biga geuchimyeon chukjega sijakdwaeyo.

When the rain stops, the festival starts.

Breakdown of biga geuchimyeon chukjega sijakdwaeyo.

• ~가: subject particle
• 비: rain
• 축제: festival
• ~면: if/when
• ~요: polite ending
• 시작되다: to start (to begin)
• 그치다: to stop (to cease)

Questions & Answers about biga geuchimyeon chukjega sijakdwaeyo.

What does -면 mean here, and is it if or when?

-면 is a conditional/time marker meaning if/when.
In real-life situations that are expected to happen (like rain stopping), -면 often translates naturally as when: When the rain stops, the festival starts.
It can also be if in more hypothetical contexts, but this sentence sounds like a practical schedule/plan.

How is 그치면 formed from the dictionary form 그치다?

Dictionary form: 그치다 (to stop; to cease—typically about rain, wind, etc.).
Stem: 그치-
Add -면 → 그치면 = if/when it stops.

Why is it 비가 (subject marker -가) instead of 비를 (object marker -를)?

Because 비 (rain) is the thing doing the action 그치다 (stopping). It’s the grammatical subject:

• 비가 그치다 = the rain stops (subject + intransitive verb)
  You wouldn’t use 비를 here because there’s no verb taking rain as a direct object.

Could it be 비는 instead of 비가?

Yes, but the nuance changes:

• 비가 그치면… is neutral and simply states a condition.
• 비는 그치면… uses the topic marker -는, which can add contrast or “as for the rain” framing (often context-dependent), e.g., implying other things may not stop.

Why does the second part use 축제가 with -가?

Because 축제 (festival) is the subject of 시작되다/시작돼요 (to begin / to be started).
So 축제가 시작돼요 = The festival begins.

What’s the difference between 시작돼요 and 시작해요?

• 시작해요 (from 시작하다) means (someone) starts (it) or just it starts in a general active sense.
• 시작돼요 (from 시작되다) is the passive/intransitive “be started / begin,” focusing on the event beginning rather than who starts it.

In schedules/announcements, 시작돼요 is very common and natural.

Is 시작돼요 a contraction of something?

Yes. 되어요 commonly contracts to 돼요:

• 시작되어요 → 시작돼요

This contraction is standard in speech and writing.

Does this sentence refer to the future, present, or a general rule?

It can work as either:

• a future plan/schedule (most common): When the rain stops, the festival will start.
• a general rule: Whenever the rain stops, the festival starts.

Korean often doesn’t mark future explicitly; the context supplies it.

Can I change the order of the clauses?

Yes. You can also say:

• 축제가 비가 그치면 시작돼요.

But the original (비가 그치면 축제가 시작돼요) sounds more natural because Korean often puts the condition/background first.

Do I need a comma between the two parts?

Not required. Korean often writes conditional clauses without a comma:

• 비가 그치면 축제가 시작돼요.

You can add a comma for readability or emphasis in some writing:

• 비가 그치면, 축제가 시작돼요.

How do you pronounce tricky parts like 축제가 and 시작돼요?

Common pronunciation notes:

• 축제가 is often pronounced closer to 축쩨가 (because ㄱ
  • ㅈ interaction makes it sound tense).
• 시작돼요 is often pronounced close to 시작뙤요 (the 돼 sound can become more “tensed” in natural speech).

These are normal pronunciation effects; spelling stays the same.

Are there other common ways to say the same idea?

Yes, depending on tone:

• More explicit “after”: 비가 그친 후에 축제가 시작돼요 = After the rain stops, the festival begins.
• More formal/announcment-like: 비가 그치면 축제가 시작됩니다 (formal polite)
• More casual: 비 그치면 축제 시작해요/시작해 (particles can be dropped in casual speech)