yogeumi bissamyeon taeksi daesin jihacheoreul tayo.

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Questions & Answers about yogeumi bissamyeon taeksi daesin jihacheoreul tayo.

What does -면 mean in 비싸면?

-면 is a conditional ending meaning “if/when.”
So 요금이 비싸면 means “If the fare is expensive / When the fare is expensive.” In everyday speech, this often implies “in that case.”


Why is it 요금이 and not 요금을?

Because 요금(=fare/fee) is the subject of the clause 요금이 비싸면 (“If the fare is expensive”).

  • 요금이 = “the fare” (subject) is expensive
    If you used 요금을, that would mark 요금 as an object, which doesn’t fit with the adjective 비싸다 (expensive), since adjectives describe a subject.

What’s the difference between 요금 and 가격?
  • 요금 = a fee/fare/rate for a service (taxi fare, admission fee, phone bill rate, etc.)
  • 가격 = the price of a product/item (the price of shoes, a laptop, etc.)
    A taxi charge is naturally called 요금.

Why does Korean say 택시 대신 지하철을 타요 instead of something like “take the subway rather than a taxi”?

A 대신 B means “B instead of A.”
So 택시 대신 지하철을 타요 is literally “(We) ride the subway instead of a taxi.”
Korean often places the “replaced option” (택시) before 대신, then the chosen option afterward.


Can 택시 대신에 also be used? What’s the difference between 대신 and 대신에?

Yes. 대신 and 대신에 are usually interchangeable in this kind of sentence.

  • 대신 is slightly more common and concise in everyday speech.
  • 대신에 can feel a bit more explicit/emphatic: “in place of.”
    Both are natural here.

Why is 지하철을 marked with -을?

Because 지하철 is the object of the verb 타다 (“to ride/take [a vehicle]”).

  • 지하철을 타요 = “(I/we) take the subway.”

Why is the verb 타요 (ride) used for the subway?

In Korean, 타다 is the standard verb for getting on and riding vehicles like:

  • 지하철/버스/택시/기차/비행기 etc.
    So 지하철을 타요 is the natural equivalent of “take the subway.”

Who is the subject of 타요? Why isn’t 저는/우리는 included?

Korean often omits the subject when it’s clear from context. This sentence can mean:

  • I take the subway instead of a taxi.
  • We take the subway instead of a taxi.
  • People take the subway instead of a taxi.
    If you want to specify, you can add it: 저는 요금이 비싸면…

Is -면 more like “if” or “when” here?

It can be either depending on context, but here it often feels like “if” (a condition leading to a choice):

  • If the fare is expensive, (I) take the subway instead of a taxi.”
    It can also be interpreted as “when it’s expensive (in those situations).”

What politeness level is 타요?

타요 is the informal polite style (해요체). It’s common in everyday conversation.
More formal options include:

  • 탑니다 (more formal)
    More casual (to close friends):
  • / 타요 is casual.

Could it also be said as 요금이 비싸면 택시를 안 타고 지하철을 타요? Is that more natural?

Yes, that’s also correct. It means “If the fare is expensive, I don’t take a taxi and (instead) take the subway.”

  • 택시 대신 is shorter and very natural.
  • 택시를 안 타고 is more explicit and can add emphasis.

Does 요금이 비싸면 imply the taxi fare is expensive specifically, or fares in general?

On its own, 요금이 could refer to the fare in the situation/context (often taxi fare), but it’s not explicitly stated as “taxi fare.”
If you want to be specific, you can say:

  • 택시 요금이 비싸면 지하철을 타요. = “If the taxi fare is expensive, I take the subway.”

Why is it 비싸면 and not 비싸다면?

Both are possible, but:

  • 비싸면 is the plain, common conditional: “if it’s expensive”
  • 비싸다면 can sound a bit more hypothetical/assumptive: “if (we assume) it is expensive”
    In everyday advice/habit statements like this, 비싸면 is the default.

Can this sentence describe a habit (“I usually do this”)?

Yes. With the present tense 타요, it often describes a general pattern/habit:

  • “If it’s expensive, I take the subway instead of a taxi (as a rule).”
    To emphasize habit even more, you could add 보통/대개 (“usually”).

What’s the word order doing here, and is it flexible?

The core structure is:

  • [Condition] + [Alternative choice] + Verb
    요금이 비싸면 / 택시 대신 / 지하철을 타요
    You can move pieces for emphasis, but this order is very natural and clear.