-(으)ㄹ라치면
whenever one tries to
Every time you set about doing something, the same thing gets in the way. A single ending, written joined, and always about a recurring frustration.
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When to use it
Vowel stems take -ㄹ라치면, consonant stems -을라치면, and a ㄹ stem adds nothing: 만들라치면. It is one ending and is written joined — the 라치면 is not a separate word.
The situation must be recurring. You are not describing one occasion but a pattern: 좀 쉴라치면 꼭 전화가 온다.
The second clause names the interference, and 꼭 or 하필 usually reinforces it — it is always the same thing, always at the wrong moment.
The tone is one of weary complaint, and the register is literary. In speech, -(으)려고만 하면 says the same thing.
How to attach it
| Stem type | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ends in a vowel | -ㄹ라치면 | 쉬다 → 쉬ㄹ라치면 |
| Ends in a consonant | -을라치면 | 먹다 → 먹을라치면 |
| Ends in ㄹ | -라치면 | 만들다 → 만들라치면 |
| Spelling | one ending, joined | 쉴라치면, not 쉴 라치면 |
| Common partners | 꼭, 하필 | … 꼭 전화가 온다 |
| Spoken version | -(으)려고만 하면 | 쉬려고만 하면 |
In use
좀 쉴라치면 꼭 전화가 걸려 온다.
The moment I try to rest, the phone always rings.
밖에 나갈라치면 하필 비가 쏟아진다.
Whenever I set out, down comes the rain.
뭘 좀 먹을라치면 손님이 들어오곤 했다.
Every time I sat down to eat, a customer would come in.
이야기를 꺼낼라치면 그는 자리를 피했다.
Whenever I tried to raise it, he found somewhere else to be.
직접 만들라치면 재료부터 구하기가 어렵다.
Whenever one sets about making it oneself, the materials alone are hard to come by.
잠들라치면 위층에서 소리가 났다.
Just as I was dropping off, there would be a noise upstairs.
Compared with
-(으)려던 참이다
참이다 describes one particular moment; -(으)ㄹ라치면 describes a pattern that repeats.
나가려던 참이었어요. (I was just leaving) / 나갈라치면 비가 온다. (every time I set out)
-(으)ㄹ 때마다
때마다 states recurrence neutrally; -(으)ㄹ라치면 adds the frustration of being thwarted each time.
쉴 때마다 전화가 와요. (each time I rest) / 쉴라치면 꼭 전화가 온다. (I never get to rest)
-기 일쑤이다
일쑤이다 says something happens all too often; -(으)ㄹ라치면 sets up the attempt that keeps being interrupted.
늦기 일쑤예요. (always late) / 나갈라치면 비가 온다. (rains whenever I go out)
Watch out
좀 쉴 라치면 전화가 온다.
좀 쉴라치면 전화가 온다.
-(으)ㄹ라치면 is a single ending and is written joined.
어제 쉴라치면 전화가 왔다.
좀 쉴라치면 꼭 전화가 온다.
The construction describes a repeating pattern. A single dated occasion does not fit.
쉴라치면 기분이 좋아진다.
쉴라치면 꼭 전화가 걸려 온다.
The second clause names what interferes. A pleasant outcome leaves the ending with nothing to complain about.
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