Lesson 26Advanced

-기 마련이다 (bound to)

What it means

-기 마련이다 means "is bound to" or "naturally happens". It is used for general truths: things that always happen sooner or later, just by nature. It's like saying "of course people..." or "that's just how life is".

How to make it

Any verb or adjective stem + 기 마련이다 (no sound change): 실수하다 → 실수하기 마련이다, 헤어지다 → 헤어지기 마련이다, 좋다 → 좋기 마련이다, 있다 → 있기 마련이다
-게 마련이다 has the same meaning: 실수하다 → 실수하게 마련이다
It is for general truths, not one specific event or personal plan: ✗ 저는 내일 늦기 마련이에요
It often goes with 누구나 (anyone) or -(으)면 (if): 노력하면 좋은 결과가 있기 마련이에요.
Common endings: -기 마련이에요, and -기 마련이지요 to sound soft and agreeable.

When to use it

Comforting someone: 처음에는 누구나 실수하기 마련이에요. (Everyone is bound to make mistakes at first.)
Encouraging someone: 열심히 노력하면 좋은 결과가 있기 마련이에요. (If you work hard, good results are bound to follow.)
Life wisdom: 만나면 헤어지기 마련이지요. (Where there is meeting, there is bound to be parting.)
A general tendency: 비싼 물건이 품질이 좋기 마련이에요. (Expensive things naturally tend to be better quality.)

Compare

-(으)ㄹ 거예요 is a guess about one specific future event: 내일 비가 올 거예요. (It will probably rain tomorrow.) -기 마련이다 is always true in general: 겨울에는 춥기 마련이에요. (Winter is naturally cold.)
-(으)ㄹ 법하다 = it makes sense in this situation (likely). -기 마련이다 = it always happens, by nature (unavoidable).

Common mistakes

❌ 저는 내일 늦기 마련이에요 → ✅ 저는 내일 늦을 것 같아요 (-기 마련이다 is not for one specific event)
❌ 실수하는 마련이에요 → ✅ 실수하기 마련이에요 (use 기, not 는)
❌ 처음에는 누구나 실수하기 마련이니까 실수하세요 → ✅ 처음에는 누구나 실수하기 마련이니까 걱정하지 마세요 (it's for comfort, not for telling someone to do something)

💡 Tip: Think "마련이다 = that's just life". If you could add "of course, it always goes that way", -기 마련이다 fits.

Examples

Hover or tap a word to see its meaning · grammar

.
Everyone is bound to make mistakes at first.
💡 Often used to comfort someone.
.
If you work hard, good results are bound to follow.
.
Where there is meeting, there is bound to be parting.
.
Expensive things naturally tend to be better quality.

All lessons