Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'make up for' to show how one positive action balances out a previous mistake or a natural deficiency.
- Always use 'for' before the thing being compensated: 'He made up for the delay.'
- Never separate the parts: 'Make up for it' is correct; 'Make it up for' is wrong.
- Follow 'for' with a noun or a gerund (-ing): 'Make up for being late.'
Overview
make up for라는 구동사(Phrasal Verb)는 우리가 일상생활이나 비즈니스 환경에서 흔히 겪는 '실수', '결핍', 혹은 '부족함'을 어떻게 논리적이고 정중하게 만회하는지를 보여주는 핵심적인 표현입니다.make up for는 단순히 '보상하다'라는 사전적 의미를 넘어, 이전에 발생한 부정적인 상황이나 손실을 상쇄하기 위해 그에 상응하는 긍정적인 행동을 취한다는 '균형(Equilibrium)'의 철학을 담고 있습니다. 한국어로는 상황에 따라 «만회하다», «벌충하다», «보충하다», «대신하다» 등으로 번역되지만, 영어 화자들의 머릿속에서는 '비어 있는 구멍(deficit)을 새로운 가치로 채워 넣는 이미지'가 강하게 작용합니다.make up for 할 수 있습니다. 이처럼 이 표현은 자신의 책임을 인정하고 능동적으로 상황을 바로잡으려는 태도를 보여주기에 매우 성숙하고 세련된 표현입니다. 이번 강의에서는 이 구동사가 어떻게 구성되는지, 한국인 학습자들이 왜 자주 틀리는지, 그리고 실전에서 어떻게 원어민처럼 활용할 수 있는지 깊이 있게 다루어 보겠습니다.make up for는 세 개의 단어가 모여 하나의 타동사 역할을 하는 '3단어 구동사(Three-word phrasal verb)'입니다. 이 구조를 이해하기 위해 각 단어의 기능을 한국어 문법적 사고와 비교해 보겠습니다.- 1
make(동사): 무언가를 새로 만들거나 생성하는 행위의 시작점입니다. - 2
up(부사/입자): 영어 구동사에서up은 단순히 '위로'라는 방향뿐만 아니라 '완전함(completeness)'이나 '가득 채움'의 의미를 가집니다. 한국어의 «꽉 채우다»에서 «꽉»과 비슷한 뉘앙스라고 생각하시면 쉽습니다. - 3
for(전치사): 보상의 '대상'이나 '이유'를 나타냅니다. 한국어의 조사 «~에 대해» 혹은 «~을/를 위해»와 유사한 역할을 하며, 뒤에 반드시 명사나 동명사 목적어가 와야 함을 암시합니다.
부족한 부분을(라는 논리 구조가 완성됩니다. 한국어에서는 «실수를 만회하다»처럼 목적어와 동사가 바로 연결되지만, 영어에서는up) 새로 만들어(make) 특정 대상에 대해(for) 채워 넣다
up과 for라는 장치를 통해 '보상의 과정'과 '보상의 대상'을 더 구체적으로 연결합니다.make up for 하는 구조가 되는 것이죠.make up for의 문장 구조는 명확하지만, 시제 변화와 목적어의 형태에 주의해야 합니다. 기본 패턴은 다음과 같습니다.up과 for는 절대 떨어질 수 없다는 점입니다. 다른 구동사들과 달리 목적어가 make와 up 사이에 들어갈 수 없습니다. (예: *make it up for* (X) -> make up for it (O))He makes up for his lack of experience with hard work. | 그의 성실함이 경험 부족을 평소에 늘 보완해준다는 일반적 사실. |I am trying to make up for lost time. | 잃어버린 시간을 만회하기 위해 현재 노력 중임을 강조. |The delicious dessert made up for the salty main course. | 디저트가 짰던 메인 요리의 실망감을 상쇄해 주었음. |We have made up for the deficit this quarter. | 이번 분기에 적자를 성공적으로 메웠음을 나타냄 (현재와의 연관성). |I will make up for being late tomorrow. | 내일 늦은 것에 대해 보상하겠다는 의지나 약속. |Making up for past mistakes is never easy. | '과거의 실수를 만회하는 것'이라는 주어로 사용됨. |- 동명사 사용:
for는 전치사이므로 뒤에 동작이 올 때는 반드시-ing형태를 써야 합니다. 한국인 학습자들이 가장 많이 하는 실수 중 하나가to부정사를 쓰는 것입니다. Correct:She made up for missing the meeting.Incorrect:*She made up for to miss the meeting.*- 분리 불가능:
up과for는 하나의 세트입니다.make뒤에 바로 붙여서 사용하세요.
Example:카카오톡 답장이 늦어서 미안해! 내가 오늘 커피 사서
make up for할게.English:"Sorry for the late reply on KakaoTalk! I'll buy you coffee tomake up forit."
Example:그 카페는 인테리어는 별로지만, 커피 맛이 그 단점을 다
make up for해.English:"The cafe's interior is a bit plain, but the taste of the coffeemakes up forit."
Example:«우리는 휴가 때문에 쉬었던 시간을 만회하기 위해 이번 주말에 출근해야 해.»English:We need to work this weekend to
make up forthe time we lost during vacation.
Example:비행기가 지연돼서 힘들었지만, 호텔 뷰가 정말 좋아서 다
make up for됐어.English:The flight delay was exhausting, but the stunning hotel view totally
made up forit.
for를 빼먹는 실수make up my mistake라고 말하기 쉽습니다. 하지만 make up만 쓰면 «화장하다», «지어내다(거짓말)», «화해하다»라는 전혀 다른 뜻이 됩니다.- 잘못된 표현:
*I must make up my absence.*(나는 내 결석을 지어내야 한다? 화장해야 한다? 어색합니다.) - 정확한 표현:
I must make up for my absence.(결석한 것에 대해 보충/만회해야 한다.)
to 부정사 오용for 뒤에 to-verb를 쓰고 싶은 유혹에 빠집니다.- 잘못된 표현:
*He worked late to make up for to leave early.* - 정확한 표현:
He worked late to make up for leaving early.
for 뒤에는 명사 성분(명사구 또는 동명사)만 올 수 있다는 점을 명심하세요.replace와의 혼동replace입니다. make up for는 그 물건이 없어서 겪은 '불편함'이나 '손실의 가치'를 보상하는 것입니다.- 상황: 친구의 노트북을 부쉈을 때.
Replace:새 노트북을 사주는 행위 자체.Make up for:노트북이 없어 과제를 못한 친구의 고생을 위해 밥을 사주거나 도와주는 행위.
make up for | 가장 범용적임. 감정적 보상과 실질적 보충을 모두 포함. | 중립적 (Casual/Formal 모두 가능) |compensate for | make up for의 격식 있는 버전. 주로 법적, 금전적, 공식적 보상에 사용. | 높음 (Formal/Business) |offset | 주로 경제/통계적 맥락에서 '상쇄하다'라는 뜻. 한쪽의 이익이 다른 쪽의 손실을 깎아 먹을 때. | 높음 (Technical/Financial) |atone for | 종교적이거나 도덕적인 '죄'를 씻기 위해 속죄하다. 매우 무거운 느낌. | 매우 높음 (Literary/Religious) |redeem | 자신의 명예나 실수를 만회하여 다시 좋은 평판을 얻다. (예: redeem oneself) | 중간-높음 |Business:The company will compensate you for the damages.
Everyday:"I'll make up for the mess I made."Economics:Higher sales in Asia offset the losses in Europe.
make up for it에서 it은 무엇을 가리키나요?it은 '내가 늦었다는 사실(being late)'을 의미합니다. 대화 흐름상 무엇을 보상하는지 명확할 때 it을 써서 간결하게 표현합니다.make up for him)They worked harder to make up for him(his absence).이라고 할 수 있습니다.The loss was made up for by...), 실제 구어체에서는 능동태를 훨씬 선호합니다. 상황이 주어가 되어 The great weather made up for everything.처럼 표현하는 것이 훨씬 자연스럽고 원어민답습니다.make it up to someone과는 어떻게 다른가요?make up for [something]은 '무엇(사건/결핍)'을 만회하는지에 초점이 있고, make it up to [someone]은 '누구'에게 보상하는지에 초점이 있습니다.I'll make up for the mistake.(실수를 만회할게.)I'll make it up to you.(너에게 신세를 갚을게/보상할게.)
I'll make it up to you for being late.라고 쓸 수도 있습니다.2. Negative Contractions
| Full Form | Contracted Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
does not make up for
|
doesn't make up for
|
It doesn't make up for it.
|
|
did not make up for
|
didn't make up for
|
They didn't make up for the loss.
|
|
has not made up for
|
hasn't made up for
|
She hasn't made up for the error.
|
Conjugating 'Make up for'
| Tense | Subject | Form | Object |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
I / You / We / They
|
make up for
|
the delay
|
|
Present Simple
|
He / She / It
|
makes up for
|
the delay
|
|
Past Simple
|
All subjects
|
made up for
|
the delay
|
|
Present Continuous
|
I
|
am making up for
|
the delay
|
|
Present Perfect
|
He / She
|
has made up for
|
the delay
|
|
Future (will)
|
All subjects
|
will make up for
|
the delay
|
|
Gerund
|
N/A
|
making up for
|
the delay
|
|
Infinitive
|
N/A
|
to make up for
|
the delay
|
Meanings
To provide something good as a balance against something bad or lacking, effectively neutralizing a negative impact.
Restitution
Doing something positive to apologize for a specific mistake or social slight.
“He bought her flowers to make up for forgetting her birthday.”
“How can I ever make up for the trouble I've caused?”
Counterbalancing
When a positive quality offsets a negative quality or a lack of something.
“Her enthusiasm makes up for her lack of experience.”
“The stunning views more than make up for the small size of the room.”
Replacement
To replace something that has been lost, stolen, or wasted.
“The insurance money didn't really make up for the loss of the sentimental items.”
“We need to find a way to make up for the lost revenue this quarter.”
Reference Table
| 상황 | 취한 조치 | 결과 (균형 회복) |
|---|---|---|
|
실수/오류
|
사과 + 노력
|
용서/시정
|
|
부재/결핍
|
추가 제공
|
완전함/충분함
|
|
불편함
|
친절한 제스처
|
호의/만족
|
|
놓친 기회
|
새로운 기회 포착
|
진전/성취
|
|
부정적인 인상
|
개선된 행동
|
긍정적인 인식
|
|
저조한 성과
|
노력 증대
|
향상된 결과
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
I trust this additional report will compensate for my delayed submission. (Apology)
I hope this makes up for my being late. (Apology)
Let me buy you a coffee to make up for the wait. (Apology)
My bad! Drinks on me to make up for it. (Apology)
만회하기: 보상의 연결고리
무엇을 균형 맞추는가
- 실수 오류, 잘못된 선택
- 부재 놓친 기회, 불참
- 부정적인 것 실망, 불편함
어떻게 작동하는가
- 행동 긍정적인 노력, 제스처
- 배상 되돌려주기, 시정하기
- 균형 균형 회복
문법 패턴
- Make (시제에 맞게) make, made, making
- Up For 고정된 구문
- 명사/동명사 보상의 대상
Make Up For vs. 유사 표현
'Make Up For'를 사용해야 할까요?
부정적인 상황, 부재, 또는 실수가 있나요?
그것을 균형 맞추거나 보상하기 위한 행동을 취하고 있거나 제안하고 있나요?
그 행동이 물리적인 물건을 직접 대체하는 건가요?
'Make Up For'의 목적어
실수 및 오류
- • my mistake
- • a terrible error
- • the oversight
부재 및 결핍
- • lost time
- • my absence
- • the lack of effort
- • missed opportunities
불편함
- • the trouble
- • the delay
- • the disappointment
부정적인 경험
- • a bad impression
- • the poor service
- • the initial blunder
수준별 예문
I am sorry. I will make up for it.
I will fix the problem.
Does the cake make up for the mess?
Is the cake enough to fix the mess?
He made up for being late.
He did something good because he was late.
Good food makes up for a small room.
The food is good, so the small room is okay.
She bought a gift to make up for her mistake.
She used a gift to compensate for her error.
They are working hard to make up for lost time.
They are trying to recover the time they lost.
The sun makes up for the cold wind.
The sun is nice, so the cold wind is not a problem.
I can't make up for what I said.
I cannot fix the bad words I used.
The team's spirit made up for their lack of skill.
Their attitude was better than their technical ability.
I'll have to work on Saturday to make up for taking Friday off.
I need to replace the hours I didn't work.
Does the high pay really make up for the stress?
Is the money worth the emotional pressure?
We made up for the delay by driving faster.
We compensated for being late by increasing our speed.
The film's amazing special effects almost make up for the weak plot.
The visuals are so good they nearly hide the bad story.
Nothing can truly make up for the loss of a loved one.
No action can compensate for someone dying.
He tried to make up for his absence by sending expensive presents.
He used money to compensate for not being there.
The company offered a discount to make up for the poor service.
They gave a price reduction as compensation.
The candidate's charisma largely made up for his lack of political experience.
His personality compensated for his professional deficit.
The sheer scale of the project makes up for the occasional technical glitch.
The grandeur outweighs the minor errors.
How do you propose to make up for the shortfall in this year's budget?
What is your plan to fix the missing money?
Her intellectual depth more than makes up for her quiet demeanor.
Her smartness is much more important than her being shy.
The aesthetic brilliance of the prose scarcely makes up for the vacuity of the content.
The beautiful writing hardly compensates for the empty meaning.
In some jurisdictions, community service is seen as a way to make up for minor infractions.
Work is a form of restitution for small crimes.
The historical injustices can never be fully made up for by mere financial reparations.
Money cannot fix the deep wrongs of the past.
The sudden surge in demand failed to make up for the preceding months of stagnation.
The new sales weren't enough to fix the long period of no growth.
혼동하기 쉬운
Learners use 'make up' to mean compensation, but it actually means to invent or reconcile.
Both involve fixing a mistake, but this version focuses on the person you hurt.
자주 하는 실수
I make up my mistake.
I make up for my mistake.
I made it up for.
I made up for it.
He made up for be late.
He made up for being late.
The quality made up for the lacking of speed.
The quality made up for the lack of speed.
문장 패턴
The ___ more than makes up for the ___.
How can I ever make up for ___?
Real World Usage
I believe my fast learning pace makes up for my lack of experience in this sector.
We'd like to offer you a free dessert to make up for the long wait for your main course.
I'm so sorry I missed our date; I'll make up for it this weekend, I promise!
The camera quality is so good it almost makes up for the high price tag.
The Q3 profits helped make up for the losses sustained in Q1.
He made up for his early error by scoring the winning goal in the final minute.
저울을 떠올려 보세요!
Make up for is all about balancing. Imagine a scale: one side has a negative (mistake, absence), the other has a positive action you take to re-level it.
'For'를 잊지 마세요!
동명사나 명사만 사용하세요
전 세계적인 사과 도우미
Make up for is a culturally versatile phrase, as the concept of compensation after an error is universal. Using it effectively shows not just language proficiency but also social awareness and empathy, which is a big plus in any culture.
과거, 현재, 미래 모두 가능!
Smart Tips
Add 'amply' or 'more than' before 'makes up for'.
Use the gerund 'being' to bridge the gap.
Just use the pronoun 'it'.
Use 'What [Subject] lacks in [X], it makes up for in [Y]'.
발음
Stress Pattern
In 'make up for', the primary stress is usually on 'up'.
Linking
The 'k' in 'make' links to the 'u' in 'up', sounding like 'may-kup'.
Rising-Falling on 'up'
That makes ↗UP↘ for it.
Emphasizing that the balance has been achieved.
암기하기
기억법
MUF: Mending Upset Feelings. When you 'Make Up For' something, you are mending the situation.
시각적 연상
Imagine a set of old-fashioned gold scales. On the left side is a heavy black rock labeled 'MISTAKE'. You are dropping bright gold coins labeled 'GOOD DEED' onto the right side until the scales are perfectly level.
Rhyme
If you made a mistake and feel some regret, 'make up for' it now and clear the debt.
Story
John forgot his wife's birthday (the mistake). To fix it, he cooked a five-course meal. The delicious food 'made up for' his bad memory, and they spent the evening laughing.
Word Web
챌린지
Write down three things you are not good at (e.g., cooking). Then, write three things you are great at that 'make up for' those weaknesses (e.g., 'My cleaning makes up for my bad cooking').
문화 노트
British speakers often use 'make up for' with 'more than' to be polite and understated (e.g., 'The tea more than made up for the rain').
In US corporate settings, 'make up for' is used to discuss 'making up the difference' in quotas or budgets.
Learners often use 'compensate' because it feels more 'serious', but 'make up for' is often more appropriate for social harmony (wa).
The verb 'make' comes from Old English 'macian' (to build/shape). The addition of 'up' (to complete) and 'for' (in place of) evolved in Middle English to signify 'completing a deficit'.
대화 시작하기
What is a personality trait you have that makes up for a weakness?
If a hotel room was dirty, what could the manager do to make up for it?
Do you think technology makes up for the lack of face-to-face contact these days?
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
She plans to buy him a gift to ______ up for forgetting his birthday.
Make up for는 무언가를 보상한다는 의미의 올바른 구동사입니다.Find and fix the mistake:
He wanted to make up for to be late.
Choose the correct sentence:
Made up for는 보상을 정확하게 보여줍니다. 'Made up'만으로는 다른 의미를 가지며, 'for' 뒤에 부정사를 쓰는 것은 틀립니다.Translate into English: 'El buen servicio compensó el largo tiempo de espera.'
Answer starts with: ["T...
Made up for입니다.Score: /4
연습 문제
8 exercisesHe bought her a diamond ring to make ___ ___ his long absence.
Find and fix the mistake:
The delicious food made it up for the slow service.
The high salary compensated for the stressful environment.
A: I'm sorry I forgot your book. B: That's okay, just buy me a coffee and we'll ___.
for / enthusiasm / lack / her / makes / up / experience / of
1. Being late, 2. Small room, 3. Low salary
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesShe always tries to ______ up for her mistakes with extra kindness.
He couldn't make up his absence at the meeting.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Ellos compensaron el tiempo perdido trabajando durante el fin de semana.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the subjects with the correct completion:
His amazing performance totally ______ up for his earlier error.
We must make up to our oversight.
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Which sentence is correct?
Match the situation with the way to make up for it:
Score: /11
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
No. Unlike some phrasal verbs, 'make up for' is inseparable. The object must always come after 'for'. Say `make up for it`.
Use `make up for` for the *thing* or *action* (e.g., 'make up for the mistake'). Use `make it up to` for the *person* (e.g., 'I'll make it up to you').
Yes, it is perfectly acceptable in neutral and semi-formal business contexts. For extremely formal legal documents, use `compensate` or `offset`.
Technically yes (e.g., 'The time was made up for'), but it is quite rare and can sound clunky. It's better to stay in the active voice.
Yes, it implies that a positive is balancing a negative. You wouldn't say 'The rain made up for the sunshine' unless you were being sarcastic.
No, you must use a noun phrase or a gerund. If you want to use a clause, you must say `make up for the fact that...`.
`Offset` is more technical and often used in economics or science. `Make up for` is more common in social and general contexts.
Yes, 'make up for lost time' is a very common idiom meaning to do something quickly or intensely because you started late.
Scaffolded Practice
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Mastery Progress
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In Other Languages
Compensar / Resarcir
English requires the three-part phrasal structure; Spanish is a single transitive verb.
Rattraper / Compenser
French uses different verbs for 'time' vs 'mistakes', whereas English uses 'make up for' for both.
Wiedergutmachen / Ausgleichen
German syntax is very different, placing the 'gut' or 'wieder' at the end of the sentence.
埋め合わせる (Umeawaseru)
Japanese is a compound verb; English is a phrasal verb.
عوض (Awwada)
Arabic uses a single verb root with different patterns (weights) to change meaning.
弥补 (Míbǔ)
Chinese doesn't have verb conjugation, so the word 'míbǔ' never changes form.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Grammar Rules
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