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hoeuiga sijakdoemyeon hoeuisil jomyeongi kyeojyeoyo.

회의가 시작되면 회의실 조명이 켜져요.hoeuiga sijakdoemyeon hoeuisil jomyeongi kyeojyeoyo.
When the meeting starts, the meeting room lights turn on.
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Questions & Answers about hoeuiga sijakdoemyeon hoeuisil jomyeongi kyeojyeoyo.

Does -면 mean when or if here?

Both are possible. -면 is a conditional that can translate as either when or if. In general facts or routines, it often reads as when/whenever:

  • 비가 오면 집에 있어요. = I stay home when/whenever it rains. For a specific future trigger, when is natural:
  • 회의가 시작되면 들어오세요. = Come in when the meeting starts.
Why is it 시작되면 and not 시작하면?
  • 시작하다 is transitive: someone/ something starts something (e.g., 우리가 회의를 시작해요).
  • 시작되다 is the passive/intransitive counterpart: something begins (e.g., 회의가 시작돼요/되요). Since a meeting begins rather than actively starting something else, 회의가 시작되면 is the default, natural phrasing. 회의가 시작하면 is heard, but many speakers prefer 시작되다 for events like meetings, movies, shows, etc.
Why 조명이 켜져요 and not 조명이 켜요?

켜다 is transitive (to turn on something), so you need an object: 불을 켜요. Lights themselves don’t “turn on” something; they become on. Korean uses the inchoative/passive -아/어지다 to express that change of state:

  • 조명이 켜져요 = The lights turn on / are turned on.
  • 전등을 켜요 = (Someone) turns on the light.
What’s the difference between 켜져요, 켜졌어요, and 켜져 있어요?
  • 켜져요: they turn on (now/usually) — an event or general tendency.
  • 켜졌어요: they turned on — completed past event.
  • 켜져 있어요: they are on (and remain on) — the resultant state is ongoing.
Why use 조명 instead of 불 or 전등?
  • 조명: lighting/illumination in general (uncountable feel). Natural in facilities or rooms: 회의실 조명.
  • 불: light/fire; very common in everyday speech: 불이 켜져요 is also perfectly natural.
  • 전등: a (electric) light fixture/lamp. Use when referring to a specific fixture: 전등이 켜져요.
What do -이/가 and -은/는 do here? Could I say 회의는 or 조명은?
  • -이/가 marks the grammatical subject (new, neutral info).
  • -은/는 marks the topic (sets contrast or known info). You can say 회의는 시작되면… or 조명은 켜져요, but it adds a topical/contrastive nuance (as for the meeting/lights…). The neutral, most straightforward version is with -이/가.
Can I change the word order?

Yes, but the given order (condition first) is most natural:

  • 회의가 시작되면, 회의실 조명이 켜져요. (most common) You can place the clause later, but it sounds less smooth:
  • 회의실 조명이, 회의가 시작되면, 켜져요. Keeping the time/condition up front helps listeners process the sentence.
What politeness level is this? How do I make it more or less formal?

-요 is standard polite.

  • More formal (written/announcements): 회의가 시작되면 회의실 조명이 켜집니다.
  • Casual: 회의 시작되면 회의실 조명 켜져.
How do I pronounce tricky parts like 회의, 되면, and 켜져요?
  • 회의: commonly pronounced [회이]. The vowel 의 inside words often sounds like [이].
  • 되면: pronounced [되면], not [돼면].
  • 켜져요: pronounced [켜져요] (kyeo-jyeo-yo). Make sure it’s 져, not 저 or 쪄.
Why is it 되면 and not 돼면?

The contraction 되어 → 돼 only happens before -요 or similar vowel-initial endings, not before -면.

  • Correct: 되면, 돼요, 됐어요.
  • Incorrect: 돼면.
Can I drop particles in casual speech?

Often, yes in conversation:

  • 회의 시작되면 회의실 조명 켜져요. It’s natural in speech, but keep particles (like -이/가) in careful writing or when clarity matters.
How would I say this with -때 or to mean “as soon as”?
  • When/at the time: 회의가 시작될 때 회의실 조명이 켜져요. (-때 focuses on the time point.)
  • As soon as: 회의가 시작되자마자 회의실 조명이 켜져요. (immediacy)