Skip to content
으면
Basic-knowledge-for-people.png · Homer Hulbert · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

으면

If and when (으면)

The everyday “if/when” ending — 비가 오면, 시간 있으면.

One ending, two English words

Attach (으)면 to a stem: vowel or ㄹ → ; otherwise 으면. 비가 오면 집에 있어요 is both “if it rains” and “when it rains.” Past + 으면 is a counterfactual flavor you can learn later.

시간 있으면 전화하세요.
sigan isseumyeon jeonhwahaseyo.
Call if you have time.
모르면 물어보세요.
moreumyeon mureoboseyo.
If you don’t know, ask.

Related