Whenever

This pattern connects an action or state to its inevitable result. It expresses that as soon as the condition in the first clause is met, the outcome in the second clause always happens.

Meaning & Usage

Meaning: It translates to "whenever X happens..." or "just by doing X..." or "if only X happens..."

Usage: It highlights a consistent, almost automatic link between two events. The first clause is the trigger, and the second is the unfailing consequence. It often carries a nuance of complaint, frustration, or exaggeration.

Formation

Simply attach -기만 하면 to the stem of a verb or adjective.

Verbs:

먹다 (to eat) → 먹기만 하면

보다 (to see) → 보기만 하면

듣다 (to listen) → 듣기만 하면

Adjectives:

배가 고프다 (to be hungry) → 배가 고프기만 하면

입을 열기만 하면 거짓말이야. / 매운 걸 먹기만 하면 배가 아파. / 컴퓨터를 켜기만 하면 멈춰.

Both -기만 하면 and -(으)ㄹ 때마다 can be translated as "whenever" or "every time," but they have different nuances.

-(으)ㄹ 때마다 (Every time)

This pattern is a neutral way to state that something happens repeatedly whenever a certain condition is met. It simply describes a recurring event.

주말이 될 때마다 비가 와요. (It rains every time it's the weekend.) - A neutral observation.

-기만 하면 (The moment... / If only...)

This pattern adds a strong nuance of immediacy and inevitability. It implies that the first action is the sole condition needed to trigger the second, often with a feeling of complaint or exaggeration.

주말이 되기만 하면 비가 와요. (It rains whenever the weekend comes.) - This sounds like a complaint, as if the weekend itself is the direct cause of the rain.

게임을 할 때마다 져요. / 게임을 하기만 하면 져요. / 술을 마실 때마다 사고를 쳐요. / 술을 마시기만 하면 사고를 쳐요.

While grammatically neutral, -기만 하면 is most naturally used to express a negative or exaggerated pattern of events. It's the perfect tool for complaining about something that always seems to happen.

Expressing Frustration

Use it to talk about annoying habits (of yourself or others) or frustrating situations.

컴퓨터를 켜기만 하면 멈춰. (The computer freezes whenever I turn it on.)

만나기만 하면 싸워. (We fight whenever we meet.)

Exaggerating for Effect

It can also be used to make a dramatic or humorous point through exaggeration.

눕기만 하면 자. (I fall asleep the moment I lie down.)

그는 여자랑 붙기만 하면 사랑에 빠져. (He falls in love whenever he's with a woman.)

Because of this nuance, it's less common to use -기만 하면 for purely positive, happy events unless you are being dramatic.

배가 고프기만 하면 화를 내. / 술을 마시기만 하면 사고를 쳐. / 벌레를 보기만 하면 소리를 질러.

The pattern -기만 하면 itself is neutral. The overall politeness of the sentence is determined by the final verb ending.

Casual Language (반말)

Use casual endings like -아/어 when talking to close friends or people younger than you. This is the form used for many of the example sentences.

만나기만 하면 싸워. (We fight whenever we meet.)

Polite Language (해요체)

Use polite endings like -아요/어요 in most everyday situations with adults, colleagues, or people you don't know well.

만나기만 하면 싸워요. (We fight whenever we meet.)

사기만 하면 후회해. / 사기만 하면 후회해요. / 이 노래를 듣기만 하면 눈물이 나. / 이 노래를 듣기만 하면 눈물이 나요.