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🔑 Can, May, Must
Unit 17 of 30 in the Kaja Hangul course.
Every phrase below is shown in 한글 with a romanisation, what it actually means, and a recording you can play.
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The phrases
한국어 할 수 있어요
hangugeo hal su isseoyo
I can speak Korean
-(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 = can. Swap 있 for 없 and it becomes 'cannot'.
매운 거 못 먹어요
maeun geo mot meogeoyo
I can't eat spicy food
매운 거 = 'spicy thing'. 거 is an all-purpose 'thing' and it is everywhere.
운전할 수 있어요?
unjeonhal su isseoyo?
Can you drive?
운전하다 = to drive. Another ~하다 verb, so it behaves like 하다.
여기서 사진 찍어도 돼요?
yeogiseo sajin jjigeodo dwaeyo?
May I take photos here?
여기서 is 여기에서 shortened — 'at here'.
지금 가야 해요
jigeum gaya haeyo
I have to go now
-아/어야 해요 = must, have to. 가야 돼요 means exactly the same thing.
내일 일찍 일어나야 돼요
naeil iljjik ireonaya dwaeyo
I have to get up early tomorrow
일찍 = early. 일어나다 = to get up.
담배 피우면 안 돼요
dambae piumyeon an dwaeyo
You mustn't smoke
-(으)면 안 돼요 = 'if you do it, that's not okay' — the standard prohibition.
걱정 안 해도 돼요
geokjeong an haedo dwaeyo
You don't have to worry
-지 않아도 돼요 / 안 해도 돼요 = 'you needn't'.
조금 할 줄 알아요
jogeum hal jul arayo
I know how to do it a little
-(으)ㄹ 줄 알아요 is 'I know HOW'. 할 수 있어요 is 'I am able to'.
읽을 수는 있어요
ilgeul suneun isseoyo
I can at least read it
Slipping 는 into 수는 adds 'at least this much, if not more'.
지금은 안 될 것 같아요
jigeumeun an doel geot gatayo
I don't think that'll work right now
Combines the 것 같아요 hedge with a negative. Extremely common, and very useful.
시간 되세요?
sigan doeseyo?
Are you free?
되다 here means 'to work out / be possible'. The -시- makes it honorific.
Words introduced here
읽다 — to read알다 — to know월 — month년 — year가을 — autumn겨울 — winter동안 — during / for (a period)눈사람 — snowman바람 — wind구름 — cloud하늘 — sky달 — moon
A conversation using them: Can you?
The questions people ask a foreigner in the first five minutes.
A
한국어 할 수 있어요?
hangugeo hal su isseoyo?
Can you speak Korean?
B
조금 할 줄 알아요.
jogeum hal jul arayo
I know how to a little.
A
매운 거 먹을 수 있어요?
maeun geo meogeul su isseoyo?
Can you eat spicy food?
B
아니요, 매운 거 못 먹어요.
aniyo, maeun geo mot meogeoyo
No, I can't eat spicy food.
A
여기서 사진 찍어도 돼요?
yeogiseo sajin jjigeodo dwaeyo?
May I take photos here?
B
아니요, 여기서는 안 돼요.
aniyo, yeogiseoneun an dwaeyo
No, not here.
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The Korean here was written by a learner and is being checked by a native speaker — if something
reads wrong to you, it may well be.