Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 만약 | manyak | [ˈma̠(ː)ɲa̠k̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| -면 | -myeon | [mjʌ̹n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | adjective, suffix, verb |
In Korean, expressing a condition can be done through an adverb or a grammatical suffix. The adverb 만약 is often placed at the beginning of a sentence to set the stage for a hypothetical situation, though it is grammatically optional if the conditional suffix is already attached to a verb or adjective. To express "supposing that," speakers frequently use both 만약 and the suffix -면 together in a single sentence to clearly signal a hypothetical scenario.
Which one should you use?
만약 is an adverb used to emphasize the hypothetical nature of a condition, whereas -면 is a grammatical suffix attached to verbs or adjectives to create the "if" clause.
How does it change in a sentence?
The suffix -면 is attached directly to the stem of a verb or adjective to express the condition "if". When using the verb "to be" (이다), the "if" suffix -면 becomes -라면.
How do you pronounce it?
manyak
Did you know?
- The word 만약 is derived from the Chinese characters for 'ten thousand' and 'as if'. It literally suggests a possibility among ten thousand others.
- In Korean, the 'if' construction using -면 is often used to express a cause-and-effect relationship that is almost certain to happen, even if English would use 'if'.
- Korean speakers often omit the 'then' part of an 'if-then' sentence entirely, leaving the listener to infer the result from the context.
Examples in context
- 만약 내가 너라면, 톰을 도울거야.If I were you, I'd help Tom.This sentence shows how to use 만약 in a hypothetical statement.Tatoeba #9694250 by ST_Young, translation #9688039 by CK
- 내가 만약 너라면 의사를 부를 텐데.If I were you, I'd call a doctor.This sentence demonstrates an alternative placement of 만약 within a hypothetical sentence.Tatoeba #8362127 by Eunhee, translation #5899230 by tvindy
- 만약 돈을 빌려야 되면, 나한테 알려줘.If you need to borrow some money, let me know.This sentence shows the use of 만약 to express a condition regarding needing to borrow money.Tatoeba #13755281 by qlTmalffk, translation #6565786 by CK
- 만약 비가 오면 우산을 가져 가세요.If it rains, please bring an umbrella.
- 만약 시간이 있다면 영화를 보러 갈래?If you have time, do you want to go watch a movie?
- 만일 그 일이 발생하면 즉시 연락 주세요.If that incident occurs, please contact me immediately.
- 비가 오면 나가지 않을 거예요.If it rains, I won't go out.
- 돈을 벌고 싶다면 열심히 일해야 돼요.If you want to earn money, you have to work hard.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Min-jun are talking about their weekend plans.
- 지은 Ji-eun만약 내일 비가 오면 어떻게 할까?man-yak nae-il bi-ga o-myeon eo-tteo-ke hal-kka?What should we do if it rains tomorrow?
- 민준 Min-jun그럼 그냥 집에서 영화를 보자.geu-reom geu-nyang jip-e-seo yeong-hwa-reul bo-ja.Then let's just watch a movie at home.
- 지은 Ji-eun좋아, 그럼 내가 팝콘을 준비할게.jo-a, geu-reom nae-ga pap-kon-eul jun-bi-hal-ge.Okay, then I will prepare the popcorn.
- 민준 Min-jun그래, 지은아. 내일 연락할게.geu-rae, Ji-eun-a. nae-il yeon-rak-hal-ge.Sure, Ji-eun. I'll contact you tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “if” translations and entries 만약, -면, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries -면, 만약, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
