Can/Cannot

Frequently asked questions

When is -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다 used?

Express ability or possibility using -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 (can) and -(으)ㄹ 수 없다 (cannot).

How is -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다 formed?

Alternative negative: verb stem + -ㄹ/을 수 없다 OR 못 + verb: 못 먹어요 = 먹을 수 없어요 (can't eat). 못 is shorter and more common in speech. 수 literally means "way/means" — so -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 literally means "the way to [verb] exists."

What are common mistakes with -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다?

Mixing up -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 with 못. Forgetting vowel harmony in the -(으)ㄹ ending. Confusing ability with permission. EN speakers: English 'can' covers both ability and permission — Korean separates these. -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 = ability, -아/어도 되다 = permission. DE speakers: German 'können' also covers ability + permission. Same confusion risk as English. Modal verb position differs — German puts modal at end (Ich kann Koreanisch sprechen) while Korean embeds it mid-phrase. RU speakers: Russian 'мочь' maps well. The -(으)ㄹ suffix is similar in concept to Russian potential forms. Main issue: choosing between 못 and -(으)ㄹ 수 없다.