Breakdown of undongeul haryeomyeon undongbogeul ibeoya haeyo.
~을~eul
object particle
운동복undongbok
workout clothes
입다ipda
to wear
운동undong
exercise
해야 하다haeya hada
to have to
~으려면~euryeomyeon
if
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Korean grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about undongeul haryeomyeon undongbogeul ibeoya haeyo.
What does -으려면 mean in 운동을 하려면, and how is it different from -면?
-으려면 is made of the intention marker -(으)려 plus the conditional -면, so it literally means “if (you) intend to…” or “in order to…”.
- 운동을 하려면 = “if you want to exercise” (focus on your intention or plan).
- 운동을 하면 = “if you (do) exercise” (focus on the action itself).
Why do we have 을 in 운동을 하다 and 운동복을 입다?
In Korean, transitive verbs require their direct objects to be marked with 을/를.
- 운동을 하다: 하다 (“to do”) takes 운동 (“exercise”) as its object → 운동을.
- 운동복을 입다: 입다 (“to wear”) takes 운동복 (“workout clothes”) as its object → 운동복을.
Can I say 운동하려면 instead of 운동을 하려면?
Yes. 운동하다 is a compound verb meaning “to exercise,” so you can drop the object marker and say 운동하려면 naturally. Both forms are correct; 운동하려면 is simply more concise.
How does -아/어야 해요 work in 입어야 해요?
The ending -(아/어)야 하다 expresses obligation (“must” or “have to”). You attach -아야 or -어야 to the verb stem and then add 해요 for polite speech:
- 입다 (stem 입-) → 입어야 → 입어야 해요 = “you have to wear (it).”
What’s the difference between 입어야 해요 and 입어야 돼요?
Both convey “must”/“have to.”
- -야 해요 uses the verb 하다.
- -야 돼요 uses the verb 되다.
In everyday conversation they’re interchangeable; 돼요 can feel slightly more casual, but the meaning is the same.
Why is there no subject in this sentence?
Korean often omits subjects when they’re clear from context or when giving general advice. Here, it’s understood as “you” (or “one”) in a general sense, so the subject is dropped.
What level of formality is -해요 in 입어야 해요, and can I change it?
-해요 is the polite informal (standard) style. It’s polite enough for everyday conversation. If you need more formality (e.g., announcements, written instructions), you can use -해야 합니다:
- 운동을 하려면 운동복을 입어야 합니다.