Real life conversation - asking for help.

1st lesson

Korean:

지수: 안녕, 수민아.
수민: 안녕, 지수야. 무슨 일이야?
지수: 영어 숙제 좀 도와줄 수 있어?
수민: 물론이지. 무슨 숙제야?
지수: 영어 문장을 한국어로 번역해야 해.
수민: 좋아. 같이 해보자.

English:

Jisoo: Hi, Sumin.
Sumin: Hi, Jisoo. What's up?
Jisoo: Can you help me with my English homework?
Sumin: Of course. What homework is it?
Jisoo: I need to translate English sentences into Korean.
Sumin: Sure. Let's do it together.

안녕, 수민아.

• 안녕 (annyeong): 'Hi' or 'Hello' (informal)

• 수민 (Sumin): a Korean name

• 아 (a): informal suffix used when addressing someone younger or of the same age

• ✍️ Hi, Sumin.

안녕, 지수야. 무슨 일이야?

• 안녕 (annyeong): 'Hi' or 'Hello' (informal)

• 지수 (Jisoo): a Korean name

• 야 (ya): informal suffix used when addressing someone younger or of the same age

• 무슨 (museun): 'what' (used to ask about something)

• 일 (il): 'matter' or 'affair'

• 이야 (iya): informal conjugation of the verb '이다 (ida)' meaning 'to be'

• ✍️ Hi, Jisoo. What's up?

영어 숙제 좀 도와줄 수 있어?

• 영어 (yeongeo): 'English'

• 숙제 (sukje): 'homework'

• 좀 (jom): 'a little' or 'some' (very common filler word in Korean)

• 도와줄 (dowajul): conjugated form of the verb '돕다 (dopda)' meaning 'to help' (future tense)

• 수 (su): 'ability' or 'can'

• 있어 (isseo): informal conjugation of the verb '있다 (itda)' meaning 'to be' or 'to have'

• ✍️ Can you help me with my English homework?

물론이지. 무슨 숙제야?

• 물론이지 (mulloniji): 'Of course'

• 무슨 (museun): 'what' (used to ask about something)

• 숙제 (sukje): 'homework'

• 야 (ya): informal conjugation of the verb '이다 (ida)' meaning 'to be'

• ✍️ Of course. What homework is it?

영어 문장을 한국어로 번역해야 해.

• 영어 (yeongeo): 'English'

• 문장 (munjang): 'sentence'

• 을 (eul): object marker

• 한국어 (hangugo): 'Korean'

• 로 (ro): particle indicating direction or means ('into')

• 번역해야 (beonyeokhaeya): conjugated form of the verb '번역하다 (beonyeokhada)' meaning 'to translate' (future necessity)

• 해 (hae): informal conjugation of the verb '하다 (hada)' meaning 'to do'

• ✍️ I need to translate English sentences into Korean.

좋아. 같이 해보자.

• 좋아 (joa): 'Good' or 'Sure'

• 같이 (gachi): 'together'

• 해보자 (haeboja): conjugated form of the verb '해보다 (haeboda)' meaning 'to try' (suggestive form)

• ✍️ Sure. Let's do it together.

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<Grammar of the week: "-수 있다" / "-수 없다">

This section includes: Grammar Rule, How to Form, Examples, Comparison with Similar Grammar Rules, Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, Practice Exercises with Answers.

Explanation of the Grammar Rule

The expressions "-수 있다" and "-수 없다" are used to indicate ability or possibility (can/cannot) in Korean.

• 수 있다: This phrase is attached to a verb stem to indicate that someone can do something or that something is possible.

• 수 없다: This phrase is attached to a verb stem to indicate that someone cannot do something or that something is not possible.

How to Form

1. Identify the verb stem: Remove the "다" ending from the verb's dictionary form.

2. Attach "-수 있다" or "-수 없다": Add "-수 있다" to the verb stem to express ability, or "-수 없다" to express inability. If the last syllable of the verb stem has batchim, use ”-을 수 있다” or “을 수 없다.”

Examples

1. 먹다 (to eat) → 먹을 수 있다 (can eat)

2. 하다 (to do) → 할 수 있다 (can do)