What you'll learn
- Attach -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) to vowel stems, consonant stems, ㄹ stems and nouns.
- Recognise the formal register of rules, notices and instructions.
- Use commands and requests after it.
- Choose between -(으)ㄹ 경우, -(으)면 and -(ㄴ/는)다면.
Prerequisites: the polite ending -아요/어요, -(으)면 and the future -(으)ㄹ 거예요. Time: about 15 minutes.
Listen to two model sentences.
The next section defines the pattern.
What Does -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) Grammar Mean?
-(으)ㄹ 경우(에) means "in case of" or "if it happens that". It is built from three parts. The ending -(으)ㄹ turns a verb into a modifier that points to something not yet certain. 경우 is a dependent noun meaning "case" or "situation". 에 is the particle for "in" or "at". So 올 경우에 literally says "in the case that it comes".
The speaker names one possible case and then tells the listener what to do or what will happen. This is why the pattern is common on signs, in manuals and in announcements. The case is a scenario, not a plan. The sentence says "if this scenario happens", not "when I do this".
Here are two glossed examples.
| Part | 길을 잃을 경우에 이 번호로 전화하세요. | 비가 올 경우에는 행사를 취소합니다. |
|---|---|---|
| Case | 길을 잃을 경우에 (in case you get lost) | 비가 올 경우에는 (if it rains) |
| Instruction or result | 이 번호로 전화하세요 (call this number) | 행사를 취소합니다 (the event will be cancelled) |
| Spoken | [기를 이를껑우에 이 버노로 전화하세요] | [비가 올껑우에는 행사를 취소함니다] |
| RR (aid) | gireul ireul gyeongue i beonhoro jeonhwahaseyo | biga ol gyeongueneun haengsareul chwisohamnida |
| English | In case you get lost, call this number. | If it rains, the event will be cancelled. |
Notice the tense sound in the spoken line. After the ending -ㄹ, the next word often starts with a tense consonant, so 경우 is said with a tense ㄲ: [껑우]. The spelling does not change. This follows Article 27 of the Standard Pronunciation Rules (국립국어원). Revised Romanization (RR) does not mark tensing that comes from a neighbouring sound, so RR writes gyeongu.
The next section shows how to build the form.
How Do You Form -(으)ㄹ 경우(에)?
Remove 다 from the dictionary form to get the stem. The stem is the verb or adjective without its dictionary ending -다. For 먹다 the stem is 먹. Then look at the last sound.
- If the stem ends in a vowel, add ㄹ and then 경우: 오 + ㄹ 경우 = 올 경우.
- If the stem ends in a consonant, add 을 경우: 먹 + 을 경우 = 먹을 경우.
- If the stem ends in ㄹ, keep it and add 경우: 살 + 경우 = 살 경우.
Write 경우 as a separate word, with a space before it. After 경우 you may add 에, 에는 or 에도.
| Dictionary form | Stem | Stem + -(으)ㄹ 경우 | Spoken | RR (aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 가다 (go) | 가 | 갈 경우 | [갈껑우] | gal gyeongu |
| 하다 (do) | 하 | 할 경우 | [할껑우] | hal gyeongu |
| 먹다 (eat) | 먹 | 먹을 경우 | [머글껑우] | meogeul gyeongu |
| 읽다 (read) | 읽 | 읽을 경우 | [일글껑우] | ilgeul gyeongu |
| 있다 (exist, have) | 있 | 있을 경우 | [이쓸껑우] | isseul gyeongu |
| 없다 (not exist) | 없 | 없을 경우 | [업쓸껑우] | eopseul gyeongu |
| 살다 (live) | 살 | 살 경우 | [살껑우] | sal gyeongu |
| 만들다 (make) | 만들 | 만들 경우 | [만들껑우] | mandeul gyeongu |
After a final consonant the 을 joins it, so 먹을 sounds like [머글]. In 있을, the ㅆ moves to the next syllable, giving [이쓸]. In every row, the tense [껑우] is the pronunciation of 경우 after the ending -ㄹ.
Stems Ending in a Vowel
A vowel stem takes ㄹ under its last syllable: 갈 경우, 올 경우, 할 경우, 바쁠 경우. For 하다 words, write 할 경우: 발생할 경우 ("if it occurs"), 부족할 경우 ("if it is not enough").
Stems Ending in a Consonant
A consonant stem takes 을 경우: 먹을 경우, 잃을 경우, 늦을 경우, 없을 경우. The 을 is a helping vowel plus ㄹ.
Irregular Stems and Nouns
Irregular stems follow the usual changes before a vowel sound.
| Type | Dictionary form | With -(으)ㄹ 경우 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ㅂ-irregular | 춥다 (be cold) | 추울 경우 | ㅂ becomes 우 |
| ㄷ-irregular | 듣다 (listen) | 들을 경우 | ㄷ becomes ㄹ |
| 르-irregular | 모르다 (not know) | 모를 경우 | 르 stays; the ending's ㄹ joins it |
| ㅡ stem | 아프다 (be sick) | 아플 경우 | ㅡ stays; the ending's ㄹ joins it |
| ㄹ stem | 살다 (live) | 살 경우 | ㄹ stays |
For nouns, Korean has two routes.
| Route | Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| noun + 의 경우(에) | 학생의 경우에는 | 학생의 경우에는 할인이 있습니다. | For students, there is a discount. |
| noun + 일 경우(에) | 학생일 경우에는 | 학생일 경우에는 할인이 있습니다. | If you are a student, there is a discount. |
The 의 route reads "in the case of X", and the 일 route reads "in the case that it is X". The first is more common in signs. In speech, 의 is often said [에]: 학생의 경우 may sound like [학쌩에 경우].
The next section builds a full sentence.
Worked Example: Building 비가 올 경우에는 행사를 취소합니다
Say "If it rains, the event will be cancelled." Follow five steps.
- Name the case. "It rains" is 비가 오다.
- Find the stem. Remove 다 to get 오.
- Add the ending. 오 ends in a vowel, so ㄹ joins it: 올. Then add 경우: 올 경우.
- Add the particle. 에는 marks the case as the topic: 올 경우에는.
- Add the result. "The event will be cancelled" is 행사를 취소합니다 in the formal style. Join the parts: 비가 올 경우에는 행사를 취소합니다.
You'll know it worked when the case ends in 경우 or 경우에는 and the final verb carries the speech level, here the formal -ㅂ니다. Try the same steps with "If you lose your key, call this number": 열쇠를 잃어버릴 경우 이 번호로 전화하세요.
Sentence
If it rains, the event will be cancelled.
Show answer
비가 올 경우에는 행사를 취소합니다
The next section covers tense and sentence types.
Which Tenses and Sentence Types Work with -(으)ㄹ 경우(에)?
The pattern accepts a few markers before 경우. The result clause can be almost any sentence type.
| Slot | Form | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Possible future | stem + (으)ㄹ 경우 | 늦을 경우 | if you are late |
| Possible earlier event | stem + 았/었을 경우 | 분실했을 경우 | if you have lost it |
| Negative | stem + 지 않을 경우 | 지키지 않을 경우 | if you do not keep it |
| Honorific | stem + (으)실 경우 | 손님이 오실 경우 | if a guest comes |
| Statement after | formal or polite | 취소합니다. | It will be cancelled. |
| Command after | 세요 | 이 번호로 전화하세요. | Call this number. |
| Request after | 주세요 | 바로 신고해 주세요. | Please report it at once. |
| Question after | rising for yes/no | 그럴 경우 취소돼요? | In that case, is it cancelled? |
This is a difference from -아/어야, which does not take commands. The pattern is built for instructions, so commands and requests are the usual result.
Look at the past form. The marker 았/었 sits before 을: 분실하 + ㅆ + 을 경우 = 분실했을 경우. It describes a case in which something may already have happened, such as a lost item. The speaker does not know whether it happened. The past tense has its own page: past tense -았/었-.
The pattern pictures a future case with ㄹ. Future plans are covered in future tense -(으)ㄹ 거예요 and future guess -겠-. Do not add 겠 before 경우.
Yes/no questions end with a rise. A wh-question puts the stress on the question word and often ends with a fall or a rise-fall, rather than a sharp rise: 그럴 경우에는 어떻게 해요? asks "In that case, what do I do?"
The next section compares -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) with -(으)면.
How Is -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) Different from -(으)면?
Both can be translated as "if". The difference is register and the way the case is pictured.
| Feature | -(으)면 | -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) | -(ㄴ/는)다면 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Register | everyday | formal, written | neutral, a bit literary |
| Feeling | a simple condition | one scenario among several | an imagined or assumed situation |
| Typical use | plans and advice among friends | rules, manuals, notices | wishes and unlikely cases |
| Result clause | any | procedure or warning | any |
| Example | 비가 오면 집에 있어요. | 비가 올 경우 취소합니다. | 비가 온다면 취소할까요? |
Compare these two sentences.
- 비가 오면 집에 있어요. ("If it rains, I stay home.") A personal plan, said casually.
- 비가 올 경우에는 행사를 취소합니다. ("If it rains, the event will be cancelled.") An announcement. The speaker lists a case and its procedure.
A useful test is to ask whether you could put the sentence on a sign. If yes, -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) fits. If it is a casual plan, use -(으)면. For a hypothetical case, such as a wish or an imagined situation, read -(ㄴ/는)다면.
The next section covers set phrases and edge cases.
Variations and Edge Cases of -(으)ㄹ 경우(에)
에, 에는 and 에도
The particle after 경우 changes the sentence slightly. 경우에 is the plain "in the case". 경우에는 adds a topic feeling, "as for this case". 경우에도 means "even in the case": 비가 올 경우에도 행사를 합니다 means "Even if it rains, we hold the event." You can also drop the particle entirely, as in 길을 잃을 경우 전화하세요.
Adding 만약 or 혹시
Speakers often add 만약 ("if by any chance") or 혹시 ("by any chance") at the start of the sentence. 만약 불이 날 경우 means "If a fire breaks out." These words make the case feel more remote, and they are common in warnings.
만일의 경우
The noun phrase 만일의 경우 means "an emergency" or "just in case". 만일의 경우에 대비해서 보험에 들었어요 means "I took out insurance in case anything happens."
경우에 따라
경우에 따라 means "depending on the case". 경우에 따라 달라요 is a handy answer for "It depends." It is used in speech and in writing.
경우 as a Plain Noun
경우 is also a normal noun for "case". 이런 경우가 많아요 means "There are many cases like this." You can use it with a demonstrative: 이런 경우, 그런 경우.
-는 경우 and -(으)ㄴ 경우
You will also meet 오는 경우 and 온 경우. These describe a case in general or a case that has already come up. -(으)ㄹ 경우 pictures a case that may come in the future.
The next section lists the mistakes that appear most often.
What Mistakes Do Learners Make with -(으)ㄹ 경우(에)?
Learners make seven predictable mistakes. Each has a reason and a fix.
Learners often attach 경우 to a noun directly. Wrong: 학생 경우에는 할인이 있어요. Right: 학생의 경우에는 할인이 있어요. Fix: add 의, or use 이다: 학생일 경우에는. You may hear 의 dropped in quick speech, but keep it in writing and in careful speech.
Learners often write 경우 without a space. Wrong: 올경우에는. Right: 올 경우에는. Fix: 경우 is a separate word.
Learners often add 을 after a ㄹ stem. Wrong: 살을 경우 and 만들을 경우. Right: 살 경우 and 만들 경우. Fix: a stem that ends in ㄹ takes 경우 directly.
Learners often forget the ㅂ change. Wrong: 춥을 경우. Right: 추울 경우. Fix: ㅂ-irregular stems become 우 before a vowel sound.
Learners often use it in casual chat. Wrong: 배고플 경우에는 우리 밥 먹자. Right: 배고프면 우리 밥 먹자. Fix: for plans between friends, use -(으)면.
Learners often choose the wrong tense marker. Wrong: 오겠을 경우. Right: 올 경우. Fix: do not add 겠 before 경우. The ending -(으)ㄹ already pictures a future case.
Learners often leave out the procedure. Wrong: 비가 올 경우에는. Right: 비가 올 경우에는 행사를 취소합니다. Fix: name the case, then say what happens.
The next section gives you practice.
Practice and Answers
Do the four tasks, then compare with the key.
Task 1: join the sentences with -(으)ㄹ 경우. Write one sentence for each pair.
- 길을 잃다 / 이 번호로 전화하세요.
- 비가 오다 / 행사를 취소합니다.
- 화재가 발생하다 / 비상구로 나가세요.
- 약속을 지키지 않다 / 벌금을 내야 합니다.
Task 2: fix the error. Each sentence has one mistake. Rewrite it correctly.
- 서울에 살을 경우 지하철을 타세요.
- 학생 경우에는 할인이 있습니다.
- 비가 올경우에는 행사를 취소합니다.
Task 3: translate. Write in Korean: "If you lose your key, please call this number." and "It depends on the case."
Task 4: write your own. Write one rule for a classroom that uses 경우, and one sentence with 만일의 경우.
Practice · 5
How do you say "in case it rains" with 오다?
Show answer
올 경우
오 ends in a vowel, so the ending is ㄹ 경우, written 올 경우. 경우 is a separate word.
Which form of 먹다 is correct?
Show answer
먹을 경우
먹 ends in a consonant, so the ending is 을 경우.
Which form of 살다 (live) is correct?
Show answer
살 경우
A stem that ends in ㄹ keeps its ㄹ and takes 경우 directly. There is no 을.
How do you say "in the case of students"?
Show answer
학생의 경우
A noun joins 경우 with the possessive 의: 학생의 경우. You can also say 학생일 경우.
Which sentence would you expect on a safety notice?
Show answer
화재가 발생할 경우 비상구로 대피하세요.
-(으)ㄹ 경우 is formal and fits notices. The other sentences are casual plans between friends, where -(으)면 would be natural.
Answer key
- (1) 길을 잃을 경우 이 번호로 전화하세요. (2) 비가 올 경우 행사를 취소합니다. (3) 화재가 발생할 경우 비상구로 나가세요. (4) 약속을 지키지 않을 경우 벌금을 내야 합니다.
- (1) 서울에 살 경우 지하철을 타세요. (2) 학생의 경우에는 할인이 있습니다. (3) 비가 올 경우에는 행사를 취소합니다.
- 열쇠를 잃어버릴 경우 이 번호로 전화해 주세요. 경우에 따라 달라요. Other correct versions exist, for example 열쇠를 잃어버렸을 경우 이 번호로 전화해 주세요.
- Sample answers: 수업에 늦을 경우 미리 알려 주세요. 만일의 경우에 대비해서 우산을 가져왔어요. Any pair is correct if the verb stem is followed by ㄹ 경우 or 을 경우 and a procedure follows.
If task 1 was correct, you have the formation rule. If task 2 was hard, check the noun route and the spacing. The next section points you to what comes after this lesson.
What Should You Learn after -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) Grammar?
After -(으)ㄹ 경우(에), learn -다가는, a warning "if you keep doing X". Review -(으)면 and -(ㄴ/는)다면 if the difference between the three "if" endings is still hazy.
For a wider view, the parent page Conditions (If) lists every connector in this group. To plan by level, use Intermediate Grammar.
This lesson covers -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) in the polite and formal styles. It does not cover every written variation. About this page. Last updated 2026-10-09. Revised Romanization follows the national rules and is shown only as a learning aid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) Mean?
-(으)ㄹ 경우(에) means "in case of" or "if it happens that". It names one possible case and then says what to do or what will happen. 길을 잃을 경우에 이 번호로 전화하세요 means "In case you get lost, call this number." It is common in rules, notices and instructions.
How Do I Attach -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) to a Verb or Adjective?
Take the stem. After a vowel, add ㄹ 경우: 오 becomes 올 경우. After a final consonant, add 을 경우: 먹을 경우. A stem ending in ㄹ keeps it: 살 경우. ㅂ-irregular stems turn into 우: 춥다 becomes 추울 경우. With a noun, use 의 경우(에): 학생의 경우. Write 경우 as a separate word.
Can -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) Be Used in the past Tense?
Yes, as -았/었을 경우(에). It describes a case in which something may already have happened: 분실했을 경우 바로 신고해 주세요, "If you have lost it, report it at once." The main clause shows the speech level. A plain past statement is not the usual use of this pattern.
Is -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) Used in Speech or Only in Writing?
It is used in both, but it sounds formal. You will see it in rules, contracts, manuals, announcements and news. In everyday chat with friends, -(으)면 is much more common. Speakers use 경우 in explanations, such as 그런 경우에는 어떻게 해요?, but still in a fairly careful style.
What Is the Most Common Mistake with -(으)ㄹ 경우(에)?
The most common mistake is attaching 경우 to a noun directly, as in 학생 경우. A noun needs 의 or 이다: 학생의 경우 or 학생일 경우. Other frequent mistakes are 살을 경우 for a ㄹ stem, 춥을 경우 for a ㅂ-irregular stem and the unspaced 올경우.
What Is the Difference between -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) and -(으)면?
-(으)면 is the everyday "if" and fits any sentence. -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) pictures one specific case and is typical of formal rules and warnings. 비가 오면 집에 있어요 is a casual plan. 비가 올 경우에는 행사를 취소합니다 is an announcement. Choose the second for notices.
