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Korean grammar

Can and can't in Korean: (으)ㄹ 수 있어요 / 없어요

Korean says can with the (으)ㄹ modifier plus 수 있어요, literally there is a way: 수영할 수 있어요, I can swim. Swap 있어요 for 없어요 and it becomes can't. The short negative 못 says the same thing in fewer syllables, 잘해요 and 못해요 rate your skill at something, and (으)ㄹ 줄 알아요 says you know how.

Examples are written in Hangul. New to it? Start with the hangul chart.

In short

  • Stem + ㄹ 수 있어요 after a vowel, 을 수 있어요 after a consonant: 수영할 수 있어요 (I can swim), 먹을 수 있어요 (I can eat).
  • Swap 있어요 for 없어요 to say can't: 운전할 수 없어요 (I can't drive). 못 + verb says the same in short: 운전 못 해요.
  • 수 is a noun meaning a way, so 할 수 있어요 is there is a way to do it. Keep the space: 할 수 있어요.
  • 잘해요 and 못해요 are about skill, and the activity takes 을/를: 수영을 잘해요 (I'm good at swimming), 요리를 못해요 (I'm bad at cooking).
  • (으)ㄹ 줄 알아요 / 몰라요 is knowing how, a learned skill: 운전할 줄 몰라요 (I don't know how to drive).

(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 / 없어요

To say 'can', use the (으)ㄹ modifier + 수 있어요 ('there's a way'): 수영할 수 있어요 = 'I can swim.' For 'cannot', swap to 수 없어요: 운전할 수 없어요 = 'I can't drive.' After a VOWEL stem → ㄹ 수 (수영할 수); after a CONSONANT stem → 을 수 (먹을 수 있어요 'I can eat').

  • ㄹ 수 있어요

    -l su isseoyo

    can (do)

  • ㄹ 수 없어요

    -l su eopseoyo

    cannot (do)

  • 매운 음식을 먹을 수 있어요

    I can eat spicy food.

  • 수영할 수 있어요

    I can swim

  • 운전할 수 없어요

    I can't drive

잘해요 ('good at') / 못해요 ('bad at')

잘하다 = 'do well / be good at', 못하다 = 'be bad at / not do well'. The activity takes 을/를: 수영을 잘해요 = 'I'm good at swimming'; 요리를 못해요 = 'I'm bad at cooking'. (잘 alone = 'well'; 못 alone = 'cannot' before a verb.) 못해요 is written together; it sounds like [모태요].

  • 잘해요

    jalhaeyo

    is good at

  • 못해요

    mothaeyo

    is bad at

  • 요리를 못해요

    I'm bad at cooking.

  • 수영을 잘해요

    I'm good at swimming

(으)ㄹ 줄 알아요 / 몰라요

(으)ㄹ 줄 알다 = know how to (do), a learned skill. (으)ㄹ 줄 모르다 = not know how to. 수영할 줄 알아요 = I know how to swim; 운전할 줄 몰라요 = I don't know how to drive. After a vowel stem → ㄹ 줄 (수영할 줄); after a consonant → 을 줄 (먹을 줄). This is about skill; (으)ㄹ 수 있어요 is about possibility. 모르다 is irregular → 몰라요.

  • ㄹ 줄 알아요

    -l jul arayo

    know how to (after ㄹ)

  • ㄹ 줄 몰라요

    -l jul mollayo

    don't know how to (after ㄹ)

  • 한글을 읽을 줄 알아요

    I know how to read Hangul.

  • 수영할 줄 알아요

    I know how to swim

  • 운전할 줄 몰라요

    I don't know how to drive

Check yourself

Questions from the course. Pick an answer to check it; nothing is saved.

  1. 1.'I can swim.' Pick the Korean.

  2. 2.'I can't drive.' Pick the Korean.

  3. 3.'I'm good at swimming.' Pick the Korean.

  4. 4.'I'm good at singing.' Pick the Korean.

  5. 5.'I know how to swim.' Pick the Korean.

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