elementary · freeInteractive lesson
수 있다 vs 못
Try it freeContrast quizPick the right form in a mini quiz.Open →Explanation
-(으)ㄹ 수 있다 marks ability/possibility: 할 수 있어요.
못 + verb is the everyday inability form: 못 해요.
Both appear; 수 없다 can sound slightly more explicit/formal than 못 in some writing.
Mistake: stacking 못 할 수 없어요 without meaning to double-negate.
Level: elementary. Read both sides of the contrast, say the examples out loud, then write one correct and one incorrect sentence and fix it.
Cross-link: open the related grammar or tools page the same day so the fix sticks in your study graph.
Examples
한글을 읽을 수 있어요.
I can read Hangul.
아직 운전을 못 해요.
I can’t drive yet.
Common mistakes
- Translating the English pair word-for-word without checking which Korean form carries the real distinction.
- Treating the two forms as free synonyms after memorizing only one example.
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