Example Sentences#

1. 맨날 카페만 가면 지겹지 않아?¹
   Aren’t you tired of always going to cafes?

   • 가다 means ‘to go’.
   • -면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’ or ‘when’.

2. “방향만 바꾸면 돼,” 고양이가 말했고, 쥐를 잡아먹었다.²
   “You only need to change your direction,” said the cat, and ate it up.

   • 바꾸다 means ‘to change’.
   • 면 is a conditional ending, meaning ‘if’.

3. 체셔 고양이: “그럼 어느 쪽으로 가든 상관없어,” 고양이가 말했다.³
   Cheshire Cat: “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the cat.

   • 그럼 is a contraction of 그러면, meaning ‘then’ or ‘in that case’. 그러면 is composed of 그렇다 meaning ‘to be so’, and 면, a conditional marker meaning ‘if’. Combined, 그러면 literally means ‘if (it is) so’.

4. 아니면 살짝 웃어볼까⁴
   Or should I give a soft smile?

   • 아니다 means ‘to not be’.
   • 면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’, but when combined with 아니 as 아니면, it forms a conjunction meaning ‘or’ or ‘if not’.

5. 경험에 따르면, 누군가 제 곁에 있으면 그 사람의 성격이 저를 방해하고 자유를 제한합니다.⁵
   In my experience, if someone is beside me, their personality disturbs me and restricts my freedom.

   • 있다 means ‘to exist’ or ‘to be’.
   • (으)면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’.

6. 내가 하나 먹으면, 너도 하나만 먹는 거야.⁶
   If I eat one, you also eat one.

   • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
   • -으면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’.

7. 그러나 언젠가 이 떨어져 있는 지식들이 모이면, 현실의 무서운 모습을 드러내고, 그 속에서 우리의 무서운 위치를 알게 되어 우리는 그 사실로 인해 미쳐버리거나 그 빛을 피해 새로운 어두운 시대의 평화와 안전 속으로 도망칠 것입니다.⁷
   However, someday, if these separate pieces of knowledge come together, they will reveal the fearful reality, and in that, we will come to know our terrifying position and either go mad or flee into the peace and safety of a new dark age, avoiding the light.

   • 모이다 is the passive form of 모으다 (to gather or collect), created by adding the passive suffix -이-, meaning ‘to be gathered’ or ‘to be collected’.
   • 면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’.

8. 타로는 점점 더 절망을 느끼며, 산이 되면 정말로 강할 것이라고 확신했습니다.⁸
   Taro gradually felt more despair and was sure that if he became a mountain, he would truly be strong.

   • 되다 means ‘to become’.
   • 면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’.

9. 서준: 불고기만 먹으면 좀 느끼할 것 같아.⁹
   Seojun: I think eating only bulgogi might be a bit too greasy.

   • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
   • -으면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’ or ‘when’.

10. 하린: 그럼…¹
    Harin: Well then…

    • 그럼 is a contraction of 그러면, meaning ‘then’ or ‘in that case’. 그러면 is composed of 그렇다 meaning ‘to be so’, and 면, a conditional marker meaning ‘if’. Combined, 그러면 literally means ‘if (it is) so’.

11. 앨리스: “—어디든 가기만 하면 돼요,” 앨리스가 덧붙였다.³
    Alice: “—so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added.

    • 하다 means ‘to do’.
    • -면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’ or ‘when’.

12. 사람들이 가까이 오면 저는 즉시 싫어하게 됩니다.⁵
    When people get close to me, I immediately start to dislike them.

    • 오다 means ‘to come’.
    • 면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’.

13. 해진: 그럼 떡볶이랑 불고기 둘 다 시키자.⁹
    Haejin: Then let’s order both tteokbokki and bulgogi.

    • 그럼 is a contraction of 그러면, meaning ‘then’ or ‘in that case’. 그러면 is composed of 그렇다 meaning ‘to be so’, and 면, a conditional marker meaning ‘if’. Combined, 그러면 literally means ‘if (it is) so’.

14. 근데 난 한강 가면 치맥이 먼저 생각나는데?¹
    But when I go to the Han River, chicken and beer comes to mind first, doesn’t it?

    • 가다 means ‘to go’.
    • -면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’ or ‘when’.

15. 체셔 고양이: “오, 넌 분명히 갈 곳이 있을 거야,” 고양이가 말했다, “오래 걷기만 하면 돼.”³
    Cheshire Cat: “Oh, you’re sure to find a place,’ said the cat, ‘as long as you walk long enough.”

    • 하다 means ‘to do’.
    • -면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’ or ‘when’.

16. 같이 나눠 먹으면 되잖아.⁹
    We can share them together.

    • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
    • -으면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’ or ‘when’.

17. 그럼 모두 만족이겠지?¹
    Then everyone will be satisfied, right?

    • 그럼 is a contraction of 그러면, meaning ‘then’ or ‘in that case’. 그러면 is composed of 그렇다 meaning ‘to be so’, and 면, a conditional marker meaning ‘if’. Combined, 그러면 literally means ‘if (it is) so’.

18. “그렇지 않으면 여기에 오지 않았을 테니까.”³
    “Otherwise, you wouldn’t have come.”

    • 않다 is an auxiliary verb that makes the clause negative.
    • (으)면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’.
    • Together with 그렇지, the phrase 그렇지 않으면 means ‘otherwise’.

19. 해진: 좋아, 그럼 떡볶이 덜 맵게 하나, 불고기 하나, 그리고 밥도 추가하자.⁹
    Haejin: Alright, so one less spicy tteokbokki, one bulgogi, and let’s add some rice too.

    • 그럼 is a contraction of 그러면, meaning ‘then’ or ‘in that case’. 그러면 is composed of 그렇다 meaning ‘to be so’, and 면, a conditional marker meaning ‘if’. Combined, 그러면 literally means ‘if (it is) so’.