Learn Korean: Verb + 면 좋겠다

Let’s take a look at the Korean sentence pattern Verb + 면 좋겠다. We use this to express what we wish to happen. If it has been so hot the whole week, I would say I wish it rains. The main verb is 비가 오다 (to rain). We take the verb stem (오) and attach 면. If the verb stem ends in a consonant, use 으면. Then, we add 좋겠다. The actual sentence is 비가 오면 좋겠어(요). But the 좋겠다 ending is also commonly used, probably more common. Here’s another example. There’s a girl I like in class and today is her birthday. I bought her a gift but I have no courage to give it in person. So I left it on her desk early morning when no one was around. I told myself I wish she likes it. The main verb is 마음에 들다 (to like). We take the verb stem (들) and attach 면 좋겠다. The actual sentence is 마음에 들면 좋겠다/좋겠어(요). There is a much more common way to express this in Korean and that is by using the past tense form of the verb. The past tense form of the verbs above are 비가 왔다 and 마음에 들었다. We get rid of 다 and attach 으면 좋겠다. We say 비가 왔으면 좋겠다 and 마음에 들었으면 좋겠다.

해줬으면 좋겠어요.

I wish you will do it for me.

합격했으면 좋겠어.

I wish I passed.

코로나 사라졌으면 좋겠어.

I wish the corona virus will disappear.