Lesson 15. “If you want to / intend to~” (그러려면, Verb-(으)려면)

The explanation about 그러려면 starts from 41:50 in the video above.

Pretty much all constructions that have “려” in it, like “Verb-(으)려고” that we have learned in the previous lesson and Verb-(으)려면 that we’re going to learn today, it has a meaning of “intention.”

• 그러려면:

그러려면 means ‘If one wants / intends to…’ It is commonly used while giving or asking for advice.

It often translates to “in order to” in English, but it more means “If you want to~” or “If that’s what you intend to do/achieve.”

Hope/Plan/Intention + 그러면 + Required action (Result)

Ex. BTS를 만나고 싶어요. 그러려면 어디에 가야 돼요? = I want to meet BTS. To do that, where should I go?

To use 그러면 as a Conjunction:

Base Verb+(으)려면

Ex. 살을 빼려면 운동을 열심히 해야 돼요 = In order to lose weight, you should exercise hard.

Ex. 한국어를 잘하려면 공부를 열심히 하세요 = In order to be good at Korean, you should study hard.

Ex. 지갑을 찾으려면 어디에 신고해야 해요? = In order to find my wallet, where should I report it?

Ex. 가수가 되려면 어떻게 해야 돼요? = In order to become a singer, what should I do?

Ex. 늦지 않으려면 일찍 나가 = In order not to get late, go out early.

Ex. 감기가 빨리 나으려면* 무슨 약을 먹어야 해요? = In order to quickly get better from my cold, what medicine should I take?

Ex. 이거 다 만들려면* 시간이 오래 걸릴 거예요 = In order to finish making this, it’s going to take a lot of time.

*Irregular!