KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -기 나름이다
Korean Grammar “-기 나름이다”: Meaning and Usage (TOPIK 6)
How to attach it
Attach the pattern to the verb stem, which is the dictionary form without 다. Compare how each verb below changes depending on its last sound.
| Dictionary form | Meaning | With this pattern | Romanization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 보다 | to see, to watch | 보기 나름이다 | bogi nareumida |
| 읽다 | to read | 읽기 나름이다 | ikgi nareumida |
| 하다 | to do | 하기 나름이다 | hagi nareumida |
| 살다 | to live | 살기 나름이다 | salgi nareumida |
What changes
- This ending attaches directly to the stem. Nothing changes, whether the stem ends in a vowel or a consonant.
Explanation
행복은 어떻게 생각하느냐에 달려 있으니 결국 생각하기 나름이에요.
“-기 나름이다” means “it depends on how one ~” and shows that the result or value is determined by the way the action is done (verb stem + 기 나름이다). The sentence means “Happiness depends on how you think, so in the end it comes down to your way of looking at things.” “-기 마련이다” expresses inevitability (“is bound to ~”) and does not mean “depends on the way.”
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 행복은 어떻게 생각하느냐에 달려 있으니 결국 생각하기 나름이에요.
In natural speech, sounds link and shift across words. The table below reads each word separately, as it sounds when said on its own.
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 행복은 | ||
| 행 | ㅎ+ㅐ+ㅇ | haeng |
| 복 | ㅂ+ㅗ+ㄱ | [보] bo |
| 은 | ㅇ+ㅡ+ㄴ | [근] geun |
| 어떻게 | ||
| 어 | ㅇ+ㅓ | eo |
| 떻 | ㄸ+ㅓ+ㅎ | [떠] tteo |
| 게 | ㄱ+ㅔ | [케] ke |
| 생각하느냐에 | ||
| 생 | ㅅ+ㅐ+ㅇ | saeng |
| 각 | ㄱ+ㅏ+ㄱ | [가] ga |
| 하 | ㅎ+ㅏ | [카] ka |
| 느 | ㄴ+ㅡ | neu |
| 냐 | ㄴ+ㅑ | nya |
| 에 | ㅇ+ㅔ | e |
| 달려 | ||
| 달 | ㄷ+ㅏ+ㄹ | dal |
| 려 | ㄹ+ㅕ | lyeo |
| 있으니 | ||
| 있 | ㅇ+ㅣ+ㅆ | [이] i |
| 으 | ㅇ+ㅡ | [쓰] sseu |
| 니 | ㄴ+ㅣ | ni |
| 결국 | ||
| 결 | ㄱ+ㅕ+ㄹ | gyeol |
| 국 | ㄱ+ㅜ+ㄱ | guk |
| 생각하기 | ||
| 생 | ㅅ+ㅐ+ㅇ | saeng |
| 각 | ㄱ+ㅏ+ㄱ | [가] ga |
| 하 | ㅎ+ㅏ | [카] ka |
| 기 | ㄱ+ㅣ | gi |
| 나름이에요 | ||
| 나 | ㄴ+ㅏ | na |
| 름 | ㄹ+ㅡ+ㅁ | [르] reu |
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | [미] mi |
| 에 | ㅇ+ㅔ | e |
| 요 | ㅇ+ㅛ | yo |
A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.
Sound changes in this phrase
- Linking: when a syllable ending in a consonant (patchim) is followed by a syllable that starts with a vowel, the consonant moves over to the next syllable. 복은 → [보근]
- Aspiration: ㅎ next to ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ or ㅈ blends with it into ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ or ㅊ. 떻게 → [떠케]
Politeness level of the example
Ends in -요. The everyday polite style, and a safe choice with shop staff, colleagues, strangers and anyone older than you.
Words in the example sentence
These words from the TOPIK vocabulary lists appear in the phrase (shown in dictionary form).
| Korean | Part of speech | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 행복 | noun | happiness | TOPIK level 6 |
| 결국 | adverb | in the end | TOPIK level 3 |
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 행복은 어떻게 생각하느냐에 달려 있으니 결국 생각하기 ____.
Show the answer
Answer: 행복은 어떻게 생각하느냐에 달려 있으니 결국 생각하기 나름이에요.
More grammar at this level
Learn this phrase by playing: typing drills and quizzes help it stick.
Practice in the gameRead this page in: 日本語 简体中文 繁體中文 Tiếng Việt Bahasa Indonesia Oʻzbekcha Монгол Français Español (México) ไทย