---
vocabulary:
nouns:
- ko: 교수
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v1.mp3
en: professor
examples:
- ko: 저의 남자친구는 **교수**님 같이 보여요
en: My boyfriend looks like a **professor**
- ko: 그 **교수**는 다른 **교수**들보다 수업을 더 잘해요
en: That **professor** teaches classes better than other **professors**
- ko: "**교수**님은 마지막 수업이 끝나고 학생들을 위해 식사를 샀어요"
en: The **professor** bought a meal for the students after the last class
- ko: 학생들이 너무 시끄러워서 저는 **교수님**의 말을 못 들었어요
en: The students were too loud, so I couldn't hear the **professor**
- ko: 주인
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v2.mp3
en: master/owner/proprietor
examples:
- ko: 그 강아지의 **주인**은 누구예요?
en: Who is the **owner** of that dog?
- ko: 그 **주인**은 손님들을 잘 대우해요
en: That **owner** treats the customers well
- ko: 손님이 불행에 찬 눈으로 **주인**을 봤어요
en: The customer looked at the **owner** with eyes "full of" unhappiness
- ko: 경찰관은 강아지의 **주인**에게 십만 원의 벌금을 물었어요
en: The police officers gave the **owner** of the dog a 100 000원 fine
- ko: 잘못
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v3.mp3
en: mistake/fault
notes: |
The pronunciation of this word is closer to "잘몯"
This word would normally be easy, however it is more difficult than it needs to be because 잘못 (without a space) and 잘 못 (with a space) have two different meanings. See Lesson 20 for more information.
examples:
- ko: 그것은 제 **잘못**이었어요
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Lesson20-19.mp3
en: That was my **fault/mistake**
- ko: 저는 그 순간에 교실에 **잘못** 들어온 것을 깨달았어요
en: I realized at that moment that I came in the **wrong** class
- ko: 네 친구를 네 **잘못**에 대해 탓해서는 안 돼
en: You shouldn't blame your friends for your own **mistakes**
- ko: 제가 무슨 **잘못**을 한 듯이 우리 엄마가 저에게 잔소리를 했어요
en: My mom scolded/nagged at me as if I had done some sort of **mistake**
- ko: 기온
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v4.mp3
en: temperature
notes: This is used for the temperature of the weather.
examples:
- ko: 내일 최고**기온**은 10도예요
en: Tomorrow the high **temperature** is 10 degrees
- ko: 지구 **기온**이 점점 오르면서 한국에서 사계절이 사라진대요
en: As the global **temperatures** gradually increase, they say that the "four seasons" in Korea is disappearing
- ko: 거울
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v5.mp3
en: mirror
examples:
- ko: 여자는 자기의 모습을 **거울**에서 봤어요
en: She looked at herself in the **mirror**
- ko: 제 모습을 **거울**에서 보는 중이에요
en: I'm looking at myself (my appearance) in the **mirror**
- ko: 집주인이 부서진 **거울**을 찾아낼까 봐 걱정돼요
en: I'm worried that the landlord will find the shattered **mirror**
- ko: 뒤에 있는 차가 저의 시야에 있게 **거울**을 조금 움직였어요
en: I moved the **mirror** a little bit so that the cars behind me would be in my field of vision
- ko: 가루
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v6.mp3
en: powder
examples:
- ko: 케이크 반죽에 밀**가루**를 넣으세요
en: Put some **flour** into the cake batter, please
- ko: 봄에는 꽃**가루** 알레르기를 조심해 야 해요
en: You need to be careful about **pollen** allergies in the spring
- ko: 한국의 주식이 쌀이에요. 그래서 밀**가루**보다는 쌀로 만든 음식이 더 많아요
en: The staple food of Korea is rice. Therefore, there are more foods made from rice than **flour**
- ko: 근육
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v7.mp3
en: muscle
notes: The pronunciation of this word is closer to "그뉵"
examples:
- ko: 목에는 **근육**이 많아요
en: There are many **muscles** in your neck
- ko: 남자는 자기 **근육**을 여자들에게 드러냈어요
en: The man revealed his **muscles** to the girls
- ko: 허벅지 **근육**은 균형을 유지하는 데 중요한 역할을 해요
en: The **muscles** of your inner-thigh play an important role in maintaining one's balance
- ko: 어둠
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v8.mp3
en: darkness
notes: This is the noun form of 어둡다 (dark)
examples:
- ko: 부부는 **어둠**으로 사라졌어요
en: The couple disappeared into the **darkness**
- ko: 저의 돈을 훔치고 범죄자들은 **어둠**으로 사라졌어요
en: The criminals disappeared into the **darkness** after stealing my money
- ko: 기본
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v9.mp3
en: basic/basics
examples:
- ko: 그 학생은 물리의 **기본**도 이해하지 못해요
en: That student doesn't even understand **basic** physics
- ko: 무역회사에서 일하고 싶으면 **기본적으로** 영어를 할 줄 알아야 해요
en: If you want to work at a trade company, you need to know how to speak **basic** English (at a basic level)
- ko: 사고
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v10.mp3
en: accident
examples:
- ko: 집에 가는 동안 **사고**를 당했어요
en: I got into an **accident** on my way home
- ko: 한국 정부는 교통**사고**를 방지하려고 노력하고 있어요
en: The Korean government is trying to prevent traffic **accidents**
- ko: "**사고**가 났음에도 불구하고 경기가 계속되었어요"
en: The game/match continued despite the **accident** that arose
- ko: "**사고**가 났지만 저의 아버지가 많이 다치지 않았다니 다행이에요"
en: Even though there was an **accident**, I am thankful to hear that my dad wasn't that hurt
- ko: 교통
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v11.mp3
en: traffic
notes: |
This word appears in Korean Sign Explanation \[Video 10\]
examples:
- ko: "**교통**카드가 있었나요?"
en: Did you have your bus (**transportation**) card?
- ko: 휘발유가 비쌀수록 **교통**비가 비싸져요
en: The more expensive gasoline is, the more expensive **transportation** costs will be
- ko: "**교통**사고에서 사람 다섯 명은 부상을 당했어요"
en: Five people were injured in the **traffic** accident
- ko: 사람이 너무 많아서 서울에서는 **교통**혼잡이 심해요
en: The **traffic** jams in Seoul are severe because there are too many people
- ko: "**교통**혼잡 때문에 약 한 시간 정도 더 걸릴 것 같아요"
en: Because of the **traffic** jam, it will probably take about another hour
- ko: 이상
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v39.mp3
en: a noun to indicate that something is more than something else
notes: |
It is hard to imagine this being a noun based on the translation about, but grammatically it is a noun. By putting 이상 after something, it can have the meaning of "more than." For example:
- "열여덟 살 이상" = "over 18 years of age"
- "두 명 이상" = "more than two people"
It is common to use "더 이상" to indicate that one will not do something "anymore." For example:
- "저는 이 영화를 더 이상 보고 싶지 않아요" = "I don't want to watch this movie anymore"
examples:
- ko: 저는 이 영화를 **더 이상** 보고 싶지 않아요
en: I don't want to watch this movie **anymore**
- ko: 그 가게에 18세 **이상**만 들어가도 돼요
en: Only people **older** than 18 years can enter that store
verbs:
- ko: 잘하다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v12.mp3
en: to do something well
notes: |
The main meaning of 잘하다 is "to do something well." To use 잘하다, simply place a noun in a sentence with 잘하다 as the verb. For example:
- "나는 수영을 잘해" = "I swim well"
examples:
- ko: 나는 수영을 **잘해**
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Lesson20-1.mp3
en: I swim **well**
- ko: 저 학생은 공부를 **잘해**
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Lesson20-2.mp3
en: That student studies **well**
- ko: 우리 애기는 말을 **잘해요**
en: Our baby speaks **well**
- ko: 저는 야구를 **잘해요**
en: I play baseball **well**
- ko: 저 학생은 공부를 **잘해요**
en: That student studies **well**
- ko: 못하다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v13.mp3
en: to do something poorly
notes: |
The pronunciation of this word is closer to "모타다"
못하다 has the opposite meaning of 잘하다. For example:
- "나는 수영을 못해" = "I am bad at swimming"
examples:
- ko: 나는 수영을 **못해**
en: I am **bad at** swimming
- ko: 저 학생은 공부를 **못해**
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Lesson20-10.mp3
en: That student does **not** study **well**
- ko: 제가 너무 부끄러워서 발표를 **못해요**
en: I **can't do** presentations (**well**) because I am so shy
- ko: 저는 수학을 **못해요**
en: I am **bad at** math
- ko: 수영하다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v14.mp3
en: to swim
examples:
- ko: 나는 **수영**을 잘해
en: I am good at **swimming**
- ko: 저는 **수영**을 작년보다 더 잘해요
en: I am better at **swimming** than last year
- ko: 저는 어렸을 때 **수영**을 많이 **했어요**
en: I **swam** a lot when I was younger
- ko: "**수영**장물이 다 넘쳤어요?"
en: Did all the water overflow out of the **swimming** pool?
- ko: 모두 호수에서 **수영해도** 저는 안 들어가요
en: Regardless of if everyone goes **swimming** in the lake, I am not going in
- ko: 키가 클 때까지 얕은 수영장에서만 **수영할 거예요**
en: I'm only going to swim in shallow **swimming** pools until I am taller
- ko: 대우하다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v15.mp3
en: to treat somebody
notes: The noun form of this word translates to "treatment"
examples:
- ko: 그 주인은 손님들을 잘 **대우해요**
en: That owner **treats** the customers well
- ko: 저는 저의 여자 친구를 공주처럼 **대우해요**
en: I **treat** my girlfriend like a princess
- ko: 아이들을 성별에 따라 **대우하는** 것이 좋지 않아요
en: It's not good to **treat** children based on their gender
- ko: 퇴직하다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v16.mp3
en: to retire
notes: |
The pronunciation of this word is closer to "퇴지카다"
The noun form of this word translates to "retirement"
examples:
- ko: 사람들은 보통 65살이 되면 **퇴직해요**
en: People usually **retire** when they are 65 years old
- ko: 그 선생님은 지금 그만두거나 **퇴직**을 할 수 있어요
en: That teacher could quit or **retire** now
- ko: "**퇴직하자마자** 연금을 받을 수 있습니다"
en: As soon as you **retire**, you can receive your pension
- ko: 접수하다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v17.mp3
en: to receive (an application)
notes: |
The pronunciation of this word is closer to "접쑤하다"
접수하다 is a weird word. It technically means "to receive," but it usually used when the subject is giving something. It doesn't make much sense, but that is how it is used.
This word is not said very often. You will see it written more commonly than you will hear it spoken.
examples:
- ko: 저는 서울대학교에 원서를 **접수했어요**
en: Seoul University **received my application**
- ko: 씹다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v18.mp3
en: to chew
examples:
- ko: 수업 시간 동안 껌을 **씹**지 마세요
en: Don't **chew** gum during the class
- ko: 통역하다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v19.mp3
en: to interpret
notes: |
The pronunciation of this word is closer to "통여카다"
The noun form of this word translates to "interpretation"
examples:
- ko: 저는 한국어를 못해서 **통역사**가 필요해요
en: I need an **interpreter** because I can't speak Korean
- ko: 번역하다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v20.mp3
en: to translate
notes: |
The pronunciation of this word is closer to "버녀카다"
The noun form of this word translates to "translation"
examples:
- ko: 그 영화가 일본어로도 **번역되었다**
en: That movie was also **translated** to Japanese
- ko: 학생들은 그 이야기를 한국어에서 영어로 **번역할** 거예요
en: The students will **translate** that conversation (or story) from Korean to English
- ko: 젓다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v21.mp3
en: to stir
notes: |
The pronunciation of this word is closer to "젇따"
젓다 follows the ㅅ irregular
examples:
- ko: 저는 반죽을 딱딱할 때까지 **저었어요**
en: I **stirred** the batter until it was hard
- ko: 늘리다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v22.mp3
en: to gain, to improve, to increase
examples:
- ko: 저의 친구는 한국어 실력을 **늘렸어요**
en: My friend **increased** his Korean skills
- ko: 우리 사업규모를 내년에 **늘릴** 계획이 있어요
en: We have plans to **increase** the scale of our business next year
- ko: 1년에 재해방지훈련을 하는 횟수를 두 번에서 네 번으로 **늘릴까** 해요
en: I am thinking about **raising** the number of times we do disaster prevention training per year from two times to four times
- ko: 한국어실력을 **늘리고** 싶으면 선생님이 한국 사람들이랑 의사소통을 많이 하라고 그랬어요
en: If I want to **expand** my Korean language ability, my teacher told me to communicate a lot with Korean people
- ko: 빠지다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v23.mp3
en: to fall into
examples:
- ko: 열심히 운동하고 지금 힘이 **빠졌어요**
en: After exercising, I now have no energy (my energy has all **fallen out**)
- ko: 빠져나오다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v25.mp3
en: to escape, to come out of
notes: This is a compound word with the meanings of 빠지다 and 나오다 combined.
examples:
- ko: 회사장은 많은 시위자들로부터 드디어 **빠져나왔어요**
en: The CEO finally **escaped (came out of)** the crowd of protestors
- ko: 빠져나가다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v26.mp3
en: to escape, to go out of
notes: This is a compound word with the meanings of 빠지다 and 나가다 combined.
examples:
- ko: 군인들은 적의 덫에서 못 **빠져나갔어요**
en: The soldiers could not **escape** the enemy's trap
- ko: 헷갈리다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v29.mp3
en: to be confused
notes: |
The pronunciation of this word is closer to "헫깔리다"
Learners sometimes think that 헷갈리다 is an adjective that describes something as "confusing." However, 헷갈리다 is a verb which describes the mental struggle that goes on in one's head when confused (often when having to remember or choose from multiple choices).
examples:
- ko: 이 문제 답이 A인지 B인지 **헷갈려요**
en: I'm **confused** if the answer to this question is A or B
- ko: 나는 엄마의 핸드폰 번호가 맨날 **헷갈려요**
en: I'm **confused** every day (always) of my mother's cell phone number
- ko: 이 음식에 소금을 넣는 건지 설탕을 넣는 건지 **헷갈려요**
en: I'm **confused** if I put salt or sugar in this food
passive_verbs:
- ko: 늘다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v27.mp3
en: to be gained, improved, increased
notes: |
늘다 follows the ㄹ irregular
This is the passive form of the active verb "늘리다"
examples:
- ko: 저의 친구의 한국어 실력이 많이 **늘었다**
en: My friend's Korean (skills) really **increased/got better**
- ko: 저의 친구는 한국어 실력을 **늘렸다**
en: My friend **increased** his Korean skills
adjectives:
- ko: 둥글다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v28.mp3
en: to be round, to be spherical
notes: 둥글다 follows the ㄹ irregular
examples:
- ko: 미식축구공은 **둥글**지 않아요
en: The American football ball isn't **round**
- ko: 어둡다
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v30.mp3
en: to be dark
notes: |
The pronunciation of this word is closer to "어둡따"
어둡다 follows the ㅂ irregular
examples:
- ko: 교실이 너무 **어두워서** 학생들은 칠판을 볼 수 없어요
en: The students can't see the board because the classroom is too **dark**
- ko: 지금 점점 **어두워**지고 있어서 우리는 산에서 내려가야 돼요
en: We need to go down the mountain, because it is gradually getting **darker**
adverbs:
- ko: 잘
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v31.mp3
en: well
notes: |
After you finish a meal, it is polite to say "잘 먹었습니다"
examples:
- ko: 저는 어젯밤에 **잘** 잤어요
en: I slept **well** last night
- ko: 선생님은 우리를 너무 **잘** 가르치셨어요
en: Our teacher taught us really **well**
- ko: 저는 몇몇 한국사람들보다 한국어를 더 **잘** 말할 수 있어요
en: I can speak Korean **better** than some Korean people
- ko: 못
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v32.mp3
en: poorly
notes: |
The pronunciation of this word is closer to "몯"
The usage of 못 is very complex. See below in this lesson for more information.
examples:
- ko: 저는 어제 시험을 **못** 봤어요
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Lesson20-12.mp3
en: I did **poorly** on the exam yesterday / I **didn't** write the exam yesterday
- ko: 이 셔츠가 너무 작아서 **못** 입어요
en: I **can't** put this shirt on because it is too small
- ko: 저는 그 동안 공부를 **못** 했어요
en: I **couldn't** study during that time
- ko: 님
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v33.mp3
en: adds respect to person's name or position
notes: |
The specific words for father- and mother-in-law are 장인 and 장모님, respectively. However, it is common to politely refer to them as "father" and "mother" using ~님 as shown in the example below.
examples:
- ko: 아버**님**과 어머**님**은 영어로 말씀을 못하셔요
en: My mother and father in law can't speak English
- ko: 또는
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v34.mp3
en: or
notes: |
This is usually used between two nouns or certain adverbs (usually a place or time), not between two verbs or adjectives. In order to see how to say "or" with verbs and adjectives, see Lesson 55.
examples:
- ko: 중학교 **또는** 고등학교를 다녀요?
en: Do you go to middle school **or** high school?
- ko: 세
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v35.mp3
en: a counter for years of age
examples:
- ko: 그 가게에 18**세** 미만은 못 들어가요
en: Those under 18 **years of age** can't enter that store
- ko: 꼭
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v36.mp3
en: surely/definitely
notes: |
This word appears in my Korean Sign Explanation Video 5.
examples:
- ko: 우리는 이번에 **꼭** 이겨야 돼요
en: We **must** win this time!
- ko: 물이 넘치지 전에 **꼭** 불을 꺼야 해요
en: You **need** to turn off the flame before the water overflows
- ko: "**꼭** 저녁에 잠을 자기 전에 세수를 해야 해요"
en: Before you go to sleep at night, you **must** wash your face
- ko: 우리 둘 다 해리포터 좋아하니까, 해리포터 촬영 장소도 **꼭** 가보자!
en: We both like Harry Potter, so let's **definitely** also go to the place where the movie was filmed!
- ko: 아침에 눈을 뜨자마자 저는 **꼭** 커피를 마셔야 해요
en: As soon as I wake up in the morning (as soon as my eyes open), I **need** to have coffee right away
- ko: 물론
audio: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lesson20v37.mp3
en: of course
notes: |
Often used as an adverb, for example:
- "물론 와도 돼요!" = "Of course you can come!"
It can also be used as a noun (predicated with 이다). For example:
- "돈을 줄 것은 물론이죠" = "Of course I will give you the money"
examples:
- ko: "**물론** 와도 돼요!"
en: "**Of course** you can come!"
- ko: "돈을 줄 것은 **물론**이죠"
en: "**Of course** I will give you the money"
---
# Lesson 20: Well and Poorly: 잘 and 못
## Vocabulary
### Nouns
교수 = professor
Common Usages:
- 교수님 = polite way to say “professor”
Examples:
- 저의 남자친구는 **교수**님 같이 보여요 = My boyfriend looks like a **professor**
- 그 **교수**는 다른 **교수**들보다 수업을 더 잘해요 = That **professor** teaches classes better than other **professors**
- **교수**님은 마지막 수업이 끝나고 학생들을 위해 식사를 샀어요 = The **professor** bought a meal for the students after the last class
- 학생들이 너무 시끄러워서 저는 **교수님**의 말을 못 들었어요 = The students were too loud, so I couldn’t hear the **professor**
주인 = master/owner/proprietor
Common Usages:
- 집주인 = landlord
- 주인공 = the main character in a movie, story
Examples:
- 그 강아지의 **주인**은 누구예요? = Who is the **owner** of that dog?
- 그 **주인**은 손님들을 잘 대우해요 = That **owner** treats the customers well
- 손님이 불행에 찬 눈으로 **주인**을 봤어요 = The customer looked at the **owner** with eyes “full of” unhappiness
- 경찰관은 강아지의 **주인**에게 십만 원의 벌금을 물었어요 = The police officers gave the **owner** of the dog a 100 000원 fine
잘못 = mistake/fault
The pronunciation of this word is closer to “잘몯”
Notes:
This word would normally be easy, however it is more difficult than it needs to be because 잘못 (without a space) and 잘 못 (with a space) have _two different meanings. See Lesson 20 for more information_.
Examples:
- 그것은 제 **잘못**이었어요 = That was my **fault/mistake**
- 저는 그 순간에 교실에 **잘못** 들어온 것을 깨달았어요 = I realized at that moment that I came in the **wrong** class
- 네 친구를 네 **잘못**에 대해 탓해서는 안 돼 = You shouldn’t blame your friends for your own **mistakes**
- 제가 무슨 **잘못**을 한 듯이 우리 엄마가 저에게 잔소리를 했어요 = My mom scolded/nagged at me as if I had done some sort of **mistake**
기온 = temperature
Common Usages:
- 최고기온 = the highest temperature
- 최저기온 = the lowest temperature
Notes:
This is used for the temperature of the weather.
Example:
- 내일 최고**기온**은 10도예요 = Tomorrow the high **temperature** is 10 degrees
- 지구 **기온**이 점점 오르면서 한국에서 사계절이 사라진대요 = As the global **temperatures** gradually increase, they say that the “four seasons” in Korea is disappearing
거울 = mirror
Example:
- 여자는 자기의 모습을 **거울**에서 봤어요 = She looked at herself in the **mirror**
- 제 모습을 **거울**에서 보는 중이에요 = I’m looking at myself (my appearance) in the **mirror**
- 집주인이 부서진 **거울**을 찾아낼까 봐 걱정돼요 = I’m worried that the landlord will find the shattered **mirror**
- 뒤에 있는 차가 저의 시야에 있게 **거울**을 조금 움직였어요 = I moved the **mirror** a little bit so that the cars behind me would be in my field of vision
가루 = powder
Common Usages:
- 밀가루 = flour
- 꽃가루 = pollen
- 고춧가루 = hot pepper powder
Examples:
- 케이크 반죽에 **밀가루**를 넣으세요 = Put some **flour** into the cake batter, please
- 봄에는 꽃**가루** 알레르기를 조심해 야 해요 = You need to be careful about **pollen** allergies in the spring
- 한국의 주식이 쌀이에요. 그래서 밀**가루**보다는 쌀로 만든 음식이 더 많아요 = The staple food of Korea is rice. Therefore, there are more foods made from rice than **flour**
근육 = muscle
The pronunciation of this word is closer to “그뉵”
Common Usages:
- 근육질이다 = to be muscular
- 근육통 = muscle pain
- 근육을 키우다 = to build muscles
Examples:
- 목에는 **근육**이 많아요 = There are many **muscles** in your neck
- 남자는 자기 **근육**을 여자들에게 드러냈어요 = The man revealed his **muscles** to the girls
- 허벅지 **근육**은 균형을 유지하는 데 중요한 역할을 해요 = The **muscles** of your inner-thigh play an important role in maintaining one’s balance
어둠 = darkness
Common Usages:
- 어둠이 무섭다 = to be afraid of the dark
Notes:
This is the noun form of 어둡다 (dark)
Examples:
- 부부는 **어둠**으로 사라졌어요 = The couple disappeared into the **darkness**
- 저의 돈을 훔치고 범죄자들은 **어둠**으로 사라졌어요 = The criminals disappeared into the **darkness** after stealing my money
기본 = basic/basics
Common Usages:
- 기본요금 = basic fare
- 기본적으로 = basically
Example:
- 그 학생은 물리의 **기본**도 이해하지 못해요 = That student doesn’t even understand **basic** physics
- 무역회사에서 일하고 싶으면 **기본적으로** 영어를 할 줄 알아야 해요 = If you want to work at a trade company, you need to know how to speak **basic** English (at a basic level)
사고 = accident
Common Usages:
- 교통사고 = car/traffic accident
- 사고가 나다 = for an accident to happen
Examples:
- 집에 가는 동안 **사고**를 당했어요 = I got into an **accident** on my way home
- 한국 정부는 교통**사고**를 방지하려고 노력하고 있어요 = The Korean government is trying to prevent traffic **accidents**
- **사고**가 났음에도 불구하고 경기가 계속되었어요 = The game/match continued despite the **accident** that arose
- **사고**가 났지만 저의 아버지가 많이 다치지 않았다니 다행이에요 = Even though there was an **accident**, I am thankful to hear that my dad wasn’t that hurt
교통 = traffic
This word appears in Korean Sign Explanation [Video 10]
Common Usages
- 교통사고 = car/traffic accident
- 교통카드 = bus card
- 대중교통 = mass transportation
- 교통혼잡 = traffic jam/congestion
Examples:
- **교통**카드가 있었나요? = Did you have your bus (**transportation**) card?
- 휘발유가 비쌀수록 **교통**비가 비싸져요 = The more expensive gasoline is, the more expensive **transportation** costs will be
- **교통**사고에서 사람 다섯 명은 부상을 당했어요 = Five people were injured in the **traffic** accident
- 사람이 너무 많아서 서울에서는 **교통**혼잡이 심해요 = The **traffic** jams in Seoul are severe because there are too many people
- **교통**혼잡 때문에 약 한 시간 정도 더 걸릴 것 같아요 = Because of the **traffic** jam, it will probably take about another hour
이상 = a noun to indicate that something is more than something else
Notes:
It is hard to imagine this being a noun based on the translation about, but grammatically it is a noun. By putting 이상 after something, it can have the meaning of “more than.” For example:
- 열여덟 살 이상 = over 18 years of age
- 두 명 이상 = more than two people
- 이 년 이상 = more than two years
- 그 가게에 18세 **이상**만 들어가도 돼요 = Only people **older** than 18 years can enter that store
It is common to use “더 이상” to indicate that one will not do something “anymore.” For example:
- 저는 이 영화를 **더 이상** 보고 싶지 않아요 = I don’t want to watch this movie **anymore**
### Verbs
잘하다 = to do something well
The main meaning of 잘하다 is “to do something well.” To use 잘하다, simply place a noun in a sentence with 잘하다 as the verb. For example:
- 나는 수영을 **잘해** = I swim **well**
- 저 학생은 공부를 **잘해** = That student studies **well**
- 우리 애기는 말을 **잘해요** = Our baby speaks **well**
- 저는 야구를 **잘해요** = I play baseball **well**
- 저 학생은 공부를 **잘해요** = That student studies **well**
못하다 = to do something poorly
The pronunciation of this word is closer to “모타다”
못하다 has the opposite meaning of 잘하다. For example:
- 나는 수영을 못해 = I am **bad at** swimming
- 저 학생은 공부를 못해 = That student does **not** study **well**
- 제가 너무 부끄러워서 발표를 **못해요** = I **can’t do** presentations (**well**) because I am so shy
- 저는 수학을 **못해요** = I am **bad at** math
수영하다 = to swim
Common Usages:
- 수영복 = swimming suit
- 수영장 = swimming pool
Examples:
- 나는 **수영**을 잘해 = I am good at **swimming**
- 저는 **수영**을 작년보다 더 잘해요 = I am better at **swimming** than last year
- 저는 어렸을 때 **수영**을 많이 **했어요** = I **swam** a lot when I was younger
- **수영**장물이 다 넘쳤어요? = Did all the water overflow out of the **swimming** pool?
- 모두 호수에서 **수영해도** 저는 안 들어가요 = Regardless of if everyone goes **swimming** in the lake, I am not going in
- 키가 클 때까지 얕은 수영장에서만 **수영할 거예요** = I’m only going to swim in shallow **swimming** pools until I am taller
대우하다 = to treat somebody
The noun form of this word translates to “treatment”
Notes:
대하다 is a common word with a similar meaning
Common Usages:
- 친절하게 대우하다 = to treat nicely
- 함부로 대우하다 = to treat badly
- 동등하게 대우하다 = to treat evenly
- 공평하게 대우하다 = to treat fairly
Examples:
- 그 주인은 손님들을 잘 **대우해요** = That owner **treats** the customers well
- 저는 저의 여자 친구를 공주처럼 **대우해요** = I **treat** my girlfriend like a princess
- 아이들을 성별에 따라 **대우하는** 것이 좋지 않아요 = It’s not good to **treat** children based on their gender
퇴직하다 = to retire
The pronunciation of this word is closer to “퇴지카다”
The noun form of this word translates to “retirement”
Common Usages:
- 퇴직금 = severance pay
(you get this when you leave a company, not when you retire. Usually, each year a person works at a company, they will accrue money into their 퇴직금. Whenever they leave, they can get it all in a lump sum).
- 명예퇴직 = “retiring with honor”
(usually used when somebody retires before the regular retiring age. The opposite of this \[to retire at the regular retiring age\] is 정년퇴직)
Examples:
- 사람들은 보통 65살이 되면 **퇴직해요** = People usually **retire** when they are 65 years old
- 그 선생님은 지금 그만두거나 **퇴직**을 할 수 있어요 = That teacher could quit or **retire** now
- **퇴직하자마자** 연금을 받을 수 있습니다 = As soon as you **retire**, you can receive your pension
접수하다 = to receive (an application)
The pronunciation of this word is closer to “접쑤하다”
Common Usages:
- 접수 마감일 = the final date to receive something
Notes:
접수하다 is a weird word. It technically means “to receive,” but it usually used when the subject is _giving_ something. It doesn’t make much sense, but that is how it is used.
Example:
- 저는 서울대학교에 원서를 **접수했어요** = Seoul University **received my application**
This should translate to “I gave my application to Seoul University” or “I applied to Seoul University,” but it also technically means "Seoul University received my application." This word is not said very often. You will see it written more commonly than you will hear it spoken.
씹다 = to chew
Common Usages:
- 음식을 씹다 = to chew food
- 꼭꼭 씹다 = to chew thoroughly
Example:
- 수업 시간 동안 껌을 **씹**지 마세요 = Don’t **chew** gum during the class
통역하다 = to interpret
The pronunciation of this word is closer to “통여카다”
The noun form of this word translates to “interpretation”
Common Usages:
- 통역사 = interpreter
Example:
- 저는 한국어를 못해서 **통역사**가 필요해요 = I need an **interpreter** because I can’t speak Korean
번역하다 = to translate
The pronunciation of this word is closer to “버녀카다”
The noun form of this word translates to “translation”
Common Usage:
- 직접 번역하다 = to translate directly
Examples:
- 그 영화가 일본어로도 **번역되었다** = That movie was also **translated** to Japanese
- 학생들은 그 이야기를 한국어에서 영어로 **번역할** 거예요 = The students will **translate** that conversation (or story) from Korean to English
젓다 = to stir
The pronunciation of this word is closer to “젇따”
젓다 follows the ㅅ irregular
Common Usages:
- 커피를 젓다 = to stir coffee
Example:
- 저는 반죽을 딱딱할 때까지 **저었어요** = I **stirred** the batter until it was hard
늘리다 = to gain, to improve, to increase
Common Usages:
- 실력을 늘리다 = to improve one skills
- 길이를 늘리다 = to increase the length
- … 수를 늘리다 = to increase the number of something
- … 시간을 늘리다 = to increase the time of something
Examples:
- 저의 친구는 한국어 실력을 **늘렸어요** = My friend **increased** his Korean skills
- 우리 사업규모를 내년에 **늘릴** 계획이 있어요 = We have plans to **increase** the scale of our business next year
- 1년에 재해방지훈련을 하는 횟수를 두 번에서 네 번으로 **늘릴까** 해요 = I am thinking about **raising** the number of times we do disaster prevention training per year from two times to four times
- 한국어실력을 **늘리고** 싶으면 선생님이 한국 사람들이랑 의사소통을 많이 하라고 그랬어요 = If I want to **expand** my Korean language ability, my teacher told me to communicate a lot with Korean people
빠지다 = to fall into
Common Usages:
- 늪에 빠지다 = an idiom for being stuck in something (literally, “to fall into a swamp”)
- 사랑에 빠지다 = to fall in love
Example:
- 열심히 운동하고 지금 힘이 **빠졌어요** = After exercising, I now have no energy (my energy has all **fallen out**)
빠져나오다 = to escape, to come out of
Notes:
This is a compound word with the meanings of 빠지다 and 나오다 combined.
Example:
- 회사장은 많은 시위자들로부터 드디어 **빠져나왔어요** = The CEO finally **escaped (came out of)** the crowd of protestors
빠져나가다 = to escape, to go out of
Notes:
This is a compound word with the meanings of 빠지다 and 나가다 combined.
Example:
- 군인들은 적의 덫에서 못 **빠져나갔어요** = The soldiers could not **escape** the enemy’s trap
헷갈리다 = to be confused
The pronunciation of this word is closer to “헫깔리다”
Notes:
Learners sometimes think that 헷갈리다 is an adjective that describes something as “confusing.” However, 헷갈리다 is a verb which describes the mental struggle that goes on in one’s head when confused (often when having to remember or choose from multiple choices).
Example:
- 이 문제 답이 A인지 B인지 **헷갈려요** = I’m **confused** if the answer to this question is A or B
- 나는 엄마의 핸드폰 번호가 맨날 **헷갈려요** = I’m **confused** every day (always) of my mother’s cell phone number
- 이 음식에 소금을 넣는 건지 설탕을 넣는 건지 **헷갈려요** = I’m **confused** if I put salt or sugar in this food
### Passive Verbs
늘다 = to be gained, improved, increased
늘다 follows the ㄹ irregular
Notes:
This is the passive form of the active verb “늘리다”
Examples:
- 저의 친구의 한국어 실력이 많이 **늘었다** = My friend’s Korean (skills) really **increased/got better**
- 저의 친구는 한국어 실력을 **늘렸다** = My friend **increased** his Korean skills
### Adjectives
둥글다 = to be round, to be spherical
둥글다 follows the ㄹ irregular
Example:
- 미식축구공은 **둥글**지 않아요 = The American football ball isn’t **round**
어둡다 = to be dark
The pronunciation of this word is closer to “어둡따”
어둡다 follows the ㅂ irregular
Example:
- 교실이 너무 **어두워서** 학생들은 칠판을 볼 수 없어요 = The students can’t see the board because the classroom is too **dark**
- 지금 점점 **어두워**지고 있어서 우리는 산에서 내려가야 돼요 = We need to go down the mountain, because it is gradually getting **darker**
### Adverbs and Other Words
잘 = well
Common Usages:
- 잘 자다 = to sleep well
- 잘 먹다 = to eat well (this is usually said when somebody eats a lot)
After you finish a meal, it is polite to say “잘 먹었습니다”
Example:
- 저는 어젯밤에 **잘** 잤어요 = I slept **well** last night
- 선생님은 우리를 너무 **잘** 가르치셨어요 = Our teacher taught us really **well**
- 저는 몇몇 한국사람들보다 한국어를 더 **잘** 말할 수 있어요 = I can speak Korean **better** than some Korean people
못 = poorly
The pronunciation of this word is closer to “몯”
The usage of 못 is very complex. See below in this lesson for more information.
Examples:
- 저는 어제 시험을 못 봤어요 = I did **poorly** on the exam yesterday / I didn’t write the exam yesterday
- 이 셔츠가 너무 작아서 **못** 입어요 = I **can’t** put this shirt on because it is too small
- 저는 그 동안 공부를 **못** 했어요 = I **couldn’t** study during that time
님 = adds respect to person’s name or position
Common Usages:
- 교수님 = professor
- 아버님 = a polite way to refer to one’s father
- 어머님 = a polite way to refer to one’s mother
- 따님 = a polite way to refer to one’s daughter
- 아드님 = a polite way to refer to one’s son
- 고객님 = customer
- 부모님 = parents
Example:
- 아버**님**과 어머**님**은 영어로 말씀을 못하셔요 = My mother and father in law can’t speak English
The specific words for father- and mother-in-law are 장인 and 장모님, respectively. However, it is common to politely refer to them as “father” and “mother” using \~님 as shown in the example above.
또는 = or
Notes:
This is usually used between two nouns or certain adverbs (usually a place or time), not between two verbs or adjectives. In order to see how to say “or” with verbs and adjectives, see [Lesson 55](https://www.howtostudykorean.com/unit-3-intermediate-korean-grammar/unit-3-lessons-51-58/lesson-55/ "Lesson 55: Or ~(이)나, ~거나, 아니면").
Example:
- 중학교 **또는** 고등학교를 다녀요? = Do you go to middle school **or** high school?
세 = a counter for years of age
Common Usages:
- 18세 미만 = under 18 years of age
- 18세 이상 = over 18 years of age
Example:
- 그 가게에 18**세** 미만은 못 들어가요 = Those under 18 **years of age** can’t enter that store
꼭 = surely/definitely
Examples:
- 우리는 이번에 **꼭** 이겨야 돼요 = We **must** win this time!
- 물이 넘치지 전에 **꼭** 불을 꺼야 해요 = You **need** to turn off the flame before the water overflows
- **꼭** 저녁에 잠을 자기 전에 세수를 해야 해요 = Before you go to sleep at night, you **must** wash your face
- 우리 둘 다 해리포터 좋아하니까, 해리포터 촬영 장소도 **꼭** 가보자! = We both like Harry Potter, so let’s **definitely** also go to the place where the movie was filmed!
- 아침에 눈을 뜨자마자 저는 **꼭** 커피를 마셔야 해요 = As soon as I wake up in the morning (as soon as my eyes open), I **need** to have coffee right away
[This word appears in my Korean Sign Explanation Video 5.]
물론 = of course
Often used as an adverb, for example:
- **물론** 와도 돼요! = **Of course** you can come!
It can also be used as a noun (predicated with 이다). For example:
- 돈을 줄 것은 **물론**이죠 = **Of course** I will give you the money
For help memorizing these words, try using our [mobile app](https://www.howtostudykorean.com/app/).
You might also want to try listening to all of the words on loop with this [Vocabulary Practice video]
## Introduction
Until now, you have not learned how to say “I am good at something/I do something well” or “I am bad at something/I do something poorly.” In this lesson, you will learn about the words 잘하다 (to do something well) and 못하다 (to do something poorly). 못하다 is very hard to understand perfectly, so I will ease you in by introducing you to 잘하다 first.
## 잘하다: To do something well
The main meaning of 잘하다 is “to do something well.” To use 잘하다, simply place a noun in a sentence with 잘하다 as the verb.
This is easy to do with 하다 verbs (for example, 수영하다 and 공부하다) because to make a noun all you need to do is remove 하다 from those words. I discuss making non-하다 verbs into nouns in [Lesson 26](../unit-2/26-describing-nouns-with-verbs.md), but the principal is the same for any noun form of a verb. All you need to do is:
나는 (noun form of verb)을/를 잘하다. For example:
- 나는 수영을 잘해 = I am good at swimming
- 저 학생은 공부를 잘해 = That student studies well
- 우리 애기는 말을 잘해요 = Our baby speaks well
- 저는 야구를 잘해요 = I play baseball well
잘하다 is a verb, but now we need to talk about “잘,” which is an adverb.
## 잘: Well
Just like 잘하다, you can use the word 잘 in sentences to indicate that one does something well. Usually, when you remove 하다 from a word, the word without 하다 becomes a noun. In this case, removing 하다 from 잘 does not make 잘 a noun. Instead, it is an adverb. The only reason this is important is so that you know that you can use 잘 in sentences just like other adverbs, in this case to mean “(to do something) well.” It is essentially the same as “잘하다,” but used slightly different. For example:
- 그 주인은 고객님들을 잘 대우해요 = That owner treats the customers well
- 나는 어젯밤에 잘 잤어 = I slept well last night
When I first learned about 잘하다 and 잘, I was trying to understand if these two sentences were the same:
- 나는 공부를 잘해 = I study well
- 나는 잘 공부해 = I study well
The answer: essentially, but not entirely.
The difference is so subtle that you don’t really need to worry about it. However, when I learned this, I worried about it, so I think maybe you should worry about it too. The reason I say “don’t worry about it” is because now when I speak I can’t really distinguish the difference in meaning. The only way I could tell the difference is referring back to my old notes from 5 years ago. Nonetheless, there is a subtle difference:
- 나는 공부를 잘한다 = I study well, or
“나는 (noun)을 잘한다” means that, in general, your ability to do something is good. However,
- 나는 잘 공부한다 = I study well, or
“나는 잘 (verb)다” means that you can study well because of some situation (for example, maybe you have a test coming up and you are studying really hard because of that situation).
---
But really, don’t get too caught up on the difference between the two. Especially since sometimes they look and sound almost exactly the same. If you separated 공부 and 하다 in the second example, you would get:
- 나는 공부를 잘 해 = I study well
which sounds (and almost looks) exactly the same as:
- 나는 공부를 잘해 = I study well
Anyways, don’t worry about it too much.
You already know the word 잘생기다 means “handsome.” That word is actually 잘 and 생기다 put together. 생기다 has a lot of meanings, but putting 잘 and 생기다 together, it sort of means “to come out well.” The opposite is true for 못생기다 (to be ugly).
Always remember to not translate directly from English to Korean, as there are so many things that are not 100% the same in both languages. For example, in English, we would never say “I don’t know well,” but in Korean, it is very common to say:
- 저는 잘 모르겠어요 = I don’t know (well)
_\*Also notice that the **future tense**_ 모르다 _is used here. Even though it is in the present,_ 모르겠다 _is used very commonly to indicate that you don’t know something – Even though it directly translates to “I will not know.”_
## 못하다: To do something poorly
Alright, this is where it gets hard. 잘하다 was easy. Let’s do this step by step.
First of all, 못하다 has the opposite meaning of 잘하다 – so it can be used to indicate that one generally is poor at something. For example:
- 나는 수영을 못해 = I am bad at swimming
- 저 학생은 공부를 못해 = That student does not study well
The difference between 못하다 and 못 is the same as the difference between 잘하다 and 잘. When you say a sentence like “나는 수영을 못해” it means that in general your ability to swim is bad. Because of this, you need to be careful about the type of verb you are using in this situation. For example, you couldn’t really use the verb “to eat” in this situation, because that would mean that “in general, my ability to eat is bad.” Instead, what you would probably want to say is that “I CAN eat, but because of some situation, I can’t really eat right now.” That is when you need to _use 못 instead of 못하다_.
## 못: Poorly
Using 못하다 and understanding the meaning it creates is quite simple, especially if you can understand how 잘하다 is used. If you use the adverb 못, the meaning depends on the situation. Here are two simple examples we can look at:
- 저는 어제 못 잤어요
- 저는 어제 시험을 못 봤어요
This is where it gets unnecessarily confusing. Both of those sentences could have two meanings.
The first example:
저는 어제 못 잤어요 could mean either of the following:
- I didn’t sleep _well_ last night because of some situation, or
- I didn’t sleep last night because something prevented me from sleeping
The second example:
저는 어제 시험을 못 봤어요 could mean either of the following:
- I did _poorly_ on the exam yesterday because of some situation, or
- I didn’t write the exam yesterday because something prevented me from doing so
_(My translations of “… One didn’t … because something prevented him/her from …” is often simply translated to “One couldn’t” or “One can’t.” These English terms are complex, and might be related to one not doing something because something prevented them or related to one’s ability. Another way to say “one couldn’t” or “one can’t” in Korean is by using_ \~ㄹ/을 수 없다 _, which I discuss in [Lesson 45](https://www.howtostudykorean.com/unit-2-lower-intermediate-korean-grammar/unit-2-lessons-42-50/lesson-45/))._
Confusing? Let me say this again. When you put 못 in a sentence, it can indicate that one does something poorly (or not well) OR that one does not do something because something prevented him/her from doing it. When it has the second meaning (“I didn’t do”) it is the result of some situation preventing you.
I want to take a minute to distinguish this from other negative sentences – specifically using 안 or \~지 않다 which you learned in [Lesson 8](./08-adverbs.md). When you use 안 or \~지 않다, there is no deeper meaning that “something prevented you from doing the action.” For example, if I said:
- 저는 어제 시험을 안 봤어요, or
- 저는 어제 시험을 보지 않았어요
I am just saying that I didn’t write the exam yesterday – as if yesterday specifically was _not_ the day that I was supposed to write the exam anyway (or something like that). Why would I write the exam when it is not the exam day? Of course I wouldn’t. Nothing is _preventing_ me from writing the exam. It’s just not the day to write the exam. It’s also possible that I just didn’t do the exam because I didn’t want to. Either way, nothing is preventing me from doing it, I just didn’t do it.
However, if I say:
- 저는 어제 시험을 못 봤어요
It probably _was_ the day to write the exam, but something prevented me from writing it. The thing that prevented me from writing it could be anything – it could have been that I had to go to a party with my wife, or it could of been that I had explosive diarrhea. Either way, both of those things (especially the latter) would prevent me from writing the exam.
——————–
In order to explain this further, I can explain a _very_ common mistake that English speakers make when speaking Korean.
You don’t know how to ask questions yet (you’ll learn that in the next lesson), but imagine if somebody asks you
“Did you hear what I say?” (내 말을 들었어?)
English speakers learning Korean often respond with:
- 아니. 안 들었어.
However, if you say that, it’s kind of like you are specifically/purposely trying not to hear what the person said. Instead, you obviously _can_ hear, but something prevented you from hearing the person. Maybe it was the loud TV, maybe it was the motorcycle driving by, or maybe it was your explosive diarrhea. Either way, something prevented you from hearing the person, so you should say:
- 아니. 못 들었어. = No, I didn’t (couldn’t) hear (you)
——————–
But, how can you distinguish the difference between somebody saying “I did something poorly” and “I didn’t do something”? There are three ways I can teach you:
- 잘 못
If you really want to stress that you do something poorly, you can include 잘 before 못. This specifically indicates that you “don’t do something **well**” and removes the ambiguity of “I didn’t”:
- 저는 어제 시험을 잘 못 봤어요 = I didn’t do good on the exam yesterday
Sometimes, the word being used makes it clear which meaning you are trying to express. For example, if I said:
저는 어제 학교에 못 갔어요 , This could have two meanings:
1. I didn’t go to school yesterday because of some situation
2. I didn’t go to school well yesterday
Which one of those two makes sense? In situations like this, it is easy to figure out which meaning is being used. Is it possible to “go somewhere well?” I don’t think so.
A perfect real-world example of this is something that my co-worker said to me once. The school I work at was in the process of buying my plane ticket back home, and it happened to be really expensive (like, really expensive). My co-worker always wanted to go to Canada, but when she heard how much my plane ticket was, she said to herself “캐나다에 못 가겠다” The meaning of this sentence is not “she will go to Canada poorly” but rather “she can’t/won’t go to Canada because of some situation” (the ticket being too expensive).
Situation
Sometimes you just need to think about the context of the sentence to understand the meaning completely. For example, if you already knew for sure that a friend wrote the exam, and they later said “시험을 못 봤어요” – the sentence could only have one meaning (because you already knew that he/she wrote the exam).
Let’s look at some examples. If somebody said:
저는 밥을 못 먹어요
This could technically mean two things. It could mean:
1. That the person can’t eat (well)
2. That the person won’t eat because of some situation (most likely because he/she is full/doesn’t like that particular food, etc…)
In this case, the first possibility does not make sense because everybody (99.9% of the time) has the ability to eat. Therefore, this person is expressing that he/she is not going to eat because of some situation that is causing him/her to not want to eat.
Another example:
- 저는 답을 잘 못 썼어요
This sentence could really only mean one thing. Because of the use of “잘,” we know that the speaker is expressing that he/she did not do something **well.** Therefore, the sentence above translates to "I didn’t answer well."
There is still another way that 못/못하다 can be used to have yet another similar meaning to what has been described so far.
## \~지 못하다
One more thing about 못하다. Similar in structure to \~지 않다, you can also write \~지 못하다 to have the same meaning as 못. For example:
- 저는 어제 못 잤어요 AND
- 저는 어제 자지 못했어요
have the same meaning (I didn’t sleep \[well\] last night)
Remember that 못 and \~지 못하다 have the same meaning, which is subtly different than 를 못하다:
- 저는 어제 못 공부했어요 = I didn’t study well yesterday; I couldn’t study yesterday
- 저는 어제 공부하지 못했어요 = I didn’t study well yesterday; I couldn’t study yesterday
- 저는 공부를 못해요 = I am bad at studying
## 잘못
To make all of this even more confusing, the word 잘못 (with no space between 잘 and 못) has a different meaning. 잘못 means “mistake.” This word would normally be an easy word to deal with. However, it is more difficult than it needs to be because 잘못 and 잘 못 have two different meanings. 잘못 can be used like this:
- 그것은 제 잘못이었어요 = That was my fault/my mistake
_Normally when you say “my \_\_\_\_\_” you use_ 저의 _or_ 나의. _However, some nouns prefer to have_ 제 _and_ 내 _before them instead of_ 저의/나의. 잘못 _is one of these nouns. Another example is_ 제/내 생각 _(instead of_ 저의/나의 생각) _meaning “my thought/my opinion/what I think.”_
## 잘 and 못 with Comparatives and Superlatives
One final thing before I finish. In the previous lesson, you learned about using \~보다 and 가장/제일 to make comparative and superlative sentences. The concepts you learned in this lesson are very commonly used alongside \~보다 or 가장/제일 in sentences to say that somebody can do something better/worse, or do something the best/worst. Some examples:
Comparative Sentences:
- 우리 아들은 친구들보다 축구를 더 잘해요 = Our (my) son is better than (his) friends at soccer
- 그 교수는 다른 교수들보다 수업을 더 잘해요 = That professor teaches classes better than other professors
- 저는 수영을 작년보다 더 잘해요 = I am better at swimming than last year
Superlative Sentences:
- 우리 아들은 축구를 가장 잘해요 = Our (my) son is the best at soccer
- 그 교수는 수업을 제일 잘해요 = That professor teaches classes the best (is the best at teaching classes)
---
- 저는 축구를 제일 못해요 = I play soccer the worst
- 저는 수영을 제일 못해요 = I swim the worst
_Again, in most situations, these sentences would sound more natural with the use of other grammatical principles. For example, to say “I am the one who plays soccer the worst” or “Of all people, I play soccer the worst.” To be able to wrap your head around those sentences, you’ll need to read/understand the grammar taught in [Lessons 26](https://www.howtostudykorean.com/unit-2-lower-intermediate-korean-grammar/unit-2-lessons-26-33/lesson-26/ "Lesson 26: ~는 것 Describing Nouns with Verbs") and [33](https://www.howtostudykorean.com/unit-2-lower-intermediate-korean-grammar/unit-2-lessons-26-33/lesson-33/ "Lesson 33: ~중 (하는 중), (~중에)") respectively._
That’s it for this lesson!
[Okay, I got it! Take me to the next lesson!](./21-why-when-where-who.md) Or,
[Click here for a workbook to go along with this lesson.](https://www.howtostudykorean.com/workbooks/#Unit1725 "Workbooks")
## Summary
Want to try to create some sentences using the vocabulary and grammar from this lesson?
This YouTube video will prompt you to translate English sentences into Korean using the concepts from this lesson.
Want to practice your listening skills?
This YouTube video will prompt you with Korean sentences to dictate using the concepts from this lesson.