-기만 하면 Grammar in Korean: Meaning and How to Use It

What you'll learn

• Attach -기만 하면 to any verb, adjective or 이다.
• See that the form never changes, even for irregular stems.
• Use it for habits, for strong reactions and for "all you have to do is".
• Choose between -기만 하면, -(으)면 and -자마자.

Prerequisites: -(으)면 and the polite ending -아요/어요. Time: about 15 minutes.

Key facts

• -기만 하면 stresses that one trigger alone leads to the result.
• The form never changes: stem + 기만 하면. Irregular verbs keep their stems.
• It is spelled with a space: 기만 하면.
• The result is usually a habit, a reaction or a prediction.
• Before 되다, it means "as long as": 누르기만 하면 돼요.

Listen to two model sentences.

The next section defines the pattern.

What Does -기만 하면 Grammar Mean?

-기만 하면 means "whenever" or "as soon as". A connective ending is a word ending that joins one clause to the next. -기만 하면 is a pattern of three small pieces that works like a connective ending. It tells the listener, "Just this one thing is enough to start the result."

The three pieces are easy to see. The first piece is -기, which turns a verb into a noun-like phrase. The second piece is 만, a particle that means "only". The third piece is 하면, "if you do". Put together, 오기만 하면 means "if you only do the coming". In natural English this becomes "as soon as he comes" or "whenever he comes".

Here are two glossed examples.

The result can be good or bad. 보기만 하면 웃음이 나요 is a happy reaction. 집에 오기만 하면 잠을 자요 is a mild complaint. The pattern does not take a side. It only says that nothing more is needed.

A Second Meaning: "as Long As"

When 되다 follows, the same pattern means "as long as" or "all you have to do". 여기에 이름을 쓰기만 하면 돼요 means "You only have to write your name here." In this use, the trigger is the one thing that is needed. The meaning is close to "whenever", because in both uses the one condition is enough.

The next section shows how to build the form.

How Do You Form -기만 하면?

The rule is the simplest in Korean grammar. 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 add 기만 하면.

Most connective endings change with the last sound of the stem. They need 아/어 or 으 in some cases. -기만 하면 does not, because -기 begins with a consonant. A consonant-first ending never needs a helping vowel, so the stem is left exactly as it is.

One sound change appears in this table. After a final consonant such as ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅂ, the ㄱ of 기 is said as a tense ㄲ, so 먹기만 sounds like [먹끼만]. This tensing happens in speech only; the spelling does not change. Revised Romanization (RR) does not mark tensing that comes from a neighbouring sound, so it writes meokgiman. For 읽기만, the cluster ㄺ becomes [ㄱ] before a consonant, so it is said [익끼만].

Stems Ending in a Vowel

Vowel stems take 기만 하면 directly: 가기만 하면, 오기만 하면, 마시기만 하면. No contraction takes place. Compare this with -아/어서, where 가 + 아서 becomes 가서.

For verbs made with 하다, add 기만 하면 to 하: 공부하기만 하면, 피곤하기만 하면. You do not need to change 하 to 해.

Stems Ending in a Consonant

Consonant stems also take 기만 하면 directly: 먹기만 하면, 읽기만 하면, 듣기만 하면. There is no 으 to insert. This is the biggest difference from -(으)면, which adds 으 after a consonant.

Irregular Stems, Adjectives and Nouns

Irregular stems do not change before 기만 하면. An irregular stem is one that changes its shape before an ending that begins with a vowel. -기 begins with a consonant, so the change never happens.

Adjectives work too, and then the meaning leans toward "as long as it is X": 건강하기만 하면 다른 건 필요 없어요 means "As long as you are healthy, you don't need anything else." For nouns, use 이다: 학생이기만 하면 할인을 받을 수 있어요 means "As long as you are a student, you can get a discount."

The next section builds a full sentence.

Worked Example: Building 커피를 마시기만 하면 잠이 안 와요

Say "Whenever I drink coffee, I can't sleep." Follow five steps.

1. Write the first fact. "I drink coffee" is 커피를 마셔요 in the polite style.
2. Find the stem. The dictionary form is 마시다, so the stem is 마시.
3. Add 기만 하면. 마시기만 하면 means "whenever I drink". Take away the polite ending 셔요, because the ending belongs to the last verb only.
4. Write the result. "I can't sleep" is 잠이 안 와요, literally "sleep doesn't come". The verb 오다 here means "come".
5. Join the two parts. 커피를 마시기만 하면 잠이 안 와요.

You'll know it worked when the first verb ends in 기만 하면 with nothing after it, and the polite ending 요 appears only once, at the end. Try the same steps with "Whenever my younger brother comes home, he plays games": 오다 gives 오기만 하면, and 게임을 해요 follows.

The next section covers tense and sentence types.

Which Tenses and Sentence Types Work with -기만 하면?

Tense in Korean is shown on the verb before the ending. For -기만 하면, the first part normally keeps the plain stem. The last verb of the sentence carries the tense and the speech level.

Unlike -아/어서, -기만 하면 allows every sentence type after it. You can follow it with a statement, a question or a command. The result is most natural as a habit, a prediction or an instruction, because the pattern describes a repeated link between a trigger and an effect.

Use the plain present stem before 기만 하면, even for the past. The past tense goes on the last verb: 어릴 때는 보기만 하면 울었어요 means "When I was little, I cried whenever I saw it."

Yes/no questions end with a rise: 보기만 하면 웃어요? 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: 집에 오기만 하면 뭘 해요? means "As soon as you come home, what do you do?"

The next section compares -기만 하면 with its neighbours.

How Is -기만 하면 Different from -(으)면 and -자마자?

All three can be translated as "when" or "as soon as", and that is why learners mix them up. The difference is how much the trigger is stressed and whether it is a one-time event.

The key test is whether the trigger stands alone. If you want to say "just this one thing is enough, and the result follows every time", use -기만 하면. If you only state a condition, use -(으)면. If one event happened right after another, once, use -자마자. Compare these two.

• 보면 웃어요. ("When I see it, I laugh.") A plain condition.
• 보기만 하면 웃어요. ("I laugh just by looking at it.") The look alone is enough, and the reaction is strong.

The next section covers set phrases and edge cases.

Variations and Edge Cases of -기만 하면

"All You Have to Do Is": -기만 하면 되다

Add 되다 after -기만 하면 and the meaning becomes "all you have to do". 이 버튼을 누르기만 하면 돼요 means "You only have to press this button." The plain version is -(으)면 되다. The version with 기만 stresses that nothing else is needed.

"Even Just": -기만 해도

Change 하면 to 해도 and the meaning becomes "even just ... -ing". 생각만 해도 행복해요 means "I am happy even just thinking about it." This is the short form of 생각하기만 해도: with a 하다 verb, the noun part can take 만 directly. The version with 해도 builds on the permission and concession ending 아/어도, which has its own lesson: -아/어도.

"Only Does": -기만 하다

Without 면, -기만 하다 means "does nothing but". 하루 종일 자기만 해요 means "He does nothing but sleep all day." This use often has a mildly critical tone. 놀기만 하면 시험에 떨어져요 means "If you only play, you will fail the exam."

Honorific Forms

Add -(으)시- to show respect to the subject. 선생님이 오시기만 하면 시작해요 means "As soon as the teacher arrives, we start." 말씀하시기만 하면 바로 해 드릴게요 means "If you just say the word, I will do it right away."

Reaction Phrases

Some uses are very common in daily talk. 이 가게는 가기만 하면 뭔가 사게 돼요 means "Whenever I go to this shop, I end up buying something." The part 사게 돼요 means "I end up buying". In everyday talk, many speakers use this pattern to complain gently or to joke about a habit.

Frequency Words

The pattern is often paired with an adverb of frequency such as 항상 ("always") or 꼭 ("without fail"). 비가 오기만 하면 꼭 버스가 늦어요 means "Whenever it rains, the bus is always late."

The next section lists the mistakes that appear most often.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with -기만 하면?

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

Learners often drop 만. Actually 만 is part of the pattern. Plain: 보면 웃어요. With the pattern: 보기만 하면 웃어요. Fix: if you want to stress "just this is enough", keep 만. Without it, the meaning is only a plain condition.

Learners often use it for one finished event. Actually the pattern describes a repeated or general link. Wrong: 어제 집에 오기만 하면 잤어요 (for "Yesterday, as soon as I got home, I slept"). Right: 어제 집에 오자마자 잤어요. Fix: for one event, use -자마자.

Learners often write it without a space. Actually the standard form has a space. Wrong: 오기만하면. Right: 오기만 하면. Fix: write 하면 as a separate word.

Learners often put a tense marker inside. Actually the first part keeps the plain stem. Wrong: 먹었기만 하면. Right: 먹기만 하면. Fix: put the past tense on the last verb.

Learners often change the stem. Actually irregular stems stay whole before 기만 하면. Wrong: 더우기만 하면 and 들기만 하면. Right: 덥기만 하면 and 듣기만 하면. Fix: do not apply the -아/어 or -으 rules here.

Learners often mix up 기만 하면 and 기만 하다. Actually 기만 하다 means "does nothing but", with a mild criticism. Plain: 놀기만 해요 (he only plays). With the pattern: 놀기만 하면 걱정돼요 (I worry whenever he only plays). Fix: check whether 면 is there.

The next section gives you practice.

Practice and Answers

Do the four tasks, then compare with the key.

Task 1: join the sentences with -기만 하면. Write one sentence for each pair.

1. 아이가 피곤해요. / 울어요.
2. 그 영화를 봐요. / 눈물이 나요.
3. 친구를 만나요. / 시간이 빨리 가요.
4. 단추를 눌러요. / 문이 열려요.

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

1. 오기만하면 자요.
2. 먹었기만 하면 졸려요.
3. 날씨가 더우기만 하면 에어컨을 켜요.

Task 3: translate. Write in Korean: "Whenever I drink coffee, I can't sleep." and "You only have to write your name."

Task 4: write your own. Write one sentence about a habit with -기만 하면, and one instruction with -기만 하면 되다.

Answer key

1. (1) 아이는 피곤하기만 하면 울어요. (2) 그 영화를 보기만 하면 눈물이 나요. (3) 친구를 만나기만 하면 시간이 빨리 가요. (4) 단추를 누르기만 하면 문이 열려요.
2. (1) 오기만 하면 자요. (2) 먹기만 하면 졸려요. (3) 날씨가 덥기만 하면 에어컨을 켜요.
3. 커피를 마시기만 하면 잠이 안 와요. 이름을 쓰기만 하면 돼요. Other correct versions exist, for example 이름만 쓰면 돼요.
4. Sample answers: 우리 고양이는 밥을 먹기만 하면 자요. 이 서류에 서명하기만 하면 돼요. Any pair is correct if the first verb ends in 기만 하면.

If task 1 was correct, you have the formation rule. If task 2 was hard, check whether you left out the space, put a tense marker inside, or changed an irregular stem. The next section points you to what comes after this lesson.

What Should You Learn after -기만 하면 Grammar?

After -기만 하면, learn -자마자 for "as soon as" with one event. Then review -(으)면 if the plain condition still feels shaky. 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 -기만 하면 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 -기만 하면 Mean?

-기만 하면 means "whenever" or "as soon as". It emphasizes that a single trigger leads to the result, either good or bad. 집에 오기만 하면 잠을 자요 means "As soon as he comes home, he sleeps." Before 되다 it means "as long as": 누르기만 하면 돼요 is "You only have to press it."

How Do I Attach -기만 하면 to a Verb or Adjective?

Take the stem, which is the dictionary form without 다, and add 기만 하면. 오다 becomes 오기만 하면, 먹다 becomes 먹기만 하면 and 피곤하다 becomes 피곤하기만 하면. Nothing changes: there is no vowel rule and no irregular change. For 이다, use 이기만 하면, as in 학생이기만 하면.

Can -기만 하면 Be Used in the past Tense?

The first part usually keeps the plain stem, even for habits that began in the past. The last verb can be in any tense: 어릴 때는 보기만 하면 울었어요 means "When I was little, I cried whenever I saw it." For one finished event, use -자마자 or -아/어서 instead, not -기만 하면.

Is -기만 하면 Used in Speech or Only in Writing?

Both. It is natural in conversation, messages and essays, and it works in polite, casual and formal styles. It often appears in complaints, jokes and descriptions of habits, such as 오기만 하면 자요. The set frame -기만 하면 되다 is among the most common ways to give simple instructions.

What Is the Difference between -기만 하면 and -(으)면?

-(으)면 states a plain condition, and the result clause can be any sentence type. -기만 하면 adds 만, "only", so the trigger alone is enough for the result to happen. Delete 만 and the stress is lost. 보면 웃어요 is a plain condition. 보기만 하면 웃어요 means "I laugh just by looking."

Save This to Pinterest