Example Sentences#

1. “그렇다면 당신은 어떻게 자신이 미쳤다는 걸 아세요?”¹
   “If so, how do you know that you are mad?”

   • 그렇다 means ‘to be so’ or ‘to be like that’.
   • -다면 is a speculative conditional expression. It is a contracted form of -다고 하면, where -다고 is a quotative marker indicating reported speech or thoughts, and 하면 combines 하다 (to say) with 면 (if). This structure implies ‘if it were the case’ or ‘suppose that,’ adding a hypothetical nuance to the statement.

2. 아마 실제로 십자가형을 당해야 하는 상황이 온다면, 저는 그것을 이겨낼 수 있을 것입니다.²
   Perhaps if a situation were to come where I had to actually be crucified, I would be able to overcome it.

   • 오다 means ‘to come’.
   • -ㄴ다면 is a speculative conditional expression. It is a contracted form of -ㄴ다고 하면, where -ㄴ다고 is a quotative marker indicating reported speech or thoughts, and 하면 combines 하다 (to say) with 면 (if). This structure implies ‘if it were the case’ or ‘suppose that,’ adding a hypothetical nuance to the statement.

3. 체셔 고양이: “그렇다면,” 고양이는 계속했다.¹
   Cheshire Cat: “If so,” the Cat continued.

   • 그렇다 means ‘to be so’ or ‘to be like that’.
   • -다면 is a speculative conditional expression. It is a contracted form of -다고 하면, where -다고 is a quotative marker indicating reported speech or thoughts, and 하면 combines 하다 (to say) with 면 (if). This structure implies ‘if it were the case’ or ‘suppose that,’ adding a hypothetical nuance to the statement.