-(으)려면 Grammar in Korean: Meaning and How to Use It

What you'll learn

• Attach -(으)려면 to any verb stem.
• Choose between 려면 and 으려면, and handle ㄹ stems and stems that end in 으.
• Use it for advice, directions and instructions.
• Choose between -(으)려면, -(으)려고 and -(으)면.

Prerequisites: -(으)면 and the obligation ending -아/어야 해요. Time: about 15 minutes.

Key facts

• -(으)려면 names a goal in the first clause and what is needed in the second.
• It is taught with verbs. For an adjective, first make a verb with -아/어지다. It does not attach to nouns.
• The form depends on the last sound of the stem: 려면 after a vowel or ㄹ, 으려면 after any other consonant.
• The result is often -아/어야 해요, a command or a piece of advice.

Listen to two model sentences.

The next section defines the pattern.

What Does -(으)려면 Grammar Mean?

-(으)려면 means "if you want to" or "in order to". A connective ending is a word ending that joins one clause to the next. -(으)려면 is a connective ending that tells the listener, "If you aim to do the first thing, here is what you need."

The ending is a short form of -(으)려고 하면, which means "if you try to" or "if you intend to". The first clause is a goal, not a fact. It has not happened yet. The second clause then names the requirement, the route or the advice.

Here are two glossed examples.

In both sentences the second clause is a requirement or an instruction. This is typical. The ending is the most natural way to give directions and advice in Korean.

The next section shows how to build the form.

How Do You Form -(으)려면?

Remove 다 from the dictionary form to get the stem. The stem is the verb without its dictionary ending -다. For 먹다 the stem is 먹. Then look at the last sound of the stem.

The rule has three parts. After a vowel, add 려면. After a final consonant, add 으려면. A stem that ends in ㄹ takes 려면 directly: 살려면, 만들려면. Learners often add 으 to ㄹ stems by mistake, as in 살으려면. That is wrong.

Take care with stems that already end in the vowel 으, such as 모으다 and 쓰다. The stem of 모으다 is 모으, which ends in a vowel, so it takes 려면: 모으려면. The stem of 쓰다 is 쓰, so it takes 려면 too: 쓰려면. These look like 으려면 forms, but the 으 is part of the stem.

Stems Ending in a Vowel

Vowel stems take 려면 directly: 가려면, 사려면, 하려면. No contraction happens.

For verbs made with 하다, add 려면 to 하: 공부하려면, 합격하려면 [합껴카려면]. You do not need to change 하 to 해.

Stems Ending in a Consonant

Consonant stems take 으려면: 먹으려면, 읽으려면, 앉으려면. Say the sentence 이 책을 읽으려면 사전이 필요해요 ("To read this book, you need a dictionary") slowly. You will hear that the ending 으려면 sounds like [일그려면].

Irregular Stems

Irregular stems change before 으려면 in the same way they do before other 으 endings. An irregular stem is one that changes its shape before an ending that begins with a vowel sound.

Nouns do not take this ending; for a noun, use (이)라면. Standard lessons teach the ending with verbs, and for adjectives there is a safe workaround in the edge cases below.

The next section builds a full sentence.

Worked Example: Building 표를 사려면 어디로 가야 해요

Say "Where must I go to buy a ticket?" Follow five steps.

1. Write the goal. "I buy a ticket" is 표를 사요 in the polite style.
2. Find the stem. The dictionary form is 사다, so the stem is 사. It ends in a vowel.
3. Add 려면. A vowel stem takes 려면: 사려면. Remove the polite ending 요, because the ending belongs to the last verb only.
4. Write the requirement. "Where must I go?" is 어디로 가야 해요. The pattern -아/어야 해요 means "must".
5. Join the two parts. 표를 사려면 어디로 가야 해요?

You'll know it worked when the first verb ends in 려면 with nothing after it, and the polite ending 요 appears only once, at the end. Try the same steps with "To lose weight, I must exercise": 빼다 gives 빼려면, and 운동해야 해요 follows.

The next section covers tense and sentence types.

Which Tenses and Sentence Types Work with -(으)려면?

Tense in Korean is shown on the verb before the ending. For -(으)려면, the first clause takes no tense marker. You cannot say 갔으려면 or 가겠으려면. The goal is something you still want to reach, so it has no past form. The last verb of the sentence carries the speech level, and it is usually present or a command.

The subject of the first clause is normally the person who wants the goal. This is the speaker (as in "If I want to..."), the listener (as in "If you want to...") or people in general. Unlike -(으)려고, the two clauses can have different subjects: 아이가 한국어를 잘하려면 부모가 도와줘야 해요 means "For a child to speak Korean well, the parents must help." With a subject that cannot want anything, the ending means "for X to happen": 봄이 오려면 아직 멀었어요 means "Spring is still a long way off."

The result clause is where this ending shows its use. It often contains -아/어야 해요 (must), a command (-(으)세요), a need (필요해요), a recommendation (-는 게 좋아요) or a length of time (걸려요). It is rarely a plain past event.

Yes/no questions end with a rise: 가려면 지하철을 타야 해요? 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: 표를 사려면 어디로 가야 해요? means "Where must I go to buy a ticket?"

The next section compares -(으)려면 with its neighbours.

How Is -(으)려면 Different from -(으)려고 and -(으)면?

All three can be translated with "to" or "if", and that is why learners mix them up. The difference is what the first clause does.

The key test is whether the first clause is a goal, a purpose or a condition. -(으)려고 explains why someone does something. The two clauses share a subject, and the main clause cannot be a command or a suggestion. You cannot say 한국어를 배우려고 학원에 다니세요. -(으)려면 does not have that limit. It is built for commands and advice: 한국어를 배우려면 학원에 다니세요. Compare these two.

• 한국에 가려면 여권이 필요해요. ("If you want to go to Korea, you need a passport.") The goal is going, and the passport is the requirement.
• 한국에 가면 김치를 먹을 거예요. ("If I go to Korea, I will eat kimchi.") Going is a condition, and eating is the result. See -(으)면.

For a detailed side-by-side with practice, see -(으)려고 vs -(으)러. The next section covers set phrases and edge cases.

Variations and Edge Cases of -(으)려면

Adjectives: Use -아/어지다 First

-(으)려면 is taught with verbs, because the first clause names something a person tries to do. To say "if you want to become X", first turn the adjective into a verb with -아/어지다 ("become"). The adjective 건강하다 ("be healthy") becomes the verb 건강해지다 ("become healthy"), and then 건강해지려면 means "if you want to become healthy". The same works for 예뻐지려면 ("if you want to become pretty") and 날씬해지려면 ("if you want to become slim").

The Shortened 그러려면

The word 그러다 means "to do so". The form 그러려면 means "if you want to do so". A: 한국에서 일하고 싶어요. B: 그러려면 한국어를 공부해야 해요. means "A: I want to work in Korea. B: In that case, you must study Korean." The form is a handy way to continue a conversation.

Honorific and Polite Shapes

Add -(으)시- to show respect to the person who wants the goal. 가시려면 means "if you (respectfully) want to go", and 드시려면 means "if you want to eat". Shop assistants and guides use this form: 환불하시려면 영수증이 필요합니다 means "To get a refund, you need the receipt."

Time and Cost Frames

The result clause often uses 걸리다 for time and 들다 for cost. 부산에 가려면 기차로 세 시간쯤 걸려요 means "To get to Busan by train takes about three hours." The word 쯤 means "about".

The Older Form -(으)려거든

You may also see -(으)려거든 in older or more formal writing. It has the same meaning, "if you mean to". Learners can focus on -(으)려면, which is the everyday choice.

Being Polite with a Question

Asking for advice is easy with this ending. 한국어를 잘하려면 어떻게 해야 해요? means "What should I do to speak Korean well?" The form is short, polite and common in questions to teachers.

The next section lists the mistakes that appear most often.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with -(으)려면?

Learners make six predictable mistakes. Each has a reason and a fix.

Learners often put it on an adjective. Actually lessons teach the ending with verbs. Less natural: 예쁘려면 운동을 하세요. Better: 예뻐지려면 운동을 하세요. Fix: first make a verb with -아/어지다.

Learners often add a past tense. Actually a goal has no past form. Wrong: 갔으려면 and 가겠으려면. Right: 가려면. Fix: keep the first verb in the bare stem form, and put the tense on the last verb.

Learners often add 으 after ㄹ stems. Actually ㄹ stems take 려면. Wrong: 살으려면. Right: 살려면. Fix: add 으 only after a final consonant that is not ㄹ.

Learners often use -(으)면 for a goal. Actually -(으)면 says "when you get there", not "if you want to get there". Wrong for directions: 서울역에 가면 지하철을 타세요 ("When you get to Seoul Station, take the subway"). Right: 서울역에 가려면 지하철을 타세요. Fix: if the first clause is something you aim for, use -(으)려면.

Learners often use it for a plain condition. Actually -(으)려면 names a goal or something that has to happen first, not a simple "if". Wrong for "if it rains": 비가 오려면 우산을 가져가세요. Right: 비가 오면 우산을 가져가세요. Fix: for a plain condition, use -(으)면.

Learners often mix it up with -(으)려고. Actually -(으)려고 cannot take a command. Wrong: 한국어를 배우려고 학원에 다니세요. Right: 한국어를 배우려면 학원에 다니세요. Fix: for advice or a command, use -(으)려면.

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)려면. Write one sentence for each pair.

1. 한국에 가요. / 여권이 필요해요.
2. 한국어를 배워요. / 매일 공부해야 해요.
3. 책을 읽어요. / 조용한 곳이 좋아요.
4. 돈을 모아요. / 아껴 써야 해요.

Task 2: fix the error. Each sentence has one mistake. Rewrite it correctly.

1. 살을 빼으려면 운동을 하세요.
2. 한국에서 살으려면 비자가 필요해요.
3. 건강하려면 일찍 주무세요. (Hint: make a verb first.)

Task 3: translate. Write in Korean: "To get to the station, take bus number 5." and "If you want to learn Korean, what should you do?"

Task 4: write your own. Write one piece of advice with -(으)려면 about health, and one question about how to reach a place.

Answer key

1. (1) 한국에 가려면 여권이 필요해요. (2) 한국어를 배우려면 매일 공부해야 해요. (3) 책을 읽으려면 조용한 곳이 좋아요. (4) 돈을 모으려면 아껴 써야 해요.
2. (1) 살을 빼려면 운동을 하세요. (2) 한국에서 살려면 비자가 필요해요. (3) 건강해지려면 일찍 주무세요.
3. 역에 가려면 5번 버스를 타세요. 한국어를 배우려면 어떻게 해야 해요? Other correct versions exist, for example 한국어를 배우려면 뭘 해야 해요?
4. Sample answers: 건강해지려면 매일 운동하세요. 공항에 가려면 어떻게 가야 해요? Any pair is correct if the first verb ends in the right form of -(으)려면.

If task 1 was correct, you have the formation rule. If task 2 was hard, check whether you added 으 after a vowel or ㄹ, or used the ending with an adjective without -아/어지다. The next section points you to what comes after this lesson.

What Should You Learn after -(으)려면 Grammar?

After -(으)려면, learn -(으)려고 for the purpose behind an action. Then read -(으)면 if you want to review the plain condition. The result clauses on this page use the obligation ending -아/어야 하다 again and again, so make sure you know it. Future forms are also useful here: see future tense -(으)ㄹ 거예요 and future guess -겠-.

For a wider view, the parent page Conditions (If) lists every condition connector. To plan by level, use Intermediate Grammar.

This lesson covers -(으)려면 in the polite, casual 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)려면 Mean?

-(으)려면 means "if you want to" or "in order to". The first clause names a goal, and the second clause names what is needed to reach it. 한국어를 잘하려면 매일 연습해야 해요 means "If you want to speak Korean well, you must practise every day." It combines intention with condition.

How Do I Attach -(으)려면 to a Verb?

Take the stem, which is the dictionary form without 다. After a vowel or ㄹ, add 려면: 가려면, 살려면. After any other final consonant, add 으려면: 먹으려면, 읽으려면. It is taught with verbs. For an adjective, the safe route is to make a verb with -아/어지다 first, as in 건강해지려면.

Can -(으)려면 Be Used in the past Tense?

No. The first clause names a goal that you still want to reach, so it has no past form and does not take -겠-. The tense belongs to the last verb, and it is usually present or a command. If you need a finished condition, use -았/었으면 from the lesson on -(으)면 instead.

Is -(으)려면 Used in Speech or Only in Writing?

Both. It is very common in conversation, instructions, directions and advice, and it works in polite, casual and formal styles. Directions often use it: 공항에 가려면 지하철을 타세요 means "To get to the airport, take the subway." Honorific speech uses 가시려면 and 드시려면.

What Is the Difference between -(으)려면 and -(으)려고?

-(으)려고 means "in order to" or "intending to". The subject of both clauses is the same, and the main clause cannot be a command. -(으)려면 means "if you want to", and the main clause often is a command or advice. 배우려고 학원에 다녀요 is a fact. 배우려면 학원에 다니세요 is advice.

Save This to Pinterest