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TOPIK II · LEVEL 3

N대로

The particle 대로 on a noun means 'according to N, just as N says' (약속대로, 계획대로), 'as one likes' in 마음대로, and, in N은 N대로, 'each on its own, separately'.

조사Particles

Han: 'Each in their own way' is N은 N대로; 처럼 would mean 'like you', which makes no sense here.

Examples

여기 있는 책은 누구나 마음대로 읽어도 돼요.Anyone may read the books here as they like.
형은 형대로 바쁘고 저는 저대로 바빠서 요즘 자주 못 만나요.My brother is busy with his things and I'm busy with mine, so we rarely meet these days.
다행히 모든 일이 계획대로 잘 진행되고 있어요.Luckily, everything is going according to plan.

Don’t mix up

N대로vs-(으)ㄴ/는 대로After a verb the same idea needs a modifier and a space: 들은 대로 말했어요. After a noun 대로 attaches directly: 지시대로 했어요.
N대로vsN처럼처럼 compares likeness; 대로 follows something as a model: 엄마처럼 요리해요 (cook like Mom) vs 엄마가 알려 준 방법대로 요리해요 (cook following Mom's method).
N대로vs마음껏마음껏 is 'as much as you like, to your heart's content'; 마음대로 is 'however you choose': 마음껏 드세요 (eat all you want) vs 마음대로 고르세요 (choose whichever you like).

How to build it

N+대로 (attached, no space)

N은/는 N대로

약속 → 약속대로; 순서 → 순서대로; 마음 → 마음대로; 너 → 너는 너대로; 나 → 나는 나대로

  1. 'According to': used with nouns of plans, rules and expectations: 계획대로, 순서대로, 규칙대로, 예상대로, 생각대로. 생각대로/뜻대로 되다 = turn out as hoped.
  2. 마음대로 (spoken 맘대로) = as you wish, freely: 마음대로 드세요. In criticism it means 'without asking, as one pleases': 남의 물건을 마음대로 쓰지 마세요. 멋대로 and 제멋대로 are always negative: selfishly, ignoring others: 제멋대로 행동하지 마.
  3. N은/는 N대로 repeats the same noun to mean 'each separately, in its own way': 너는 너대로 바쁘고 나는 나대로 바빠. It often comes in pairs.
  4. As a particle it is written attached (약속대로); after a verb modifier the noun 대로 is spaced (약속한 대로).

Classic mistake

Wrong: 너는 너처럼 하고 나는 나처럼 할게.

Right: 너는 너대로 하고 나는 나대로 할게.

'Each in their own way' is N은 N대로; 처럼 would mean 'like you', which makes no sense here.

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