haneuri malgeumyeon sajineul jjigeoyo.

If the sky is clear, I take pictures.

Breakdown of haneuri malgeumyeon sajineul jjigeoyo.

• ~이: subject particle
• ~을: object particle
• 사진: picture
• 찍다: to take
• 맑다: clear
• 하늘: sky

Questions & Answers about haneuri malgeumyeon sajineul jjigeoyo.

What does the -으면 ending in 맑으면 mean, and how does it work?

The -으면 suffix attaches to a verb or adjective stem to form a conditional “if/when” clause.

1. Start with the dictionary form 맑다 (to be clear).
2. Drop 다 to get the stem 맑-.
3. Add -으면 → 맑으면 (“if/when [it is] clear”).
   This clause sets a condition for the following action.

Why is 이 used in 하늘이 instead of the topic marker 은/는?

이/가 marks the grammatical subject, while 은/는 marks the topic or contrast. Here, 하늘이 simply identifies the subject of the condition (“the sky”). If you said 하늘은 맑으면, it would feel like you’re contrasting the sky with something else or shifting the focus. For pure condition, 이/가 is natural.

Why is the verb 찍어요 in the present tense, and what nuance does it carry?

사진을 찍어요 is in the polite present tense. In this context, it expresses a habitual action: “I take photos whenever the sky is clear.” It’s not a one-time future plan or past event but a regular occurrence.

Could we drop the object particle 을 in 사진을 찍어요?

In very casual spoken Korean, you might hear 사진 찍어요, but:

• Grammatically, 을/를 marks the direct object.
• Omitting it can make the sentence feel incomplete or ambiguous in formal writing or speech.

What’s the difference between 사진을 찍어요 and 사진을 찍습니다?

They differ in formality:

• 찍어요 is polite-informal (used with strangers, classmates, junior co-workers).
• 찍습니다 is polite-formal (used in presentations, to superiors, in official announcements).
  Choose based on your relationship and setting.

Can you use 맑을 때 사진을 찍어요 instead of 맑으면? What changes?

Yes. 맑을 때 means “when it’s clear” (temporal), while 맑으면 means “if/when it’s clear” (conditional).

• 맑을 때 사진을 찍어요: Focuses on the time period when the sky is clear.
• 맑으면 사진을 찍어요: Emphasizes that a clear sky is the condition triggering the action.

Is it possible to reverse the clause order to 사진을 찍어요, 하늘이 맑으면?

Standard Korean places the conditional first: 하늘이 맑으면 사진을 찍어요. Technically you can say 사진을 찍어요, 하늘이 맑으면, but it sounds awkward and uncommon. Stick with the natural “condition → result” order.

Could you change 맑으면 to 맑아지면? How would that alter the meaning?

Yes. 맑아지면 comes from 맑아지다 (“to become clear”).

• 하늘이 맑으면: “If the sky is (already) clear.”
• 하늘이 맑아지면: “If/when the sky becomes clear.” This implies the sky was cloudy before and then clears up.