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.
<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
Identify the verb stem: Remove the "다" ending from the verb's dictionary form.
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
먹다 (to eat) → 먹을 수 있다 (can eat)
하다 (to do) → 할 수 있다 (can do)
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