-기 나름이다
it all depends on how you …
Puts the outcome down to approach rather than circumstance. Another fixed -기 pattern, and a favourite in advice and encouragement.
Build it
Pick a verb
When to use it
Attach -기 나름이다 to a verb stem — no vowel rule, ㄹ stays, no tense in front. 나름 is a noun and takes a space.
The claim is that the result is not fixed but follows from how you do it: 모든 일은 생각하기 나름이에요 — it all depends how you look at it.
A handful of stems account for most instances: 생각하다, 하다, 쓰다, 먹다, 마음먹다. The pattern 하기 나름이다 is the broadest of them.
The related 나름대로 is a different word meaning “in one’s own way”: 나름대로 노력했어요. Same noun, separate expression.
How to attach it
| Situation | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Any verb | -기 나름이다 | 생각하다 → 생각하기 나름이에요 |
| ㄹ stems keep the ㄹ | -기 나름이다 | 만들다 → 만들기 나름이에요 |
| Broadest instance | 하기 나름이다 | 다 하기 나름이에요 |
| With a noun | noun + 나름이다 | 사람 나름이에요 |
| Never takes tense | plain stem only | 생각했기 나름이다 is wrong |
| Different expression | 나름대로 | in one’s own way |
In use
모든 일은 생각하기 나름이에요.
It all depends how you look at it.
성공하느냐 마느냐는 하기 나름입니다.
Whether you succeed comes down to how you go about it.
같은 도구라도 쓰기 나름이지요.
Even the same tool depends on how it’s used.
아이는 부모가 가르치기 나름이라고 해요.
They say a child turns out according to how the parents teach.
재료가 같아도 만들기 나름이에요.
Even with the same ingredients, it depends how you make it.
그건 사람 나름이에요.
That depends on the person.
Compared with
-에 따라
에 따라 says the result varies with some factor; -기 나름이다 puts it specifically down to how you act.
상황에 따라 달라요. (depends on the situation) / 하기 나름이에요. (depends how you do it)
-기 마련이다
Direct opposites. 마련이다 says the outcome is inevitable; 나름이다 says it is entirely up to you.
실수하기 마련이에요. (bound to happen) / 하기 나름이에요. (it’s up to you)
나름대로
A separate expression meaning “in one’s own way,” usually defending an effort as genuine even if imperfect.
하기 나름이에요. (depends how) / 나름대로 노력했어요. (I tried in my own way)
Watch out
모든 일은 생각했기 나름이에요.
모든 일은 생각하기 나름이에요.
-기 never carries tense. The claim is about approach in general, not a past instance.
재료가 같아도 만들기나름이에요.
재료가 같아도 만들기 나름이에요.
나름 is a noun and takes a space.
저는 하기 나름으로 노력했어요.
저는 나름대로 노력했어요.
To say you tried in your own way, the expression is 나름대로. -기 나름이다 states that outcomes depend on approach.
Next
koreangrammarmap.com