Korean Grammar Basic #10 – How to Use “(으)면” (If / When)

Lee Serene
Oct 24, 2025
3 min read

1️⃣ Introduction

In English, we say:

“If it rains, I stay home.”“If you study, you’ll improve.”

In Korean, we use (으)면 to mean “if” or sometimes “when,” depending on context.It connects two clauses — a condition and a result.

2️⃣ Grammar Explanation

🔹 (으)면 (eu-myeon) — “If / When”

Form

Verb / Adjective + (으)면

Usage

Use (으)면 when describing:

Conditional situations — “if this happens, then that happens.”
Repeated results — “when I do A, B always happens.”
Suggestions / Advice — “if you feel tired, rest.”

Type	Ending	Rule	Example
Verb / adjective stem ending with a consonant (except ㄹ)	+으면	먹 → 먹으면	If (someone) eats
Verb / adjective stem ending with a vowel or ㄹ	+면	가 → 가면 / 살 → 살면	If (someone) goes / lives
Noun (with final consonant) + 이다	+이면	학생 → 학생이면	If (someone) is a student
Noun (no final consonant) + 이다	+면	의사 → 의사면	If (someone) is a doctor

Example Sentences

1️⃣ 비가 오면 집에 있어요.(bi-ga o-myeon ji-be i-sseo-yo)

→ If it rains, I stay home.

2️⃣ 시간이 있으면 영화를 봐요.(si-ga-ni i-sseu-myeon yeong-hwa-reul bwa-yo)

→ If I have time, I watch a movie.

3️⃣ 한국에 가면 김치를 먹어요.(han-gu-ge ga-myeon gim-chi-reul meo-geo-yo)

→ When I go to Korea, I eat kimchi.

4️⃣ 학생이면 열심히 공부해야 해요.(hak-saeng-i-myeon yeol-si-mi gong-bu-hae-ya hae-yo)

→ If you’re a student, you should study hard.

5️⃣ 피곤하면 쉬세요.(pi-go-na-myeon swi-se-yo)

→ If you’re tired, please rest.

3️⃣ Comparison: (으)면 vs (을) 때

Both (으)면 and (을) 때 can mean “when,” but they are not the same.
(으)면 means “if this happens, then that will happen” — a conditional meaning.
(을) 때 means “at the time when something happens” — a specific moment meaning.

Grammar	Meaning	Use For	Example	Translation
(으)면	If / When (conditional)	hypothetical or repeated situations	비가 오면 집에 있어요.	If it rains, I stay home.
(을) 때	When (time-based)	describing a moment or timing	비가 올 때 우산을 써요.	When it rains, I use an umbrella.

Examples:

1️⃣ 한국에 가면 친구를 만나요.

→ If/when I go to Korea, I meet my friend. (habit or condition)

2️⃣ 한국에 갈 때 친구를 만나요.

→ When I go to Korea, I meet my friend. (specific timing, once event)

4️⃣ Mini Practice

Fill in the blanks

(Choose the correct form of (으)면)

1️⃣ 날씨가 좋____ 산에 가요.

(If the weather is nice, I go to the mountain.)

2️⃣ 피곤하____ 일찍 자요.

(If I’m tired, I go to bed early.)

3️⃣ 한국에 가____ 친구를 만나요.

(When I go to Korea, I meet my friend.)

4️⃣ 배가 고프____ 밥을 먹어요.

(If I’m hungry, I eat food.)

5️⃣ 의사____ 병원에서 일해요.

(If you’re a doctor, you work at a hospital.)

Answers

1️⃣ 좋으면 → 날씨가 좋으면 산에 가요.

→ "If the weather is nice, I go to the mountain."

→ “좋다” ends with a consonant → use 으면.

2️⃣ 피곤하면 → 피곤하면 일찍 자요.

→ "If I’m tired, I go to bed early."

→ Adjective ends with a vowel → use 면.

3️⃣ 가면 → 한국에 가면 친구를 만나요.

→ "When I go to Korea, I meet my friend."

→ Verb stem ends with a vowel → add 면.

4️⃣ 고프면 → 배가 고프면 밥을 먹어요.

→ "If I’m hungry, I eat food."

→ Verb stem ends with a vowel → add 면.

5️⃣ 면 → 의사면 병원에서 일해요.

→ "If you’re a doctor, you work at a hospital."

→ Noun without final consonant → use 면 (not 이면).

Vocabulary Check

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
날씨	(nal-ssi)	weather
산	(san)	mountain
피곤하다	(pi-gon-ha-da)	to be tired
한국	(han-guk)	Korea
배가 고프다	(bae-ga go-peu-da)	to be hungry
의사	(ui-sa)	doctor

Summary

Grammar	Function	Example	Meaning
(으)면	Condition (“if / when”)	비가 오면 집에 있어요.	If it rains, I stay home.
(을) 때	Time (“when”)	비가 올 때 우산을 써요.	When it rains, I use an umbrella.
Noun + (이)면	Conditional identity	학생이면 공부해야 해요.	If you’re a student, you should study.

Verb/adjective: add (으)면 based on ending.
Noun: add 이면 with final consonant, add 면 without final consonant.
Use (으)면 for results, (을) 때 for timing.

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