For autodidact students of Korean, the conditional "if" is expressed by -(으)면. It attaches to verb and adjective stems: after vowels -면, after consonants -으면. The conditional covers true conditionals (if X then Y), habitual conditions (when X, Y happens), and polite suggestions. 아니면 (if not) was covered in Lesson 23. Here the focus is on -면 as the core conditional marker and its combinations.
Key Takeaways: - -(으)면: if/when — main conditional - -아/어도: even if / even though — concessive conditional (covered earlier) - -았/었으면: if [it had been] — past/hypothetical conditional - -(으)면 좋겠다: I wish / it would be nice if - -(으)면 안 되다: must not / if ~ it won't be okay - -(으)면 될 것 같다: I think it'll work if ~
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33.1 비가 (biga) rain-SUBJ 오면 (omyeon) if-come 집에 (jibe) home-AT 있을게요 (issseulgeyo) will-be-POLITE
33.2 시간이 (sigani) time-SUBJ 있으면 (isseumyeon) if-have 와요 (wayo) come-POLITE
33.3 먹으면 (meogeumyeon) if-eat 안 (an) not 돼요 (dwaeyo) okay-POLITE
33.4 열심히 (yeolsimhi) hard 하면 (hamyeon) if-do 할 (hal) do-FUT 수 (su) can 있어요 (isseoyo) have-POLITE
33.5 도움이 (doumiGA) help-SUBJ 필요하면 (piRyohamyeon) if-need 말해요 (malhaeyo) say-POLITE
33.6 일찍 (iljjik) early 자면 (jamyeon) if-sleep 일찍 (iljjik) early 일어날 (ireoNal) wake-FUT 수 (su) can 있어요 (isseoyo) have-POLITE
33.7 그렇게 (geureoke) like-that 하면 (hamyeon) if-do 좋겠어요 (jokesseoyo) would-be-good-POLITE
33.8 알면 (almyeon) if-know 말해줘요 (malhaeJweoyo) please-tell-POLITE
33.9 비가 (biga) rain-SUBJ 왔으면 (wassseumyeon) if-had-come 좋겠어요 (jokesseoyo) would-be-nice-POLITE
33.10 그러면 (geureomyeon) if-so 됩니다 (doemnida) okay-FORMAL
33.11 늦으면 (neujeumyeon) if-late 연락해요 (yeolLakhaeyo) contact-POLITE
33.12 있으면 (isseumyeon) if-have 주세요 (juseyo) please-give-HON
33.13 괜찮으면 (gwaenchanheumyeon) if-okay 같이 (gati) together 가요 (gayo) go-POLITE
33.14 더 (deo) more 연습하면 (yeonseuPhamyeon) if-practice 잘 (jal) well 할 (hal) do-FUT 수 (su) can 있을 (isseul) have-FUT 것 (geot) thing 같아요 (gatayo) seems-POLITE
33.15 그 사람이 (geu sarami) that-person-SUBJ 보고 (bogo) see-CONJ 싶으면 (sippeumyeon) if-want 말해요 (malhaeyo) say-POLITE
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33.1 비가 오면 집에 있을게요. "If it rains I'll be at home." 33.2 시간이 있으면 와요. "If you have time, come." 33.3 먹으면 안 돼요. "You must not eat it / If you eat it, it won't be okay." 33.4 열심히 하면 할 수 있어요. "If you work hard, you can do it." 33.5 도움이 필요하면 말해요. "If you need help, say so." 33.6 일찍 자면 일찍 일어날 수 있어요. "If you sleep early you can wake up early." 33.7 그렇게 하면 좋겠어요. "I'd like it if you did it that way." 33.8 알면 말해줘요. "If you know, please tell me." 33.9 비가 왔으면 좋겠어요. "I wish it would rain." 33.10 그러면 됩니다. "If so, that is fine." 33.11 늦으면 연락해요. "If you're going to be late, contact me." 33.12 있으면 주세요. "If you have one, please give it to me." 33.13 괜찮으면 같이 가요. "If it's okay, let's go together." 33.14 더 연습하면 잘 할 수 있을 것 같아요. "I think you'll be able to do it well if you practice more." 33.15 그 사람이 보고 싶으면 말해요. "If you want to see that person, say so."
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33.1 비가 오면 집에 있을게요. 33.2 시간이 있으면 와요. 33.3 먹으면 안 돼요. 33.4 열심히 하면 할 수 있어요. 33.5 도움이 필요하면 말해요. 33.6 일찍 자면 일찍 일어날 수 있어요. 33.7 그렇게 하면 좋겠어요. 33.8 알면 말해줘요. 33.9 비가 왔으면 좋겠어요. 33.10 그러면 됩니다. 33.11 늦으면 연락해요. 33.12 있으면 주세요. 33.13 괜찮으면 같이 가요. 33.14 더 연습하면 잘 할 수 있을 것 같아요. 33.15 그 사람이 보고 싶으면 말해요.
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-(으)면 attachment rule: After vowel-final stems: -면 (오면, 가면, 자면). After consonant-final stems: -으면 (먹으면, 있으면, 좋으면). Exception: ㄹ-final stems drop ㄹ and add -면: 알다 → 알면 (not 알으면).
-았/었으면 좋겠다 — "I wish ~": Past tense + -으면 + 좋겠다 = wishing for something contrary to present reality or expressing a desire: 비가 왔으면 좋겠어요 (I wish it would rain / I hope it rains). The past suffix in the conditional creates the hypothetical/wishful meaning.
-(으)면 안 되다 — "must not / if ~ it won't be okay": The prohibition construction: 먹으면 안 돼요 (you must not eat it). Literally "if [you] eat, it won't work." The standard Korean way to express a prohibition through a conditional.
그러면 (geureomyeon) — "if so / in that case": 그렇다 (be like that) + -(으)면 = if that is so / in that case. A discourse connective that accepts the previous statement and draws a consequence: 그러면 됩니다 (if that is the case, that will do). Often shortened to 그럼 in casual speech.
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도움이 필요하면 말해요 (if you need help, say so) — this phrase is at the heart of Korean social interaction, but its usage is subtly different from English. In Korean culture, explicitly asking for help can feel burdensome; the conditional phrasing (if you need it, then say) gives the recipient an out and frames the offer as conditional on need rather than presuming need. The -(으)면 conditional is the grammar of considerate offering.
늦으면 연락해요 (if you're going to be late, contact me) — Korean temporal expectations around meeting times are strict, and this conditional is one of the most commonly used in Korean daily life. Being late without contact is a significant social breach; the 면 condition makes contact under those circumstances an obligation.
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이상 (Yi Sang), 《날개》— Wings, 1936
내가 날개가 있었으면 / 나는 날아갈 수 있었을 텐데.
F-A: Interlinear — 날개가 (nalgaega) wings-SUBJ 있었으면 (isseosseumyeon) if-had 나는 (naneun) I-TOPIC 날아갈 (narajal) fly-FUT 수 (su) can 있었을 (isseosseul) had-FUT 텐데 (tende) but-I-expected
F-B: Translation — "If I had had wings, I could have flown."
F-C: Original — 내가 날개가 있었으면 나는 날아갈 수 있었을 텐데.
F-D: Notes — 있었으면 (if I had had): past hypothetical conditional. 날아갈 수 있었을 텐데: could have flown — but (텐데 = contrary-to-fact result). The double past in both clauses creates the counterfactual past: if X had been the case (it wasn't), Y would have been possible (it wasn't). Yi Sang's most famous image: the wings that never arrived.
F-E: Commentary — The counterfactual -(으)면 is the grammar of the unlived life. 있었으면 ~ 텐데 — if there had been, then there would have been. Korean literature is full of these conditional hypotheticals: the paths not taken, the wings not grown, the loves not spoken. The -(으)면 of Yi Sang points at what was not, which is the only way to point at what was truly wanted.
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Two people exchanging wishes and hypotheticals — every shape of -(으)면.
33.16 지수: 만약에 (manyage) if 다시 (dasi) again 태어난다면 (taeeonandamyeon) if-were-born-again 뭐가 (mwoga) what-SUBJ 되고 (doego) become-CONJ 싶어 (sipeo) want-INF?
33.17 민준: 음… (eum) hmm 자유롭게 (jayuropge) freely 살 (sal) live-FUT 수 (su) can 있다면 (ittdamyeon) if-could 뭐든 (mwodeon) anything 좋겠어 (jokesseo) would-be-good-INF。넌 (neon) you-TOPIC?
33.18 지수: 나는 (naneun) I-TOPIC 음악을 (eumaguel) music-OBJ 잘 (jal) well 할 (hal) do-FUT 수 (su) can 있으면 (isseumyeon) if-could 좋겠어 (jokesseo) would-be-good-INF
33.19 민준: 지금 (jigeum) now 도 (do) also 배우면 (baeumyeon) if-learn 되잖아 (doejanha) it's-possible-right-INF？
33.20 지수: 그러면 (geureomyeon) if-so 좋겠지 (jokesseo-Ji) would-be-good-right-INF。근데 (geunde) but 시간이 (sigani) time-SUBJ 없으면 (eopseumyeon) if-not-have 어떻게 해 (eotteoke hae) what-to-do-INF？
33.21 민준: 조금씩 (jogeumssik) little-by-little 이라도 (irado) even-if-just 하면 (hamyeon) if-do 돼 (dwae) okay-INF。안 하면 (an hamyeon) if-don't-do 영원히 (yeongwonhi) forever 못 해 (mot hae) can't-do-INF
33.22 지수: 맞아 (maja) right-INF。만약 (manyak) if 내가 (naega) I-SUBJ 시작하면 (sijakhamyeon) if-start 도와줄 (dowajul) will-help-FUT 거야 (geoya) thing-is-INF?
33.23 민준: 당연하지 (dangyeonhaji) of-course-INF。내가 (naega) I-SUBJ 가르칠 (gareuchil) teach-FUT 수도 (sudo) can-also 있으면 (isseumyeon) if-could 가르쳐줄게 (gareuchyeojulge) will-teach-for-you-INF
33.24 지수: 진짜 (jinjja) really？그러면 (geureomyeon) if-so 정말 (jeongmal) really 해볼게 (haebolge) will-try-INF！
33.25 민준: 시작하면 (sijakhamyeon) if-start 후회하지 (huhoeHaji) regret-NMLZ 않을 (anheul) not-FUT 거야 (geoya) thing-is-INF
33.26 지수: 만약에 (manyage) if 잘 (jal) well 안 (an) not 되면 (doeMmyeon) if-not-work 어떡해 (eotteokhae) what-to-do-INF?
33.27 민준: 잘 (jal) well 안 되면 (an doeMmyeon) if-not-work 다시 (dasi) again 하면 (hamyeon) if-do 되지 (doeji) okay-right-INF。포기하면 (pogihaMmyeon) if-give-up 안 (an) not 돼 (dwae) okay-INF
33.28 지수: 너 (neo) you 항상 (hangsang) always 이렇게 (ireoke) like-this 말해줘서 (malhaeJwoeoseo) because-telling-me 고마워 (gomawo) thank-you-INF
33.29 민준: 그러면 (geureomyeon) then 빨리 (ppalli) quickly 시작해 (sijakHae) start-INF！말만 (malman) words-only 하면 (hamyeon) if-do 안 돼 (an dwae) not-okay-INF！
33.30 지수: 알겠어 (alGesseo) okay-INF，알겠어 (alGesseo) okay-INF！오늘부터 (oneulbuteo) from-today 시작할게 (sijakHalge) will-start-INF！
33.16 「만약에 다시 태어난다면 뭐가 되고 싶어?」 "'If you were born again, what would you want to become?'" 33.17 「음… 자유롭게 살 수 있다면 뭐든 좋겠어. 넌?」 "'Hmm… if I could live freely, anything would be good. You?'" 33.18 「나는 음악을 잘 할 수 있으면 좋겠어.」 "'I'd like to be able to do music well.'" 33.19 「지금도 배우면 되잖아?」 "'Even now you can learn, can't you?'" 33.20 「그러면 좋겠지. 근데 시간이 없으면 어떻게 해?」 "'That would be nice. But what if I don't have time?'" 33.21 「조금씩이라도 하면 돼. 안 하면 영원히 못 해.」 "'Even if just a little at a time is fine. If you don't do it you'll never be able to.'" 33.22 「맞아. 만약 내가 시작하면 도와줄 거야?」 "'Right. If I start, will you help?'" 33.23 「당연하지. 내가 가르칠 수도 있으면 가르쳐줄게.」 "'Of course. If I can teach you, I'll teach you.'" 33.24 「진짜? 그러면 정말 해볼게!」 "'Really? Then I'll really try!'" 33.25 「시작하면 후회하지 않을 거야.」 "'If you start, you won't regret it.'" 33.26 「만약에 잘 안 되면 어떡해?」 "'What if it doesn't go well?'" 33.27 「잘 안 되면 다시 하면 되지. 포기하면 안 돼.」 "'If it doesn't go well, just try again. You must not give up.'" 33.28 「너 항상 이렇게 말해줘서 고마워.」 "'Thank you for always saying things like this to me.'" 33.29 「그러면 빨리 시작해! 말만 하면 안 돼!」 "'Then start quickly! Only talking won't do!'" 33.30 「알겠어, 알겠어! 오늘부터 시작할게!」 "'Okay, okay! I'll start from today!'"
33.16 「만약에 다시 태어난다면 뭐가 되고 싶어?」 33.17 「음… 자유롭게 살 수 있다면 뭐든 좋겠어. 넌?」 33.18 「나는 음악을 잘 할 수 있으면 좋겠어.」 33.19 「지금도 배우면 되잖아?」 33.20 「그러면 좋겠지. 근데 시간이 없으면 어떻게 해?」 33.21 「조금씩이라도 하면 돼. 안 하면 영원히 못 해.」 33.22 「맞아. 만약 내가 시작하면 도와줄 거야?」 33.23 「당연하지. 내가 가르칠 수도 있으면 가르쳐줄게.」 33.24 「진짜? 그러면 정말 해볼게!」 33.25 「시작하면 후회하지 않을 거야.」 33.26 「만약에 잘 안 되면 어떡해?」 33.27 「잘 안 되면 다시 하면 되지. 포기하면 안 돼.」 33.28 「너 항상 이렇게 말해줘서 고마워.」 33.29 「그러면 빨리 시작해! 말만 하면 안 돼!」 33.30 「알겠어, 알겠어! 오늘부터 시작할게!」
만약 / 만약에 (manyak / manyage) — "if / supposing": Reinforcing adverb used with -(으)면 or -다면 for hypothetical conditionals: 만약에 비가 오면 (if it should rain), 만약 내가 틀렸다면 (if I were wrong). More hypothetical than plain -(으)면; used for thought experiments and wishes.
-이라도 (irado) — "even just / at least": 조금씩이라도 (even if just a little at a time). N/V + 이라도 = "even if just [this minimum]." Accepts a lesser option as satisfactory: 커피라도 마실래요? (Would you like at least some coffee?). The grammar of graceful minimalism.
말만 하면 안 돼 — "just talking won't do": 말 (words) + 만 (only/just) + 하면 (if do) + 안 돼 (not okay) = if you only talk, it won't work. The Korean way to push someone from intention to action. 생각만 하면 안 돼 (just thinking won't do), 계획만 있으면 안 돼 (just having a plan won't do) — the -만 하면 안 돼 pattern is the grammar of getting off the bench.
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-(으)면 (-myeon) — IPA: /-mjʌn/ — The ㅁ /m/ + ㅕ /jʌ/ + ㄴ /n/. When following a vowel: 오면 /o.mjʌn/ — the -면 attaches smoothly. When following a consonant: -으면 /ɯ.mjʌn/ — the buffer ㅡ /ɯ/ is inserted.
그러면 (geureomyeon) — IPA: /kɯ.ɾʌ.mjʌn/ — Three syllables. Often contracted to 그럼 /kɯɾʌm/ in casual speech: 그럼 됩니다 (if so, that's fine).
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