한국어를 배울 수 있어요Ability, Requests, and Learning
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Say what you can and cannot do using -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 and -(으)ㄹ 수 없어요.
- Use 못 to say that you are unable to do something.
- Describe how well you do something using 잘 and 조금.
- Ask someone to do something for you using 아/어 주세요.
- Talk about learning a language, skill, or hobby in everyday polite speech.
- Read and write short exchanges about ability and requests.
- Maintain accurate Hangeul, spacing, particles, and everyday polite speech level while combining this chapter's ability and request language with vocabulary and grammar from Chapters 1–12.
Communication Scenario
라일라 has been taking Korean classes at the language school for a few weeks now. Her classmate 수진 asks her about her hobbies and what she can do in Korean so far. 라일라 wants to say that she can order food and ask for directions in Korean, but she still cannot write long messages. She also wants to ask 수진 to speak a little more slowly. To do this, she needs a way to talk about ability, skill level, and polite requests — something Chapter 12's direction and route language cannot yet do on its own.
- This chapter introduces ability with -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요, inability with 못, skill level with 잘/조금, and requests with 아/어 주세요.
- Every task below builds on identity, family, dates, food, routines, location, shopping, plans, and directions language already active from Chapters 1–12.
- By the end of this chapter you will be able to describe what you can and cannot do and ask someone politely for help.
Core Vocabulary
These items support this chapter's communicative focus: describing ability, skill level, and making requests. Vocabulary from earlier chapters remains active and continues to appear in this chapter's tasks.
능력과 기술 — Ability and skills
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 운전하다 | to drive |
| 수영하다 | to swim |
| 요리하다 | to cook |
| 노래하다 | to sing |
| 악기 | musical instrument |
| 피아노를 치다 | to play the piano |
배우기와 언어 — Learning and language
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 배우다 | to learn |
| 가르치다 | to teach |
| 외국어 | foreign language |
| 쉽다 | to be easy |
| 어렵다 | to be difficult |
정도 부사 — Degree adverbs
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 잘 | well |
| 조금 | a little |
| 아직 | not yet |
| 천천히 | slowly |
부탁하기 — Making requests
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 도와주다 | to help (someone) |
| 다시 | again |
| 설명하다 | to explain |
| 기다리다 | to wait |
Productive load: approximately 30 items, counting this chapter's vocabulary together with ability and request patterns practiced below.
Pronunciation Focus
This chapter's main pronunciation target is the batchim linking that occurs when the ending -을 수 있어요 follows a consonant-final stem, and the pronunciation of 못 before a following verb.
When a consonant-final stem is followed by -을 수 있어요, the batchim links forward into the following syllable, so 읽을 수 있어요 is pronounced closer to [il-geul su i-sseo-yo]. Separately, 못 before a vowel-initial verb such as 못 와요 also links forward, closer to [mo dwa-yo]. This is the same liaison pattern practiced with particles and endings since Chapter 8, now applied to this chapter's ability and negation forms.
Read the following aloud, listening for the linked sound between each syllable.
할 수 있어요 · 읽을 수 있어요 · 못 가요 · 못 와요
받침 점검: continue distinguishing 을 수 있어요 after consonant-final stems from ㄹ 수 있어요 after vowel-final or ㄹ-final stems, as introduced in this chapter's grammar section.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
문법 1 — Ability: -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요/없어요
Communicative purpose: say what you are able or unable to do.
-(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 attaches to a predicate stem to express ability, and -(으)ㄹ 수 없어요 expresses inability. Use -ㄹ 수 있어요 after a vowel-final stem and -을 수 있어요 after a consonant-final stem.
| Dictionary form | Stem type | -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 form |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 | vowel-final | 갈 수 있어요 |
| 운전하다 | vowel-final | 운전할 수 있어요 |
| 읽다 | consonant-final | 읽을 수 있어요 |
| 만들다 | ㄹ-final | 만들 수 있어요 |
- 저는 한국 음식을 만들 수 있어요. I can make Korean food. 만들다 → 만들 수 있어요
- 저는 아직 한국어를 잘 읽을 수 없어요. I still cannot read Korean well. 읽다 → 읽을 수 없어요
문법 2 — Inability: 못
Communicative purpose: say that you are unable to do something, often for a reason outside your control.
못 is placed directly before an action verb to express inability. It functions similarly to short negation 안, introduced in Chapter 6, but specifically marks inability rather than simple negation or unwillingness.
- 오늘 저는 학교에 못 가요. I can't go to school today.
- 저는 수영을 못 해요. I can't swim.
Since Chapter 6, 안 has marked simple negation, as in 안 가요 ("I'm not going," by choice). 못 specifically marks inability, as in 못 가요 ("I can't go," due to a reason beyond the speaker's control). The two are not interchangeable: choosing between them changes whether the sentence describes a choice or a limitation.
문법 3 — Degree adverbs: 잘/조금
Communicative purpose: describe how well you do something.
잘 ("well") and 조금 ("a little") are placed before the verb to describe skill level. They frequently appear together with -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 or with the plain present tense.
- 저는 한국어를 조금 할 수 있어요. I can speak a little Korean.
- 제 친구는 한국어를 잘해요. My friend speaks Korean well.
These degree adverbs pair naturally with the learning vocabulary introduced in this chapter, such as 배우다 and 외국어.
문법 4 — Requests: 아/어 주세요
Communicative purpose: politely ask someone to do something for you.
아/어 주세요 attaches to a predicate stem to ask someone to do an action for your benefit. It builds on the everyday polite -아요/어요 pattern practiced since Chapter 6: choose 아 주세요 or 어 주세요 the same way you would choose between -아요 and -어요.
| Dictionary form | Vowel pattern | 아/어 주세요 form |
|---|---|---|
| 기다리다 | ㅣ stem | 기다려 주세요 |
| 설명하다 | 하다 verb | 설명해 주세요 |
| 도와주다 | ㅘ stem | 도와주세요 |
- 조금 천천히 말해 주세요. Please speak a little more slowly.
- 다시 한번 설명해 주세요. Please explain that one more time.
- 저를 도와주세요. Please help me.
Chapter 12 introduced -(으)세요 for polite instructions and directions, such as 오른쪽으로 가세요. 아/어 주세요 specifically asks someone to do something as a favor for the speaker's benefit, such as 도와주세요. ("Please help me.") Both remain within the everyday polite register, but they are used for different communicative purposes: instruction versus favor.
Practice — Building ability and request sentences
- Change 만들다 and 읽다 into their -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 forms.
- Write one sentence using 못 to say you cannot do something today.
- Add 잘 or 조금 to describe your own skill level in a hobby or language.
- Change 기다리다 and 설명하다 into their 아/어 주세요 forms.
Model Dialogue
Setting: 수진 asks 라일라 about her hobbies and her Korean skills so far.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- What is 라일라's hobby, and what can she make?
- What can 라일라 do in Korean, and what can she not yet do well?
- What two requests does 라일라 make of 수진?
- Find one sentence using -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 and one sentence using 아/어 주세요 in the dialogue.
Listening
Ask your instructor, a language partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud. Listen twice without reading, then complete the tasks below.
민준의 취미와 실력
저는 민준이에요. 저는 피아노를 칠 수 있어요. 그런데 노래는 잘 못해요. 저는 요리도 조금 할 수 있어요. 하지만 매운 음식은 못 만들어요. 저는 지금 한국어를 배워요. 아직 잘 못 읽어요. 그래서 친구한테 천천히 말해 달라고 부탁해요.
듣기 과제 — Listening task: Listen and answer in English.
| 질문 | 답 |
|---|---|
| What can 민준 do well, and what can he not do well? | ______ |
| What kind of food can he not make? | ______ |
| What does he ask his friend to do? | ______ |
받아쓰기 — Dictation: Your partner or instructor reads two sentences from the passage above, once each at natural speed. Write what you hear in Hangeul, then check your spacing and particle accuracy.
- (a sentence with -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요)
- (a sentence with 못)
Reading
Below is a short message that 지훈 wrote to ask a classmate for help with a group project. Read it and answer the questions below.
지훈의 메시지
안녕하세요! 부탁이 있어요. 저는 컴퓨터를 잘 못해요. 발표 자료를 좀 도와주세요. 저는 한국어 설명은 쓸 수 있어요. 그런데 사진은 못 넣어요. 내일까지 도와줄 수 있어요? 고마워요!
This message recycles request language from Chapter 9's 주세요 and this chapter's ability, inability, and 아/어 주세요 patterns.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- What does 지훈 ask his classmate to help with?
- What can 지훈 already do by himself?
- What can 지훈 not do?
- Identify one sentence in the message that uses -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요.
Writing Workshop
This chapter's writing task is a short self-introduction of abilities, 제 실력 ("My Skills"), combining ability sentences with -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요/없어요, an inability sentence with 못, a skill-level sentence with 잘/조금, and at least one request with 아/어 주세요.
- Greet your reader. Use a greeting from Chapter 1.
- Name one thing you can do. Use -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요.
- Name one thing you cannot do. Use -(으)ㄹ 수 없어요 or 못.
- Describe your skill level. Use 잘 or 조금 in at least one sentence.
- Make one polite request. Use 아/어 주세요 to ask for help or patience.
- Revise. Check your draft against the editing checklist below.
체크리스트 — Editing checklist:
- Every sentence uses only Hangeul and only systems activated through Chapter 13.
- Speech level is consistent everyday polite -아요/어요, -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요, and 아/어 주세요 throughout.
- -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요/없어요 is chosen correctly based on the final sound of the stem.
- 못 is placed directly before the action verb it negates.
- 잘 and 조금 are placed before the verb they describe.
- 아/어 주세요 is formed correctly based on the stem's vowel pattern.
- Spacing between nouns, particles, and predicates follows the patterns modeled in Chapters 1–12.
Speaking Practice
통제 연습 — Controlled practice: Can you...?
Working with a partner or alone, take turns asking and answering ...을/를 할 수 있어요? about at least four different activities, using 네, 할 수 있어요 or 아니요, 못 해요.
의사소통 과제 — Communicative task: 부탁하기
Work with a partner. One person describes something they cannot do well, then makes a polite request for help using 아/어 주세요. The other person responds appropriately.
혼자 하는 연습 — Solo alternative
Record yourself describing three things you can do, one thing you cannot do, and one polite request you would make of a Korean-speaking friend, in five to six connected sentences.
Culture and Communication
When asked about a skill, it is common in many everyday South Korean conversations to downplay one's own ability rather than to state it confidently, even when the person is quite skilled; a modest answer such as 조금 할 수 있어요 is a common and polite response even from someone who is fairly proficient.
Using 아/어 주세요 to ask for a favor, rather than a blunt command, is standard in everyday polite interaction, and adding a short expression of thanks such as 고마워요 after a request is common courtesy in both spoken and written Korean.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: 읽다 → 읽ㄹ 수 있어요
Correction: 읽을 수 있어요 — a consonant-final stem takes 을 수 있어요, not ㄹ 수 있어요 alone.
Error: 저는 수영을 안 해요. (when the intended meaning is inability, not choice)
Correction: 저는 수영을 못 해요. — 못 marks inability, while 안 marks simple negation or unwillingness; the two express different meanings.
Error: 저는 한국어 잘 할 수 있어요.
Correction: 저는 한국어를 잘할 수 있어요. — the object particle 를 should still appear after 한국어, and 잘 is placed immediately before the verb it modifies.
Error: 기다리아 주세요
Correction: 기다려 주세요 — 기다리다 has a ㅣ-final stem, which combines with 어 to form 려, following the same contraction pattern practiced with -아요/어요 since Chapter 6.
Chapter Review
Section A — 어휘 (Vocabulary)
1. List three activities using the ability and skills vocabulary from this chapter.
2. Give one degree adverb that means "well" and one that means "a little."
Section B — 문법 (Grammar)
1. Change 만들다 and 읽다 into their -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 forms.
2. Write one sentence using 못 and one sentence using 아/어 주세요.
3. Correct the errors:
- 읽다 → 읽ㄹ 수 있어요.
- 기다리아 주세요.
Section C — 독해 이해 (Reading Comprehension)
1. According to 지훈's message, what can he already do, and what does he need help with?
2. By when does he need help?
Section D — 쓰기 (Writing)
1. Write a five-to-six sentence self-introduction of abilities following the Writing Workshop steps and checklist.
Section E — 말하기 (Speaking)
1. With a partner, ask about and answer questions about ability, and make one polite request, without notes.
누적 복습 — Cumulative review
This chapter recycles identity, family, dates, food, routines, location, shopping, plans, and directions language from Chapters 1 through 12, and adds ability with -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요, inability with 못, degree adverbs 잘/조금, and requests with 아/어 주세요. If any earlier item felt uncertain while completing this chapter, return to its source chapter before continuing to Chapter 14.
Practical Performance Task
수행 과제
제 실력 — Talking About My Abilities
You will complete a short exchange about ability and requests, in speech and in writing, using only the systems activated through Chapter 13.
- Written: Write your self-introduction from the Writing Workshop, including at least one ability sentence, one inability sentence, one skill-level sentence, and one request.
- Spoken: Ask a partner what they can and cannot do, and answer the same questions about yourself, with a partner or recorded alone.
- Reflection: Write one English sentence identifying which part of this chapter — the -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 stem pattern, the difference between 안 and 못, or the 아/어 주세요 vowel pattern — still feels least automatic, and one specific thing you will review before Chapter 14.
| Criterion | What is evaluated |
|---|---|
| Ability accuracy | Correct -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요/없어요 formation for vowel-final, consonant-final, and ㄹ-final stems |
| Inability accuracy | Correct and appropriate placement and use of 못 versus 안 |
| Degree adverb accuracy | Correct placement of 잘 and 조금 before the verb |
| Request accuracy | Correct 아/어 주세요 formation based on stem vowel pattern |
| Cohesion | Ideas presented in a clear, logical order with consistent speech level |
| Hangeul and spacing accuracy | Accurate spelling and level-appropriate spacing throughout |
| Scope discipline | No structures used beyond Chapters 1–13 |
Answer Key
Grammar Practice
1. 만들 수 있어요, 읽을 수 있어요
2. Sample: 오늘 저는 못 가요.
3. Sample: 저는 요리를 조금 할 수 있어요. / 제 친구는 노래를 잘해요.
4. 기다려 주세요, 설명해 주세요
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- 라일라's hobby is cooking; she can make a little Korean food.
- She can speak a little Korean, but she cannot yet read well.
- She asks 수진 to speak a little slowly and to explain again.
- -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 — 한국 음식을 조금 만들 수 있어요.; 아/어 주세요 — 조금 천천히 말해 주세요.
Listening comprehension
- 민준 can play the piano well, but he is not good at singing.
- He cannot make spicy food.
- He asks his friend to speak slowly.
Reading comprehension
- 지훈 needs help with a presentation, specifically not being good with computers.
- He can already write the Korean explanation himself.
- He cannot insert the pictures.
- -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 sentence: 저는 한국어 설명은 쓸 수 있어요.
Chapter Review — Section B
- 만들 수 있어요, 읽을 수 있어요
- Sample: 저는 오늘 못 가요. / 천천히 말해 주세요.
- (a) → 읽을 수 있어요. (b) → 기다려 주세요.
Section D — Sample self-introduction
안녕하세요? 제 실력을 소개할게요. 저는 한국 음식을 만들 수 있어요. 그런데 매운 음식은 못 만들어요. 저는 한국어를 조금 할 수 있어요. 아직 잘 못 읽어요. 천천히 설명해 주세요.
Check that: at least one sentence uses -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요/없어요; at least one sentence uses 못 correctly; 잘 or 조금 appears before the verb it describes; at least one request uses 아/어 주세요; speech level is consistent everyday polite throughout; particles and spacing are accurate.
Looking Ahead
지금 할 수 있는 것 — What you can do now
You can describe what you can and cannot do, talk about your skill level, and ask someone politely for help. This continues Unit III, where you will move next toward health, needs, and reasons.