TTMIK2L17

When speaking Korean, whether just practicing or speaking out of necessity, there will come a point when knowing how to say “can (do something)” or “cannot (do something)” will come in handy.

To say “can (do something)”, use -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 [-(eu)l ssu it-tta].

Conjugations

보다 [bo-da]= to see→ 보 + -ㄹ 수 있다 = 볼 수 있다 [bol ssu it-tta] = can see

먹다 [meok-tta] = to eat→ 먹 + -을 수 있다 = 먹을 수 있다 [meo-geul ssu it-tta] = can eat

• Verb stems ending in a vowel are followed by -ㄹ 수 있다, and verb stems ending with a consonant are followed by -을 수 있다. The difference is whether there is an extra 으 or not in front of -ㄹ 수 있다 for the ease of pronunciation.

자다 [ja-da] = to sleep→ 자 + -ㄹ 수 없다 = 잘 수 없다 [jal ssu eop-tta] = cannot sleep ←→ 잘 수 있다 = can sleep

잡다 [jap-tta] = to catch→ 잡 + -을 수 없다 = 잡을 수 없다 [ja-beul ssu eop-tta] = cannot catch ←→ 잡을 수 있다 = can catch

Regarding -(으)ㄹ 수 있다, the word 수 means an “idea” or “way” for solving a problem or for getting something finished. 수 has the same meaning as 방법 [bang-beop] (method); therefore, -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 literally means “to have a way/idea (for doing something)”.

When there is no “way” or “idea” to do something, it means that it cannot be done, and in Korean, this becomes -(으)ㄹ 수 없다 [-(eu)l ssu eop-tta]. 없다 has the opposite meaning of 있다.

Another way to say -(으)ㄹ 수 없다 is by using the word 못 [mot] before a verb.

• (으)ㄹ 수 없다 is the most basic way to express “cannot”, but it is not always used in spoken Korean. A more common way to say “cannot” or “to be unable to” in spoken Korean is by adding 못 before a verb.

갈 수 없다 [gal ssu eop-tta] = 못 가다 [mot ga-da] [verb: 가다] = cannot go

볼 수 없다 = 못 보다 [verb: 보다] = cannot see

먹을 수 없다 = 못 먹다 [verb: 먹다] = cannot eat

할 수 없다 [hal ssu eop-tta] = 못 하다 [mot ha-da] [verb: 하다] = cannot do