Korean grammar patterns › Level 6
-(으)ㄴ즉(슨)
when/since (I) did …; as for N (archaic)
Level 6 · TOPIK II · advanced
How to use it
After a verb (usually 보다, 듣다), it means 'when/since I did …, I found that …'. After a noun (말인즉, 이야기인즉슨, 사연인즉) it picks out the content: 'as for what was said'. -슨 adds emphasis; 말인즉슨 is also heard in casual speech.
Forming it
| 듣다 | → 들은즉 |
| 보다 | → 본즉 |
| 말 | → 말인즉슨 |
| 이야기 | → 이야기인즉 |
Examples
자세히 들어 본즉 그럴 만도 했다.
When I heard the whole story, it was understandable.
말인즉슨 옳지만 현실적으로는 어렵습니다.
What he says is right, but it's difficult in practice.
Compared with similar patterns
-(으)니 is the neutral literary 'when/since'; -(으)ㄴ즉 is more old-fashioned and focuses on what was found out.