되/돼 뜻: Fix 안 돼요 vs 안되요

Why learners say it wrong

Korean has a classic “looks different, sounds similar” trap:

• 되doe is the base form (dictionary form idea: 되다).
• 돼dwae is the contraction of 되어doeeo.

In fast typing (especially on KakaoTalk), people hear /dwe/ and guess the spelling—so 되doe and 돼dwae get swapped, and 되요doeyo shows up a lot.

My real-life pain: I once typed 되요doeyo in a quick work message because autocorrect didn’t complain. It looked “formal,” but it’s simply not the standard spelling—exactly the kind of tiny error that sticks out more in email than in chat.

Wrong → Right examples

1. 내일 시간 되?naeil sigan doe? → 내일 시간 돼?naeil sigan dwae? EN: “Are you free tomorrow?”

2. 지금 해도 되?jigeum haedo doe? → 지금 해도 돼?jigeum haedo dwae? EN: “Is it okay if I do it now?”

3. 여기 앉아도 되?yeogi anjado doe? → 여기 앉아도 돼?yeogi anjado dwae? EN: “Can I sit here?”

4. 배송 내일 되요.baesong naeil doeyo. → 배송 내일 돼요.baesong naeil dwaeyo. EN: “Delivery works tomorrow.”

5. 그렇게 하면 되요?geureotge hamyeon doeyo? → 그렇게 하면 돼요?geureotge hamyeon dwaeyo? EN: “Is it okay if I do it like that?”

Quick rule

Use this 2-step diagnostic (fast, mechanical, reliable):

1. 가능하다 test: If you can replace it with “can / it’s possible” (가능하다 vibe), you’re usually in the 돼(요)dwae(yo) zone.
2. 해/돼 test: If changing the verb to 하다hada would give 해(요)hae(yo), then the original should be 돼(요)dwae(yo) (because 되어doeeo → 돼dwae).

A quick mental swap that helps:

• If you can say “되어요” in your head, write 돼요dwaeyo.

Why learners say it wrong

Two separate issues pile up here:

• Spacing: 안an is a negation adverb, so it’s typically spaced: 안 + verban + verb → 안 돼요an dwaeyo.
• Conjugation: 안 되다an doeda still follows the same 되/돼doe/dwae logic once it conjugates.

The common trap is thinking “it’s one meaning, so it’s one word,” and typing 안되요andoeyo as a single chunk—especially on mobile.

Wrong → Right examples

6. 안되요.andoeyo. → 안 돼요.an dwaeyo. EN: “No / You can’t / That’s not allowed.”

7. 지금 통화 안되요?jigeum tonghwa andoeyo? → 지금 통화 안 돼요?jigeum tonghwa an dwaeyo? EN: “Can’t you talk on the phone right now?”

8. 오늘은 결제 안되요.oneureun gyeolje andoeyo. → 오늘은 결제 안 돼요.oneureun gyeolje an dwaeyo. EN: “Payment doesn’t work today.”

9. 여긴 사진 찍으면 안되요.yeogin sajin jjigeumyeon andoeyo. → 여긴 사진 찍으면 안 돼요.yeogin sajin jjigeumyeon an dwaeyo. EN: “You’re not allowed to take photos here.”

10. 그 말은 하면 안되요.geu mareun hamyeon andoeyo. → 그 말은 하면 안 돼요.geu mareun hamyeon an dwaeyo. EN: “You shouldn’t say that.”

Quick rule

If it means “not allowed / it doesn’t work / you can’t,” write it as:

• 안 돼요an dwaeyo (space + 돼요dwaeyo)

A fast check:

• If the polite version in your head is 안 되어(요)an doeeo(yo), the spelling on the screen is 안 돼요an dwaeyo.