Korean Expression: Can and Cannot in Korean [-(으)ㄹ 수 있다 / -(으) 수 없다]

- Author: Good Job Korean team 
- Editor: Good Job Korean team

👍 Contents (Click to navigate instantly)

✅ Grammar Rules
✅ Conjugation
✅ Examples: Interrogative Sentences
✅ Examples: Formal Ending Sentences
✅ Examples: Polite Ending Sentences
✅ Examples: Casual Ending Sentences

 Previously, we briefly mentioned in our blog post the difference between 못 and -(으)ㄹ 수없다 where both mean ‘cannot’ in Korean. In this post, we will delve deeper into the grammar pattern -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 (can) and -(으) 수 없다 (cannot).

 As we have learned previously, 있다 means ‘to exist,’ and it also means ‘to have’ or ‘there is’ in a sentence, while 없다 means ‘to not exist’ or ‘to not have’ or ‘there is not.’

 You might wonder what 수 means. 수 generally has several meanings, but for this expression, 수 means ‘a possibility’ or ‘a way.’ Therefore, 수 있다 means there is a possibility or a way (to do something), and 수 없다 means there is no possibility or no way (to do something). 

 When there is a way to do something, it means you have the ability and can do something. On the contrary, when there is no way to do something, it means you do not have the ability and cannot do something.

 Let us go now through the basics — grammar rules.

Grammar Rules

 As this grammar pattern is attached to a verb, you must determine whether the verb stem ends with a final consonant or a vowel. The rules are as follows:

Verb stem ending with a consonant + -을 수 있다 / 없다

Example:

먹다 (drop 다) + -을 수 있다 / 없다 →먹을 수 있다 / 없다
*먹다: to eat

Verb stem ending with a vowel + ㄹ 수 있다 / 없다

Example:

오다 (drop 다) + ㄹ 수 있다 / 없다 → 올 수 있다 / 없다
*오다: to come

Verb stem ending with ㄹ + 수 있다 / 없다

팔다 (drop 다) + 수 있다 / 없다 → 팔 수 있다 / 없다
*팔다: to sell

Conjugation

 You can then conjugate the grammar pattern -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 / 없다 accordingly depending on the sentence tenses:

Formal: -(으)ㄹ 수 있습니다 / -(으)ㄹ 수 없습니다
Polite: -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 / -(으)ㄹ 수 없어요
Casual: -(으)ㄹ 수 있어 / -(으)ㄹ 수 없어

Interrogative Sentences

 Let us see some examples of interrogative sentences using -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 / 없다

Example sentences:

카페에서 만날 수 있습니까?
Can you meet me at the cafe?
*카페: cafe 
*에서: at (location particle)
*만나다: to meet

수영을 할 수 있나요?
Can you swim?
*수영하다/수영(을) 하다: to swim
*을: object particle

창문을 열어줄 수 있어요?
Can you open the window (for me)?
*창문: window
*을: object particle
*열다: to open
*~아/어 주다: an expression attached when asking for a favor (by the speaker)

더 빨리 운전할 수 있어?
Can you drive faster?
*더: more
*빨리: quickly, faster
*운전하다: to drive

이 케이크를 저에게 팔 수 없습니까?
Can’t you sell me this cake?
*이: this
*케이크: cake
*를: object particle
*저: me
*에게: to (postpositional particle)
*팔다: to sell

매운 음식을 먹을 수 없나요?
Can’t you eat spicy food?
*맵다: to be spicy
*음식: food
*을: object particle
 

비밀을 말해줄 수 없어?
Can’t you tell me the secret?
*비밀: secret
*말해주다: to tell (the speaker)

Formal Ending Sentences

다음 주에 프로젝트를 완료할 수 있습니다.
I can complete the project next week.
*다음 주: next week
*에: time particle
*프로젝트: project
*완료하다: to complete

어제 시간이 있어서 막판에 파티에 갈 수 있었습니다.
I had time yesterday so I could go to the party at the last minute.
*어제: yesterday
*시간: time
*이: subject particle
*있다: to exist
*-서 (short for 그래서): so
*막판: last moment
*에: time particle
*파티: party
*에: location particle
*가다: to go

여기서는 사진을 찍을 수 없습니다.
You cannot take photos here.
*여기: here
*서: at, from
*는: topic particle
*사진: photo
*을: object particle
*찍다: to take (photo), to shoot, to film

이번 달에는 매출을 달성할 수 없었습니다.
We could not achieve sales this month.
*이번 달: this month
*에: time particle
*는: topic particle
*매출: sales
*을: object particle
*달성하다: to achieve

Polite Ending Sentences

한국에 가면 한국어를 배울 수 있어요.
I can learn Korean when I go to Korea.
*한국: Korea
*에: to (location particle)
*가다: to go
*면: when
*한국어: Korean (language)
*배우다: to learn

내일 친구들을 만날 수 있을 거예요.
You will be able to meet your friends tomorrow.
*내일: tomorrow
*친구(들): friend(s)
*을: object particle
*만나다: to meet

그럴 수 있죠.
Things happen.
*그러다 (contraction of 그렇게 하다): to do (something) 

그럴 수밖에 없어요.
It’s inevitable. / That’s the only way.
*그러다 (contraction of 그렇게 하다): to do (something) 
*밖: outside
*에: location particle

 수학여행을 갈 수 없어요.
I cannot go on the school trip.
*수학여행: school trip
*가다: to go

어제 감기 걸려서 학교에 갈 수 없었어요.
I couldn’t go to school yesterday because I caught a cold.
*어제: yesterday
*감기 걸리다: to catch a cold
*-서 (from 그래서): because
*학교: school
*에: to (location particle)
*가다: to go

이번 주 일요일에는 하이킹을 갈 수 없을 것 같아요.
I don’t think I can go hiking this Sunday.
*이번 주: this week
*일요일: Sunday
*에: time particle
*는: topic particle
*하이킹: hiking
*가다: to go
*것 같다: to think, to seems like

Casual Ending Sentences

할 수 있어!
You can do it!
*하다: to do

어렸을 때는 노래를 아주 잘 할 수 있었어.
When I was young, I could sing very well.
*어리다: to be young
*때: when
*노래하다: to sing
*을: object particle
*아주: very

나는 믿을 수 없어!
I cannot believe it!
*나: I (casual form)
*는: topic particle
*믿다: to believe, to trust

어젯밤에 잠을 잘 수 없었어.
I couldn’t sleep last night.
*어젯밤: last night
*에: time particle
*잠: sleep (noun)
*을: object particle
*자다: to sleep (verb)

 Let’s summarize the grammar pattern again:

Verb stem ending with a consonant + -을 수 있다 / 없다
Verb stem ending with a vowel + ㄹ 수 있다 / 없다
Verb stem ending with ㄹ + 수 있다 / 없다

 Mastering this grammar pattern can make you sound more natural when expressing your ability to do something. Now that you have learned this expression, practice making sentences with this grammar pattern.

- Author: Good Job Korean team 
- Editor: Good Job Korean team