Describing Abilities

 
3 Sentence Summary of This Lesson:
  • Korean expresses inability using '못' (before verbs) or '-ㄹ/을 수 없다' (meaning "no way to do something").
  • '못' works only with action verbs, not adjectives; '수' works with both verbs and adjectives.
  • Form '-ㄹ/을 수 있다/없다' by converting verbs to future modifier form: add '-을' after stems with batchim, '-ㄹ' without.
 
There are other ways to describe abilities both in positive and negative ways.
 

못

 
‘못’ works much like ‘수’ and the negation word ‘안’. It adds the meaning ‘cannot (do something)’. Add it in front of a verb.
 
  • 수영을 못 배웠어요. ( I wasn’t able to learn how to swim.)
  • 매운 음식을 못 먹어요. ( I can’t eat spicy food.)
  • 한국말을 잘 못해요. ( I can’t speak Korean very well)
 
Notice that when ‘못’ is used with the verb ‘하다’, the whitespace disappears. This is because it becomes a verb of its own ‘못하다’, which mean ‘to not be able to do something’.
 
The word ‘못’ cannot be used with adjectives (= descriptive verbs). If you were to apply it to ‘예쁘다’ for example, it becomes ‘못 예쁘다’; which would translate to ‘can’t pretty’. You must use ‘안’, so that it becomes ‘안 예쁘다’, which means ‘to be not pretty’.
 

수

 
‘수’ means ‘method’ or ‘way’. Adding it in front of a verb or adjective adds the meaning that there is a way to do something or not.
 
Add ‘수’ in front of ‘있다’ and ‘없다’ would essentially mean ‘there is a way to do something’ or not.
 
  • 매운 음식을 먹을 수 있어요. (I can eat spicy food.)
  • 무서운 영화를 볼 수 없어요. (I can’t watch scary movies.)
 
In order to connect the verb to ‘수’, you must change the verb into its ‘future form’ (future modifier), like above.
 
You must review the way on how to convert the verb into the ‘future’ form.
 
  • When the stem has a batchim, use ‘을’: 잡다 → 잡을 (to catch)
  • If not, use ‘-ㄹ’: 사다 → 살 (to buy)
 
‘수’ can be used with adjectives. For example, you can say ‘이 음식은 매울 수 있어요’. This means, ‘This food may be spicy.’
 
 
Try the following exercise.
Complete the following sentences with -ㄹ/을 수 있다 and 없다. Try the same with ‘못’.
 
  1. 사과를 ________ / ________ . (먹다)
Answer
먹을 수 있어요 / 먹을 수 없어요
못 먹어요
 
  1. 공부를 ________ / ________ . (하다)
Answer
할 수 있어요 / 할 수 없어요
못해요
 
  1. 수학을 ________ / ________ . (잘하다)
Answer
잘할 수 있어요 / 잘할 수 없어요
못해요
 
 
  1. 물을 ________ / ________ . (마시다)
Answer
마실 수 있어요 / 마실 수 없어요
못 마셔요
 
  1. 책을 ________ / ________ . (사다)
Answer
살 수 있어요 / 살 수 없어요
못 사요
 
  1. 내용을 ________ / ________ . (읽다)
Answer
읽을 수 있어요 / 읽을 수 없어요
못 읽어요
 
  1. 날씨가 ________ / ________ . (춥다)
Answer
추울 수 었어요 / 추울 수 없어요
‘못’ cannot be used with adjectives/descriptive verbs.
 
  1. 주말에도 ________ / ________ . (쉬다)
Answer
쉴 수 있어요 / 쉴 수 없어요
못 쉬어요
 
  1. 글을 ________ / ________ . (쓰다)
Answer
쓸 수 있어요 / 쓸 수 없어요
못 써요
 
  1. 주사가 ________ / ________ . (아프다)
Answer
아플 수 있어요 / 아플 수 없어요
‘못’ cannot be used with adjectives/descriptive verbs.
 
 
 
 
 
* For more practice exercises, visit the ‘Practice Hub’.
 
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