A/V-(으)면 ①

if

Structure
Vowel-final: 가다 → 가 + 면 → 가면 (if one goes)
Consonant-final: 먹다 → 먹 + 으면 → 먹으면 (if one eats)
ㄹ-final: 살다 → 살 + 면 → 살면 (if one lives)
Explanation

-(으)면 is used when stating a condition about some fact, daily occurrence, or some repetitive action mentioned later in the sentence. It means 'if' or 'when' in English. When the verb stem ends in a vowel or ㄹ, -면 is used, and when it ends in a consonant, 으면 is used.

Details

Information about something that happened in the past cannot come before -(으)면 in a sentence. Furthermore, when an action only occurs once, -(으)ㄹ 때 is used.

어제 영회를 보면 울었어요. ✕
→어제 영화를 볼 때 울었어요. ✓
Yesterday, when I watched a movie, I cried.
동생이 집에 없으면 친구가 왔어요. ✕
→동생이 집에 없을 때 친구가 왔어요. ✓
Yesterday, when my younger brother/sister was not home, my friend came.

When the subjects of the first and second clauses are different, the particle following the subject of the first clause changes from 은/는 to 이/가.

동생은 이야기하면 친구들이 웃어요. ✕
→동생이 이야기하면 친구들이 웃어요. ✓
When my brother tells a story, his friends laugh.
티루엔 씨는 회사에 안 오면 사무실이 조용해요. ✕
→티루엔 씨가 회시에 안 오면 사무실이 조용해요. ✓
When Tiruen does not go to work, the office is quiet.

Kimchi Reader

Used when the preceding statement becomes the condition of the following statement.