-(으)ㄹ라치면
Used to express a frustrating recurring pattern: whenever you intend or try to do something, an obstacle always arises to prevent it.
Summary
Equivalent
Whenever I try to... (something gets in the way)
Also: -(으)려고 하면
Example
Whenever I try to study, my friends always contact me.
공부를 좀 할라치면 꼭 친구들한테서 연락이 와.
Grammar rules
- It implies 'Every single time I try to do [X], [Y] happens instead, ruining it.' It is used mostly in colloquial, spoken language to complain about bad luck or inconvenient timing.
- Interchangeable with '-(으)려고 하면'.
- It inherently carries a negative or complaining nuance about the situation in the second clause.
청소 좀 할라치면 꼭 손님이 온다. (Whenever I attempt to clean, guests always arrive.)
Patterns
V (Verbs)
현재 (Present) · -(으)ㄹ라치면
Example sentences
Whenever I try to study, my friends always contact me.
공부를 좀 할라치면 꼭 친구들한테서 연락이 와.
Whenever I try to go on a trip after a long time, it always rains.
오랜만에 여행을 갈라치면 비가 내리더라고요.
Whenever I try to eat out just once, I don't know why the prices are so expensive.
외식 한 번 할라치면 왜 이렇게 물가가 비싼지 모르겠어요.
Conversation
A: Did you get to rest at home over the weekend?
주말에 집에서 좀 쉬었어요?
B: No. Whenever I try to catch up on sleep on the weekend, the upstairs neighbors stomp around so I couldn't sleep at all.
아니요. 주말에 밀린 잠 좀 잘라치면 위층에서 쿵쿵거려서 도저히 잘 수가 없었어요.
Practice
Fill in the blank
Select the correct phrase indicating an interrupted intention.
세차를 하려고 할 때마다 비가 와.
지하철 의자에 앉고 싶을 때마다 뺏겨.