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Lv 3Connective endingIntermediate · TOPIK II

-어야지

-eoyaji

must; only when

Attaches to a verb or adjective stem to show that the preceding statement is an essential condition for what follows—'only when/must.' It is close in meaning to -어야, often with a stronger sense of necessity.

Form

Attaches to
Verb, Adjective, Auxiliary
Other shapes
-아야지 · -여야지

Meanings

  1. 1

    A connective ending used when the preceding statement is an essential condition for the following statement.

    앞말이 뒤에 오는 말에 대한 필수적인 조건임을 나타내는 연결 어미.

Examples

  • 집중력이 높아야지 일의 능률도 오른다.

    Only when your concentration is high does your work efficiency improve too.

  • 군대를 갔다 와야지 진짜 남자가 되는 거야.

    You only become a real man once you've gone through the military.

  • 모든 약은 국가의 허가를 받아야지 판매할 수 있다.

    Every medicine can only be sold once it has received government approval.

  • 너 요새 너무 무리하는 거 아니야? 아냐. 난 바빠야지 사는 것 같더라.

    Aren't you pushing yourself too hard these days? No. I only feel alive when I'm busy.

  • 늦잠을 잔 승규는 서둘러야지 지각하지 않을 것 같았다.

    Seunggyu, who overslept, seemed like he'd have to hurry to not be late.

  • 주머니에서 손을 빼고 걸어야지 넘어져도 크게 다치지 않는다.

    You have to walk with your hands out of your pockets so that even if you fall, you won't get badly hurt.

Examples: 한국어기초사전, CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.

Don’t confuse with

Forms with a close meaning — a favourite source of wrong answers on TOPIK.

Quick check

  1. 1. What does ‘-어야지’ mean?

  2. 2. Which form means “must; only when”?