Basic Possession and Ability | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: A beginner practices six useful English phrases about basic possession and ability..

EN → KO / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Basic Possession and Ability to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

저는 이거 있어요.

juh-nun ee-guh ee-SSUH-yoh I have this one.
B

저는 그거 없어요.

juh-nun guh-guh UHP-ssuh-yoh I do not have it.
A

저는 그거 할 수 있어요.

juh-nun guh-guh hahl soo ee-SSUH-yoh I can do it.
B

저는 그거 못 해요.

juh-nun guh-guh moht HEH-yoh I cannot do it.
A

저를 도와줄 수 있어요?

juh-rul doh-wah-jool soo ee-SSUH-yoh Can you help me?
B

이거 할 수 있어요?

ee-guh hahl soo ee-SSUH-yoh Can you do this?

Word by Word

저 저 means I in 저는 이거 있어요 and me in 저를 도와줄 수 있어요?; it is the polite first-person form. Use it when referring to yourself politely, as the topic or as the person receiving an action.
는 는 marks 저 as the topic in 저는 이거 있어요 and 저는 그거 없어요. It shows that the sentence is about the speaker, and it commonly follows a noun or pronoun that is being discussed. In these lines, it introduces statements about what the speaker has or does not have.
이거 이거 means this thing or this one in 저는 이거 있어요. It points to something near the speaker or something currently being indicated. Use it when identifying the item you have or are referring to.
있어요 있어요 means have or possess in 저는 이거 있어요; here, it says that the speaker has this item. It is the polite form of 있다 used in a possession context. Use it after the topic when saying that someone has something.
그거 그거 means that thing or it in 저는 그거 없어요 and 저는 그거 할 수 있어요. It refers to something already mentioned or understood in the conversation. Use it to refer back to an item or task without repeating its name.
없어요 없어요 means do not have in 저는 그거 없어요. It is the polite form of 없다 and expresses the absence of an item in this dialogue. Use it after the topic when saying that someone does not have something.
할 할 is the form of 하다 used before 수 in 그거 할 수 있어요 and 이거 할 수 있어요?. Together with 수 있어요, it expresses being able to do the task. This form is used before 수 in the ability pattern 할 수 있어요.
수 수 in 할 수 있어요 and 도와줄 수 있어요? marks ability or possibility; it is part of the whole expression meaning can do or can help. It is not the complete meaning by itself. Use it after a verb form such as 할 or 도와줄 when asking or saying whether an action is possible.
못 못 in 그거 못 해요 means cannot or be unable to do it. It comes before 해요 to express inability in this sentence. Use 못 directly before an action when explaining that the action cannot be performed.
해요 해요 means do in 그거 못 해요, and the whole phrase means cannot do it. It is the polite form of 하다 used here after 못. Use it with an action or task when speaking politely about doing it.
를 를 marks 저 as the object of 도와줄 in 저를 도와줄 수 있어요?, so 저 means me in this sentence. It commonly follows the person or thing receiving an action. Here, it identifies the person who is being helped.
도와줄 도와줄 means help in 도와줄 수 있어요? and comes from 도와주다 in this construction. With 수 있어요, the whole expression asks whether the listener can help the speaker. Use it before 수 when asking politely about someone’s ability to help.

Grammar Points

V-(으)ㄹ 수 있어요

도와줄 수 있어요.

doh-wah-JOOL soo ee-SSUH-yoh

I/you can help.

This pattern expresses ability or possibility. The verb comes before 수 있어요.

있어요 / 없어요

저는 이거 있어요.

juh-nun ee-guh ee-SSUH-yoh

I have this.

있어요 expresses possession or existence, while 없어요 expresses not having or nonexistence.

Korean Vocabulary

그거 pron
GUH-guh that; it

Refers to a thing already mentioned or understood.

도와줄 수 있어요 phrase
doh-wah-JOOL soo ee-SSUH-yoh can help

Used to ask or state whether someone is able to help.

못 해요 phrase
moht HEH-yoh cannot do; be unable to do

Expresses inability to do something.

없어요 verb
UHP-ssuh-yoh do not have; not exist

Used here to express the absence of possession: “do not have.”

이거 pron
ee-GUH this; this thing

Refers to something near the speaker.

있어요 verb
ee-SSUH-yoh have; exist

Used here to express possession: “have.”

저는 pron
juh-NUN I (humble/polite)

Used as the polite or humble way to say “I” as the topic of a sentence.

저를 pron
juh-RUL me

The object form of “I,” used when someone does something to or for the speaker.

할 수 있어요 phrase
hahl soo ee-SSUH-yoh can do; be able to do

Expresses ability to do something.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I have this one.

Show Answer저는 이거 있어요.

I do not have it.

Show Answer저는 그거 없어요.

I can do it.

Show Answer저는 그거 할 수 있어요.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

this; this thing

Show Answer이거

do not have; not exist

Show Answer없어요

I (humble/polite)

Show Answer저는

that; it

Show Answer그거