Korean grammar patterns › Level 6
-는 족족
every time … (each one), as soon as …
Level 6 · TOPIK II · advanced
How to use it
Each time something is done or appears, the same thing happens to every item, often that it is used up or disappears (다 쓰다, 다 팔리다). Clause 2 is usually past or habitual.
Forming it
| 벌다 | → 버는 족족 |
| 먹다 | → 먹는 족족 |
| 만들다 | → 만드는 족족 |
| 보이다 | → 보이는 족족 |
Verbs only, and only the present form -는: ✗ 번 족족, ✗ 비싼 족족.
Examples
그는 돈을 버는 족족 다 써 버려요.
Every time he earns money, he spends all of it.
빵을 만드는 족족 손님들이 다 사 갔어요.
As fast as we made bread, the customers bought it all.
Compared with similar patterns
-는 대로 and -자마자 mean 'as soon as' for one event; -는 족족 stresses every single time / every item. -(으)ㄹ라치면 means 'whenever one is about to' and something interferes.