-(이)면 (조사)

Attaches to a noun to mean 'if it is N / whenever it is N'; repeated as N(이)면 N, it means 'in every field, whatever you name'.

조건·가정Conditions & what-ifs

Han: A noun ending in a consonant needs 이면; 이 can drop only after a vowel.

Examples

우리 언니는 노래면 노래, 춤이면 춤, 못하는 게 없어요.Singing, dancing, you name it: there's nothing my older sister can't do.

돈이면 다라고 생각하는 사람도 있지만 저는 그렇지 않다고 봐요.Some people think money is everything, but I don't see it that way.

주말이면 이 공원은 가족 단위 나들이객으로 붐벼요.On weekends this park is crowded with families on outings.

-(이)면 (조사)vs-(이)라면(이)라면 frames a hypothesis or an imagined identity; (이)면 is a plain, real condition: 내가 너라면 그렇게 안 할 거야 vs 주말이면 늦잠을 자요.

-(이)면 (조사)vsN일 때N일 때 marks a time, including one-off past events; N이면 is a condition or a regular pattern: 학생일 때 서울에 살았어요 vs 학생이면 할인돼요.

N (vowel)+면

N (consonant)+이면

N이면 N, N이면 N

친구 → 친구면; 주말 → 주말이면; 노래 → 노래면 노래, 춤 → 춤이면 춤

It is 이다 + -(으)면 used like a particle. After a consonant 이 is required (주말이면, not 주말면); after a vowel it is usually dropped in speech (친구면), while 친구이면 is also correct.
With time nouns it describes what regularly happens at that time: 주말이면, 겨울이면, 밤이면.
Repeating the same noun, N이면 N, M이면 M, praises someone who is good at everything; it is usually followed by 못하는 게 없다 or 다 잘한다.
In the rhetorical question N(이)면 다야? it criticises someone who thinks N justifies everything: 돈이면 다야?

Wrong: ~~주말면 공원에 사람이 많아요.~~

Right: 주말이면 공원에 사람이 많아요.

A noun ending in a consonant needs 이면; 이 can drop only after a vowel.

Hannim plans each day up to your exam date: questions on this pattern, reviews, full mock papers and graded writing. 7 days free, no card.