Korean grammar · Elementary (A2)
If sentences: -(으)면, -(으)려면, -다면, -았/었더라면
Real conditions with -(으)면, “if you want to” with -(으)려면, imagined ones with -다면, wishes, and the unreal past with -았/었더라면.
-(으)면: if, when
-(으)면 (-(eu)myeon) is the everyday “if” and also “when(ever)”. Add -면 after a vowel or ㄹ and -으면 after a consonant. Irregular verbs change as usual, and nouns take (이)면.
The “if” part stays in the present even when you talk about the future: (biga omyeon jibe isseul geoyeyo), if it rains, I'll stay at home. It also states what always happens: (bomi doemyeon kkochi pieoyo), when spring comes, the flowers bloom.
| Verb | If … | Why |
|---|---|---|
| (gada), to go | (gamyeon) | vowel stem |
| (meokda), to eat | (meogeumyeon) | consonant stem |
| (salda), to live | (salmyeon) | ㄹ stem: just -면 |
| (chupda), to be cold | (chuumyeon) | ㅂ irregular |
| (deutda), to listen | (deureumyeon) | ㄷ irregular |
| (haksaengida) | (haksaengimyeon) | noun after a consonant |
| (uisada) | (uisamyeon) | noun after a vowel |
- 시간이 있으면 같이 커피 마셔요.Sigani isseumyeon gachi keopi masyeoyo.If you have time, let's have a coffee together.
- 추우면 창문을 닫으세요.Chuumyeon changmuneul dadeuseyo.If you're cold, close the window.
- 모르면 물어보세요.Moreumyeon mureoboseyo.If you don't know, ask.
-(으)려면: if you want to
-(으)려면 (-(eu)ryeomyeon) means “if you want to, if you intend to”. The second part says what is needed: (gyejwareul mandeullyeomyeon sinbunjeungi piryohaeyo), to open an account you need ID. It's the natural way to ask for directions or instructions: (sicheonge garyeomyeon eotteoke gaya dwaeyo?), how do I get to City Hall?
- 환불하려면 영수증이 있어야 돼요.Hwanbulharyeomyeon yeongsujeungi isseoya dwaeyo.If you want a refund, you need the receipt.
- 좋은 자리에 앉으려면 일찍 가야 돼요.Joeun jarie anjeuryeomyeon iljjik gaya dwaeyo.If you want a good seat, you have to go early.
-다면: supposing, imagining
-다면 is an “if” for situations that are unlikely or imagined. It is built on the plain form: action verbs -ㄴ/는다면 ( (gandamyeon), (meongneundamyeon)), descriptive verbs -다면 ( (mantamyeon)), nouns (이)라면 ( (naramyeon)). With the future it says what you would do: (doni mantamyeon segye yeohaengeul hal geoyeyo), if I had a lot of money, I'd travel round the world.
(jeoramyeon), if I were you, is a polite way to give advice: (jeoramyeon geu hoesae an gal geoyeyo), if I were you, I wouldn't go to that company.
- 다시 태어난다면 뭘 하고 싶어요?Dasi taeeonandamyeon mwol hago sipeoyo?If you were born again, what would you like to do?
- 시간을 되돌릴 수 있다면 대학교 때로 가고 싶어요.Siganeul doedollil su itdamyeon daehakgyo ttaero gago sipeoyo.If I could turn back time, I'd like to go back to my university days.
Wishes: -았/었으면 좋겠다
To say “I hope” or “I wish”, put the verb in the past + -으면 and add (jokesseoyo): (naeil nalssiga joasseumyeon jokesseoyo), I hope the weather's nice tomorrow. The past here doesn't mean the past; it makes the wish sound softer and more heartfelt. -(으)면 좋겠어요 (without the past) is also correct and common.
In formal speech and writing, -기를 바랍니다 (-gireul baramnida) expresses a wish for someone else: (joeun gyeolgwaga itgireul baramnida), I hope you get a good result.
- 이번 시험에 꼭 붙었으면 좋겠어요.Ibeon siheome kkok buteosseumyeon jokesseoyo.I really hope I pass this exam.
- 주말에 좀 쉬었으면 좋겠다.Jumare jom swieosseumyeon joketda.I wish I could get some rest at the weekend. (casual)
The unreal past: if only I had …
For things that didn't happen, put both parts in the past. In conversation: -았/었으면 … -았/었을 거예요: (arasseumyeon an gasseul geoyeyo), if I'd known, I wouldn't have gone.
-았/었더라면 (-at/eotdeoramyeon) is a stronger “if only”, and -(으)ㄹ 텐데 (-(eu)l tende) adds regret, “it would have been …”: (jogeumman iljjik chulbalhaetdeoramyeon gichareul tal su isseosseul tendeyo), if only we'd left a little earlier, we could have caught the train.
- 미리 예약했으면 기다리지 않았을 거예요.Miri yeyakhaesseumyeon gidariji anasseul geoyeyo.If we'd booked in advance, we wouldn't have had to wait.
- 그때 우산을 가져왔더라면 좋았을 텐데.Geuttae usaneul gajyeowatdeoramyeon joasseul tende.If only I'd brought an umbrella then.
- 대책을 세웠더라면 피해가 적었을 거예요.Daechaegeul sewotdeoramyeon pihaega jeogeosseul geoyeyo.If measures had been taken, the damage would have been smaller.