B1 · 中級 チャプター 9

Abilities and Ease of Action

5 トータルルール
51 例文
5 分
このチャプターのルール クイック練習

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the nuances of capability, task assessment, and focused action in natural Korean conversation.

  • Distinguish between physical ability and learned skills.
  • Evaluate the difficulty of various tasks and activities.
  • Express circumstantial impossibility and intense singular focus.
From 'I can' to 'I know how' and beyond.

学べること

Ready to take your Korean conversations to the next level? In this chapter, we're diving deep into expressions that will make you sound incredibly natural and confident, moving beyond basic statements to truly express nuances about abilities and actions. First up, you'll master how to use '-(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다' to express 'knowing how to do something' – it's more than just being physically able; it's about skill and know-how. Then, we'll explore the flip sides of difficulty: with '-기 쉽다', you'll effortlessly say something is 'easy to do', and its counterpart, '-기가 어렵다', will equip you to describe tasks that are 'difficult or tricky'. These two are essential for giving your opinions on various activities. Ever found yourself in a situation where something is absolutely impossible? You'll learn '-(으)ㄹ 수가 없다' to convey total impossibility due to circumstances, giving your Korean a powerful punch. Finally, to add precision and emphasis, we'll tackle '-기만 하다', allowing you to highlight when someone is 'doing nothing but' a specific action, showing intense focus. Imagine telling a Korean friend, 'I know how to cook Korean food!' or 'It's impossible to find good coffee here after midnight.' Or perhaps you want to describe how 'studying grammar is easy' or 'writing essays is difficult.' You'll even be able to say, 'He just keeps watching Netflix!' By the end of this chapter, you won't just communicate actions; you'll express capabilities, assess task difficulty, state impossibilities, and emphasize single-minded focus with ease. Your Korean will become richer, more expressive, and you'll feel much more comfortable in intermediate conversations. Let's get started!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Explain your professional and hobby-related skills using -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Compare the difficulty of learning tasks using -기 쉽다 and -기가 어렵다.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to: Describe situations where external factors prevent action using -(으)ㄹ 수가 없다.
  4. 4
    By the end you will be able to: Emphasize repetitive or exclusive actions using -기만 하다.

チャプターガイド

Overview

Welcome to a pivotal chapter in your Korean grammar journey! As you progress to B1 Korean, you're ready to add depth and nuance to your conversations. This chapter is designed to help you express not just what you do, but *how* you do it, *how easy or difficult* it is, and even when something is utterly impossible.
Mastering these expressions will make your Korean sound incredibly natural and confident, allowing you to move beyond basic statements and truly articulate your thoughts with precision.
We'll dive into five essential grammar patterns. First, you'll learn -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다 to confidently state whether you
know how to do something
– highlighting skill and know-how. Next, we'll equip you with -기 쉽다 and -기가 어렵다 to effortlessly describe tasks as easy to do or difficult to do, perfect for sharing your opinions.
For those moments when an action is completely out of reach, -(으)ㄹ 수가 없다 will empower you to convey total impossibility due to circumstances. Finally, to add emphasis and focus, we'll explore -기만 하다, allowing you to highlight when someone is doing nothing but a specific action. By the end, you'll be expressing capabilities, assessing difficulty, stating impossibilities, and emphasizing actions with ease, making your B1 Korean richer and more expressive.
Let's unlock these powerful tools!

How This Grammar Works

Let's break down each of these crucial Korean grammar patterns to understand how they function and how you can use them in your daily conversations.
1. Knowing How to Do Something (-(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다)
This pattern is used to express whether you
know how to do
a specific skill or task. It refers to learned ability or know-how, not just physical capability.
* Conjugation:
* If the verb stem ends in a consonant: verb stem + -을 줄 알다/모르다
* If the verb stem ends in a vowel or ㄹ: verb stem + -ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다
* Example: 저는 한국어를 할 줄 알아요. (I know how to speak Korean.)
* Example: 김치찌개를 만들 줄 몰라요. (I don't know how to make kimchi stew.)
2. Easy to do (-기 쉽다)
Use this pattern to describe an action as easy to do or prone to happen.
* Conjugation: verb stem + -기 쉽다
* Example: 이 책은 읽기 쉬워요. (This book is easy to read.)
* Example: 요즘은 감기에 걸리기 쉬운 날씨예요. (Lately, it's weather where you easily catch a cold.)
3. It is difficult to... (-기가 어렵다)
This is the opposite of -기 쉽다, used to express that an action is difficult to do or hard to achieve.
* Conjugation: verb stem + -기가 어렵다 (The particle 가 can sometimes be omitted in casual speech but adds clarity.)
* Example: 한국어 발음은 하기가 어려워요. (Korean pronunciation is difficult to do.)
* Example: 그 문제를 풀기 어렵다. (That problem is difficult to solve.)
4. Cannot possibly: Total impossibility (-(으)ㄹ 수가 없다)
This pattern conveys a strong sense of impossibility due to external circumstances or conditions, not just a lack of ability. It's stronger than simply using 못 or -지 못하다.
* Conjugation:
* If the verb stem ends in a consonant: verb stem + -을 수가 없다
* If the verb stem ends in a vowel or ㄹ: verb stem + -ㄹ 수가 없다
* Example: 너무 바빠서 만날 수가 없어요. (I'm too busy to possibly meet you.)
* Example: 이 시간에는 택시를 잡을 수가 없어요. (At this hour, it's impossible to catch a taxi.)
5. Doing Nothing But... (-기만 하다)
This pattern emphasizes that someone is doing nothing but a specific action, often highlighting single-minded focus or, at times, a slightly negative connotation if other actions are expected.
* Conjugation: verb stem + -기만 하다
* Example: 그는 하루 종일 게임만 하기만 해요. (He just plays games all day long.)
* Example: 비가 오기만 해서 나갈 수 없었어요. (It just kept raining, so I couldn't go out.)

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: «저는 수영할 수 알아요.» (I can swim know.)
✓ Correct:
저는 수영할 줄 알아요.
(I know how to swim.)
*Explanation:* -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 means can (possibility/ability), while -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다 specifically means know how to (a learned skill). Don't mix them up!
  1. 1✗ Wrong: «이 음식은 만들기가 쉬워요.» (This food is easy to make.)
✓ Correct:
이 음식은 만들기 쉬워요.
(This food is easy to make.)
*Explanation:* While -기가 어렵다 often uses the particle 가 for clarity, -기 쉽다 typically attaches directly to the verb stem without 가.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: «배고파서 먹을 수 없어요.» (I'm hungry, so I can't eat.)
✓ Correct:
배고파서 먹을 수가 없어요.
(I'm so hungry that I can't possibly eat.) (Or «배고파서 못 먹어요» for simple inability)
*Explanation:* -(으)ㄹ 수가 없다 implies a strong, often external, impossibility. If you simply mean "I can't" due to lack of ability or simple refusal, 못 or -지 못하다 are usually sufficient and more natural. Use -(으)ㄹ 수가 없다 when the circumstances truly make it impossible.

Real Conversations

A

A

한국어 시험이 어땠어요? (How was the Korean exam?)
B

B

듣기는 쉬웠지만, 쓰기는 너무 어려웠어요. (Listening was easy, but writing was too difficult.)
A

A

운전 할 줄 아세요? (Do you know how to drive?)
B

B

아니요, 아직 할 줄 몰라요. 배우고 싶어요! (No, I don't know how to yet. I want to learn!)
A

A

왜 이렇게 늦었어요? (Why are you so late?)
B

B

죄송해요. 길이 너무 막혀서 제 시간에 도착할 수가 없었어요. (I'm sorry. The road was so blocked that I couldn't possibly arrive on time.)

Quick FAQ

Q

What's the difference between -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 and -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다 in Korean grammar?

-(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses general ability or possibility (can do), while -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다 specifically means

to know how to do
a learned skill or method.

Q

Can -기 쉽다 and -기가 어렵다 be used with adjectives?

No, these patterns attach only to verb stems to describe the ease or difficulty of performing an *action*.

Q

When should I use -(으)ㄹ 수가 없다 instead of just 못 or -지 못하다?

Use -(으)ㄹ 수가 없다 when emphasizing that an action is *impossible due to external circumstances* or a strong reason, not just a simple inability. It conveys a stronger sense of impossibility.

Cultural Context

These Korean grammar patterns are incredibly common in daily conversations, reflecting how Koreans often discuss skills, challenges, and limitations. -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다 is frequently used when asking about or offering help with practical skills like cooking, driving, or using technology. -기 쉽다 and -기가 어렵다 are perfect for sharing opinions on tasks, food, or learning experiences, often softening direct statements.
-(으)ㄹ 수가 없다 is a polite but firm way to state an impossibility, often used to decline requests or explain unavoidable situations. Finally, -기만 하다 can be used humorously or to subtly express frustration about someone's single-minded focus. Mastering these patterns will make your Korean sound much more authentic and relatable.

重要な例文 (6)

1

저는 한국어 할 줄 알아요.

私は韓国語が話せます。

〜のやり方を知っている・知らない (-(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다)
2

인스타 필터 사용할 줄 알아요?

インスタのフィルターの使い方、わかりますか？

〜のやり方を知っている・知らない (-(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다)
3

한국어는 발음하기가 어려워요.

韓国語は発音するのが難しいです。

〜するのが難しい (-기가 어렵다)
4

주말에는 예약하기가 진짜 어려워요.

週末は予約するのが本当に難しいです。

〜するのが難しい (-기가 어렵다)
5

너무 시끄러워서 집중할 수가 없어요.

うるさすぎて、どうしても集中できません。

どうしてもできない：完全な不可能性 (-ㄹ/을 수가 없다)
6

와이파이가 안 돼서 이메일을 보낼 수가 없었어요.

Wi-Fiが繋がらなくて、メールを送ることができませんでした。

どうしてもできない：完全な不可能性 (-ㄹ/을 수가 없다)

ヒントとコツ (4)

💡

謙虚なニュアンス

「韓国語話せますか？」と聞かれて «할 줄 알아요» と答えると、«할 수 있어요» よりも少し控えめで自然に聞こえますよ。
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 〜のやり方を知っている・知らない (-(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다)
💡

反対の言葉もセットで！

「〜しにくい」と言いたいときは、'쉽다' を '어렵다' に変えるだけ。形は全く同じですよ。 «배우기 어렵다»（学びにくい）
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 〜しやすい・するのが簡単だ (-기 쉽다)
💡

助詞を省略してこなれ感アップ

会話では助詞の「가」を抜いて «-기 어려워요» と言うのがとっても自然です！ «찾기 어려워요.»
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 〜するのが難しい (-기가 어렵다)
🎯

感情を込める「間」

「수가」を強調して少し間を置くと、「もうお手上げ！」という感情がこもってネイティブっぽくなります。«정말 이해할 수가... 없어요.»
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: どうしてもできない：完全な不可能性 (-ㄹ/을 수가 없다)

重要な語彙 (6)

운전하다 to drive 포기하다 to give up 외국어 foreign language 복잡하다 to be complicated 요리하다 to cook 집중하다 to concentrate

Real-World Preview

utensils

Cooking with a Friend

Review Summary

  • Verb Stem + -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다
  • Verb Stem + -기 쉽다
  • Verb Stem + -기가 어렵다
  • Verb Stem + -(으)ㄹ 수가 없다
  • Verb Stem + -기만 하다

よくある間違い

Learners often confuse '수 있다' (can) with '줄 알다' (know how to). Use '줄' when referring to a learned skill.

Wrong: 수영할 수 알아요.
正解: 수영할 줄 알아요.

While '배우기 어렵다' is sometimes heard, the grammatically standard form for B1 level includes the subject particle '-가' after the nominalized verb.

Wrong: 한국어가 배우기 어려워요.
正解: 한국어는 배우기가 어려워요.

To express total impossibility or to emphasize 'there is no way I can go,' adding '-가' to '수' is much more natural and emphatic.

Wrong: 바빠서 갈 수 없어요.
正解: 바빠서 갈 수가 없어요.

このチャプターのルール (5)

1

〜のやり方を知っている・知らない (-(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다)

B1
単なる可能性ではなく、学習して身につけた「やり方」や「ノウハウ」がある時は «(으)ㄹ 줄 알다» を使いましょう。
저는 한국어 할 줄 알아요.
10 例文
2

〜しやすい・するのが簡単だ (-기 쉽다)

B1
動詞の語幹に «-기 쉽다» をつけるだけで、「〜しやすい」や「〜しがちだ」という状態を表現できますよ！
Korean is an easy language to learn.
10 例文
3

〜するのが難しい (-기가 어렵다)

B1
「複雑で難しい」や「実現しにくい」と言いたい時は «-기가 어렵다» を使いましょう。 «복잡해요» や «불가능해요» のニュアンスをスマートに伝えられます。
한국어는 발음하기가 어려워요.
10 例文
4

どうしてもできない：完全な不可能性 (-ㄹ/을 수가 없다)

B1
「どうしても〜できない」という強い不可能や、状況的に無理な時は «-ㄹ/을 수가 없다» を使いましょう。
너무 시끄러워서 집중할 수가 없어요.
11 例文
5

韓国語文法：～ばかりする、～してばかりいる (-기만 하다)

B1
特定の動作だけを繰り返している時に使う魔法のフレーズです。 «기만 하다» を使って、日常の「〜してばかり」を表現してみましょう！
동생은 하루 종일 게임을 하기만 해요.
10 例文

Next Steps

You've just added some very sophisticated tools to your Korean toolkit. Being able to explain 'how' and 'why' things are difficult or impossible is a huge milestone. Keep practicing!

Record a 1-minute voice memo listing 3 things you know how to do and 1 thing you find difficult.

Write 5 sentences about your 'impossible' schedule this week using -(으)ㄹ 수가 없다.

Continue to: Navigating Uncertainty and Questions

クイック練習 (9)

「探す（찾다）」を使って、正しい形を完成させてください。

이 식당은 골목 안에 있어서 ___ 어려워요. (このレストランは路地裏にあるので、探すのが難しいです。)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 찾기가
「〜するのが難しい」は語幹 + 기가 어렵다 なので、찾다 は 찾기가 になります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 〜するのが難しい (-기가 어렵다)

間違いを探して直してください：이 앱은 사용하다기 쉬워요.

Find and fix the mistake:

이 앱은 사용하다기 쉬워요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 사용하기 쉬워요.
動詞の原形 '사용하다' に直接つけるのではなく、 '다' を取って '사용하기' にする必要があります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 〜しやすい・するのが簡単だ (-기 쉽다)

不自然な文を修正してください。

間違い: 매일 아침 운동하기가 어려워요. (状況: 体が疲れていてしんどい)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 매일 아침 운동하기가 힘들어요.
肉体的なエネルギーが必要で大変な場合は、어렵다 よりも 힘들다 を使うのが自然です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 〜するのが難しい (-기가 어렵다)

「冬は風邪を引きやすいです」という意味で正しい文を選んでください。

正しい文を選んでください：

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 겨울에 감기에 걸리기 쉬워요.
「風邪を引く」という動詞 '감기에 걸리다' の語幹に '-기 쉽다' を繋げたものが正解です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 〜しやすい・するのが簡単だ (-기 쉽다)

「忙しくて行けません」という文で、最も自然で正しいものを選んでください。

正しい文を選んでください：

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 바빠서 갈 수가 없어요.
「수가」と「없다」の間のスペースが必要です。また、語幹「가-」には「-ㄹ」を付けます。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: どうしてもできない：完全な不可能性 (-ㄹ/을 수가 없다)

「듣다」(聞く) を正しい形にして空欄を埋めてください。

소리가 너무 작아서 ____.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 들을 수가 없어요
「듣다」はㄷ変則動詞なので、後ろに「-을」が来ると「들」に変わります。強調の「가」を入れるのが今回のルールです。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: どうしてもできない：完全な不可能性 (-ㄹ/을 수가 없다)

「この問題は解きやすいです」となるように空欄を埋めてください。

이 문제는 ____ 쉬워요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 풀기
「解く」は '풀다' です。語幹 '풀' に '-기' をつけて '풀기' とします。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 〜しやすい・するのが簡単だ (-기 쉽다)

「この電話は使いにくい」という文を選んでください。

正しい翻訳を選んでください:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 이 휴대폰은 쓰기가 어려워요.
「使う（쓰다）」 + 「〜するのが難しい（기가 어렵다）」で構成されます。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 〜するのが難しい (-기가 어렵다)

この文の間違いを見つけて直してください。

Find and fix the mistake:

피곤해서 숙제를 할수가 없어요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 피곤해서 숙제를 할 수가 없어요.
唯一の間違いは分かち書き（スペース）です。「할 수가」と離して書くのが正解です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: どうしてもできない：完全な不可能性 (-ㄹ/을 수가 없다)

Score: /9

よくある質問 (6)

-(으)ㄹ 줄 알다 は「やり方や知識」に、-(으)ㄹ 수 있다 は「物理的な可能性や許可」にフォーカスします。例えば「泳ぎ方は知っている（줄 알다）けど、今日は風邪で泳げない（수 없다）」のように使い分けます。
いいえ、基本的には動詞に使います。この文法は「やり方」を必要とするアクションに対して使うものなので、「綺麗になる方法を知っている」のような使い方はしません。
はい！むしろ「〜しがちだ」という悪い傾向によく使われます。 «감기에 걸리기 쉬워요»（風邪を引きやすい）などが代表的ですね。
動詞の「-다」を取って「-기 쉽다」をつけるだけです。パッチムの有無は関係ありません。 «먹다» → «먹기 쉽다»、«가다» → «가기 쉽다» となります。
いいえ、このパターンは動詞にのみ使えます。例えば「背が高いのが難しい」とは言えません。 «키가 크기가 어려워요» は間違いです。
어렵다 は「複雑さ、技術的な難易度、可能性の低さ」を表します。 힘들다 は「肉体的な疲れ、精神的な辛さ」に使います。 «공부하기가 어려워요» は内容が難しい、 «공부하기가 힘들어요» は疲れていてしんどい、という意味になります。
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