Breakdown of iri kkeutnamyeon jamsi swieoyo.
~이~i
subject particle
끝나다kkeutnada
to end
~면~myeon
when
일il
work
Questions & Answers about iri kkeutnamyeon jamsi swieoyo.
Why is there a particle 이 attached to 일 in 일이 끝나면?
The particle -이 is the subject marker used after a noun ending in a consonant. Here 일 (work) is the subject of the intransitive verb 끝나다 (to end), so 일이 means “the work (is what) ends.”
What’s the difference between 일이 끝나다 and 일을 끝내다? Why not say 일을 끝내면?
- 일이 끝나다 uses the intransitive verb 끝나다 (“to end by itself”), so 일이 marks the subject: “the work ends.”
- 일을 끝내다 uses the transitive verb 끝내다 (“to finish something”), so 일을 marks the object: “(someone) finishes the work.”
Both can form a conditional clause, but the first focuses on the work itself ending, while the second focuses on someone completing the work.
What does 끝나면 mean, and how does the -면 ending work here?
끝나면 is made from 끝나다 (to end) + conditional -면, giving “if/when (it) ends.” In Korean, -면 can express:
• a condition (“if…”)
• a time clause (“when…”)
Why is it 끝나면 and not 끝나으면? How do I know when to use -면 vs. -으면?