: 이 연구는 할 가치가 있다 vs 이 식당은 가 볼 만해요.

How to build it

V+(으)ㄹ 만하다 (after a consonant: 을 만하다, after a vowel or ㄹ: ㄹ 만하다)

보다 → 볼 만하다, 먹다 → 먹을 만하다, 살다 → 살 만하다

  1. It attaches mainly to action verbs to say an action is worth doing or acceptable to do (볼 만해요, 먹을 만해요). With a few adjectives it can mean 'it is natural that' (인기가 많을 만해요 'no wonder it is popular').
  2. Put past tense on 만하다, not on the verb: 볼 만했어요 (not *봤을 만해요).
  3. It can be praise (worth it) or a modest judgment (just okay). About food, 먹을 만해요 often means 'it's decent', so context decides.
  4. With reaction verbs (화내다, 울다) it means there was good reason: 화낼 만해요 'no wonder he is angry'.

Classic mistake

Wrong: 이 영화는 봤을 만했어요.

Right: 이 영화는 볼 만했어요.

The verb keeps the -(으)ㄹ form (볼) and only 만하다 changes for tense: 볼 만했어요, not *봤을 만했어요.

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