TOPIK II · LEVEL 3

-기만 하면

-기만 하면 means 'whenever / every time A happens, B (always) follows' or 'as long as you just do A'.

조건·가정Conditions & what-ifs

Han: -기만 하면 describes a habitual result, not a one-off instruction; use -(으)면.

Examples

이 노래를 듣기만 하면 고향 생각이 나요.Every time I hear this song, I think of home.
이 서류에 이름을 쓰기만 하면 돼요.You only need to write your name on this form.
저는 우유를 마시기만 하면 배가 아파요.Whenever I drink milk, my stomach hurts.

Don’t mix up

-기만 하면vs-(으)ㄹ 때마다-(으)ㄹ 때마다 is neutral 'every time'; -기만 하면 adds 'without fail, just A is enough'.

How to build it

V+기만 하면

먹다 → 먹기만 하면, 보다 → 보기만 하면

  1. The second clause is usually a habitual or certain result.
  2. Stronger than -(으)면: stresses that A alone is enough to trigger B.

Classic mistake

Wrong: 비가 오기만 하면 우산을 가져가세요.

Right: 비가 오면 우산을 가져가세요.

-기만 하면 describes a habitual result, not a one-off instruction; use -(으)면.

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