Have you ever wanted to say “I can speak a little Korean” or “I can’t drive at night” in Korean? Today you’ll learn the most useful, beginner-friendly ways to express ability and inability: -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요/없어요 (“can/can’t”) and 못 (“cannot”). We’ll keep it practical with examples you can use right away, plus short exercises to check your understanding.

The core pattern: -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요/없어요

This is the most straightforward way to say “can” and “cannot.” Attach -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 to a verb to say you can do it; -(으)ㄹ 수 없어요 to say you can’t.

• 저는 한국어를 읽을 수 있어요. (I can read Korean.)
• 저는 운전할 수 없어요. (I can’t drive.)
• 오늘은 시간이 없어서 영화 볼 수 없어요. (I don’t have time today, so I can’t watch a movie.)

Try it right away:

저는 매운 음식을 수 있어요.

밤에는 차를 수 없어요.

못 vs -(으)ㄹ 수 없어요: what’s the difference?

Both mean “cannot,” but there’s a nuance:

• 못 + verb is common in speech and often suggests inability due to skill, situation, or circumstances.

• -(으)ㄹ 수 없어요 is a bit more neutral/literal and slightly more formal. It states that something is not possible.

• 저는 수영을 못 해요. (I can’t swim.)

• 저는 오늘 약속이 있어서 못 가요. (I can’t go today because I have an appointment.)

• 저는 오늘 갈 수 없어요. (I cannot go today.)

피자를 안 할 수 있어요. → 피자를 못 먹어요 / 피자를 먹을 수 없어요. Use 못 + verb or -(으)ㄹ 수 없어요 for “cannot.” ‘안 할 수 있다’ is unnatural.

Talking about skill: 잘/못/잘 못

To talk about how well you can do something, use adverbs:

• 잘 (well)

• 못 (cannot; poorly)

• 잘 못 (not well; “not very good at”)

• 저는 한국어를 잘 해요. (I speak/do Korean well.)

• 저는 한국어를 못 해요. (I can’t speak Korean.)

• 저는 한국어를 잘 못 해요. (I’m not good at Korean / I can’t speak it well.)

With activity nouns + 하다 (e.g., 수영하다 “to swim”, 요리하다 “to cook”), you can add 을/를 + 하다:

• 저는 수영을 잘 못 해요. (I’m not good at swimming.)
• 오늘은 바빠서 요리를 못 해요. (I can’t cook today because I’m busy.)

Don’t confuse ability with permission

Korean uses different patterns for “can (is allowed)” and “can (is able).”

• Ability/possibility: -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요/없어요, 못

• Permission: -아/어도 돼요 (May I…? Is it allowed?)

• 여기서 사진 찍을 수 있어요? (Is it possible to take pictures here?)

• 여기서 사진 찍어도 돼요? (May I take pictures here?) → This is the usual way to ask permission.

Polite ways to ask about ability

In everyday Korean, small words make your question softer and more natural:

• 혹시 (by any chance)

• 좀 (a little/please)

• 혹시 영어로 설명해 줄 수 있어요? (By any chance, can you explain in English?)

• 이거 좀 들어 줄 수 있어요? (Could you hold this for a moment?)

These use 줄 수 있어요 (“can give [me the favor] of doing”), which is very common and polite without being too formal.

Quick review

• Use -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요/없어요 to say you can/can’t do something.
• Use 못 + verb in speech to say you cannot (often due to skill or situation).
• Use 잘 / 못 / 잘 못 to describe skill level.
• Use -아/어도 돼요 to ask for permission (May I…?).
• Be polite: add 혹시, 좀 to soften requests.

Keep these patterns handy, and practice with your daily life:

• 오늘은 운동 ___ 수 있어요? (운동하다 → 운동할)
• 저는 버스를 ___ 수 없어요. (타다 → 탈)
• 저는 커피를 ___ 해요. (잘/못/잘 못)

You’ve got this! Keep listening for -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 and 못 in dramas and conversations, and try them in your next Korean chat.