-(으)면 - If/When | Korean Grammar Documentation

-(으)면 is the most common and versatile conditional form in Korean. It means "if" or "when" and is used for both real and hypothetical conditions.

Structure

Verb/Adjective stem + -(으)면

Meaning: "If [condition]" or "When [condition]"

Conjugation Rules

After Vowel or ㄹ: -면

No final consonant:

가다 → 가면 (if/when go)
오다 → 오면 (if/when come)
하다 → 하면 (if/when do)

After ㄹ (drop ㄹ):

만들다 → 만들면 (if/when make)
팔다 → 팔면 (if/when sell)

After Consonant: -으면

Final consonant present:

먹다 → 먹으면 (if/when eat)
읽다 → 읽으면 (if/when read)
좋다 → 좋으면 (if/when good)
있다 → 있으면 (if/when there is)

Core Usage: Real Conditions

Present/Future Conditions

Pattern: [Condition]-(으)면, [Result]

Examples:

비가 오면 안 가요 (If it rains, I won't go)
시간이 있으면 도와주세요 (If you have time, please help)
배고프면 먹어요 (If you're hungry, eat)
돈이 있으면 살 거예요 (If I have money, I'll buy it)

When vs If

Context Determines Meaning

"When" (Regular occurrence):

봄이 오면 꽃이 피어요 (When spring comes, flowers bloom)
아침에 일어나면 커피를 마셔요 (When I wake up in the morning, I drink coffee)
주말이 되면 쉬어요 (When it becomes weekend, I rest)

"If" (Condition):

날씨가 좋으면 가요 (If the weather is good, I'll go)
시간이 있으면 전화할게요 (If I have time, I'll call)

Common Patterns

Daily Situations

Everyday conditions:

힘들면 말하세요 (If it's hard, tell me)
궁금하면 물어보세요 (If you're curious, ask)
필요하면 연락하세요 (If you need it, contact me)
모르면 검색하세요 (If you don't know, search)

Making Suggestions

Conditional suggestions:

바쁘면 내일 해도 돼요 (If you're busy, you can do it tomorrow)
싫으면 안 해도 돼요 (If you don't like it, you don't have to do it)
비싸면 다른 거 사요 (If it's expensive, buy something else)

Asking Conditions

Questions with conditions:

늦으면 어떻게 해요? (What if I'm late?)
안 되면 어떡하죠? (What if it doesn't work?)
실패하면 어떻게 될까요? (What will happen if I fail?)

With Various Tenses

Past Tense in Result Clause

Condition + past result:

비가 오면 안 갔어요 (If it rained, I didn't go - habitual past)
시간이 있으면 도왔어요 (If I had time, I helped - habitual past)

Note: -(으)면 itself doesn't change tense

Future in Result Clause

Condition + future:

시간이 있으면 갈 거예요 (If I have time, I'll go)
날씨가 좋으면 나갈 거예요 (If the weather is good, I'll go out)

Negative Conditions

If Not

Pattern: 안 -(으)면 / -지 않으면

Examples:

안 가면 (if not go)
가지 않으면 (if not go - more formal)
안 좋으면 (if not good)
좋지 않으면 (if not good)

Usage:

안 오면 전화하세요 (If you're not coming, call)
모르면 말하지 마세요 (If you don't know, don't speak)

Hypothetical Conditions

Imaginary Situations

-(으)면 for hypotheticals:

내가 부자면 세계 여행할 거예요 (If I were rich, I'd travel the world)
시간이 있으면 배우고 싶어요 (If I had time, I'd want to learn)
다시 태어나면 뭐가 되고 싶어요? (If you were reborn, what would you want to be?)

Common Expressions

Fixed Phrases

Everyday conditionals:

괜찮으면 (if it's okay)
좋으면 (if it's good / if you like)
싫으면 (if you don't like)
힘들면 (if it's difficult)
가능하면 (if possible)

Polite Requests

Asking permission/favor:

괜찮으시면 도와주실 수 있으세요? (If it's okay, could you help?)
시간 있으시면 연락 주세요 (If you have time, please contact me)

With Different Result Types

Commands/Requests

Condition + imperative:

모르면 물어보세요 (If you don't know, ask)
배고프면 먹으세요 (If you're hungry, eat)
필요하면 가져가세요 (If you need it, take it)

Statements

Condition + statement:

봄이 오면 따뜻해져요 (When spring comes, it gets warm)
비가 오면 축축해요 (When it rains, it gets damp)

Questions

Condition + question:

돈이 있으면 뭐 살 거예요? (If you have money, what will you buy?)
시간이 있으면 뭐 하고 싶어요? (If you have time, what do you want to do?)

Contrast with Other Conditionals

-(으)면 vs -거든

-(으)면: General condition (any time)

서울 가면 연락하세요 (If you go to Seoul, contact me)
→ General, any situation

-거든: Future specific + advice

서울 가거든 연락하세요 (If/when you go to Seoul, contact me)
→ Specific future event, with suggestion

-(으)면 vs -(으)ㄹ 경우

-(으)면: Natural, spoken (if/when)

문제가 있으면 말하세요 (If there's a problem, tell me)
→ Casual, natural

-(으)ㄹ 경우: Formal, written (in case of)

문제가 있을 경우 연락하세요 (In case of a problem, contact)
→ Formal, official

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: Making Plans

A: 내일 뭐 할 거예요?
(What will you do tomorrow?)

B: 날씨가 좋으면 공원에 갈 거예요.
(If the weather is good, I'll go to the park.)

Dialogue 2: Offering Help

A: 필요한 거 있어요?
(Do you need anything?)

B: 시간 있으시면 도와주실 수 있어요?
(If you have time, could you help?)

Dialogue 3: Advice

A: 너무 어려워요.
(It's too difficult.)

B: 힘들면 쉬었다 하세요.
(If it's hard, take a break and do it.)

Dialogue 4: Decision

A: 이거 살까요?
(Should I buy this?)

B: 마음에 들면 사세요.
(If you like it, buy it.)

Multiple Conditions

Chaining Conditions

Using -(으)면 multiple times:

시간이 있으면 그리고 돈이 있으면 여행 갈 거예요
(If I have time and if I have money, I'll travel)

Simplified with -고:

시간 있고 돈 있으면 여행 갈 거예요
(If I have time and money, I'll travel)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 가면요

Extra 요

✅ Correct: 가면

No 요 on the conditional itself

❌ Incorrect: 먹면 먹어요

Using same verb

✅ Correct: 배고프면 먹어요

Different condition and result

❌ Incorrect: 갔으면 (for general condition)

Past tense conditional (different meaning)

✅ Correct: 가면

Use present form for general conditions

Special Pattern: -았/었으면

Past Tense Hypothetical

Wish/regret (different meaning):

갔으면 좋겠어요 (I wish I went / I hope to go)
있었으면 샀을 텐데 (If I had had it, I would have bought it)

Note: Different from simple -(으)면

Summary Table

Verb	-(으)면 Form	Example Sentence
가다	가면	시간 있으면 가요 (If I have time, I go)
먹다	먹으면	배고프면 먹으세요 (If hungry, eat)
좋다	좋으면	좋으면 사세요 (If good, buy it)
있다	있으면	돈 있으면 빌려줘 (If you have money, lend me)

Key Takeaways

✅ Most common conditional: Default "if/when" form
✅ After vowel/ㄹ: -면
✅ After consonant: -으면
✅ Versatile: Real and hypothetical situations
✅ Natural in speech: Essential daily pattern
✅ Both if and when: Context determines meaning

-(으)면 is the foundational conditional form in Korean, essential for expressing any kind of "if" or "when" situation. It's the most versatile and commonly used conditional pattern, appropriate for virtually any context from casual conversation to formal writing.