Each time: -ㄹ/을 때마다

This pattern is a combination of two parts. First, we have the -ㄹ/을 때 part. You probably know this means "when." Then we add 마다, which means "each" or "every." When they join forces, they create a powerful time expression. It describes a 100% correlation between two things. If A happens, B follows. Every. Single. Time. It attaches directly to the verb or adjective stem. You don't need a space between the stem and the pattern. It acts as a connector between two clauses. The first clause is the trigger. The second clause is what happens next. It is like a digital switch. Flip it, and the light always turns on. No exceptions allowed here!

1. 1Find your verb or adjective stem.
2. 2Check if the stem ends in a vowel or a consonant.
3. 3If the stem ends in a vowel, add -ㄹ 때마다.
4. 4Example: 가다 (to go) becomes 갈 때마다.
5. 5If the stem ends in a consonant, add -을 때마다.
6. 6Example: 먹다 (to eat) becomes 먹을 때마다.
7. 7For stems ending in ㄹ, just add 때마다.
8. 8Example: 만들다 (to make) becomes 만들 때마다.
9. 9For ㅂ irregulars, change ㅂ to 우 first.
10. 10Example: 굽다 (to bake) becomes 구울 때마다.
11. 11The final verb in the sentence carries the tense.
12. 12The -ㄹ/을 때마다 part stays in the future/prospective form.

Use this when describing your favorite (or least favorite) habits. Tell your friends about your gym routine. "Every time I exercise, I feel energized." Use it for inevitable natural laws. "Whenever it rains, the ground gets wet." It is great for emotional triggers too. "Every time I see my cat, I feel happy." You can use it in job interviews to show consistency. "Every time I start a project, I finish it early." Use it when ordering food at your local spot. "Whenever I come here, I get the spicy ramen." It works for both positive and negative repetitions. It is the "Groundhog Day" of Korean grammar patterns. If it happens more than once, this is your friend.

Don't use this for one-time events. If you only went to Jeju once, don't use it. It requires the idea of "always" or "every time." Avoid using it for things that happen randomly. It implies a strong, predictable pattern. Do not put a past tense before 때마다. Even if the whole story happened last year. The connector itself doesn't change for the past. "Whenever I *was* a kid" sounds weird in Korean anyway. Don't use it with nouns directly. For nouns, just use 마다 by itself. Saying 방학 때마다 (every vacation) is okay. But 학생 때마다 (every student) makes no sense. It’s like trying to put a square peg in a round hole.

Many people forget the 을 for consonant stems. They might say 먹 때마다. That sounds very choppy to native ears. Another big one is the ㄹ irregular. Remember, ㄹ stems are lazy and don't want extra letters. Just slap 때마다 on there and call it a day. Don't confuse it with -(으)면 (if/when). -(으)면 is for conditions that might happen. -ㄹ 때마다 is for things that definitely happen repeatedly. Some people try to use 모든 때 to mean every time. Don't do that! It’s a literal translation that doesn't work. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. If you see the wrong stem ending, stop and check!

How is this different from just -ㄹ 때? Well, -ㄹ 때 is just one specific moment. "When I ate." -ㄹ 때마다 is the whole series. It’s the difference between a photo and a video loop. What about 마다 on nouns? Use 마다 for time nouns like 날마다 (every day). Use -ㄹ 때마다 for actions like 운동할 때마다 (every time I exercise). It’s also different from -거나 (or). -거나 is about choices between different things. -ㄹ 때마다 is about the same thing happening over and over. It is more specific than -아/어/여서 (because). It focuses on the timing, not just the reason.