-기 나름이다
Used to express that the result of something depends entirely on how you choose to do it or how you approach it.
Summary
Equivalent
It all depends on how you...
Also: -느냐에 달려 있다
Example
I think cooking depends more on how you cook it than on the ingredients.
요리는 재료보다 요리하기 나름이라고 생각해요.
Grammar rules
- It implies 'The outcome is up to how [X] is done.' It only attaches to verbs.
- Often used as a reassurance (e.g., 'It's all up to you how you handle it.').
- It conveys that the result is not fixed — it depends on the approach or effort. This is subtly different from '-느냐에 달려 있다', which focuses on external conditions.
공부도 하기 나름이야. 같은 시간을 써도 방법에 따라 결과가 달라져. (Studying is all about how you do it. Even with the same time, results differ by method.)
Patterns
V (Verbs)
현재 (Present) · -기 나름이다
Example sentences
I think cooking depends more on how you cook it than on the ingredients.
요리는 재료보다 요리하기 나름이라고 생각해요.
Life depends on how you think about it. If you look at it positively, everything looks good.
인생은 어떻게 생각하기 나름이에요. 긍정적으로 보면 다 좋게 보여요.
A child's education depends on how the parents teach them.
아이 교육은 부모가 어떻게 가르치기 나름이에요.
Conversation
A: Learning a foreign language is too difficult.
외국어를 배우는 게 너무 어려워요.
B: Feeling like it's difficult also depends on how you study. Try to find a fun method.
어렵게 느껴지는 것도 어떻게 공부하기 나름이에요. 재미있는 방법을 찾아보세요.
Practice
Fill in the blank
Select the correct phrase indicating 'it depends on how it is done'.
결과는 어떻게 노력하느냐에 따라 달라지죠.
예산이 얼마냐보다 어떻게 쓰는지가 중요해요.