Lesson 28: 잘하다/못하다/잘 못하다

Ever tried doing something new and thought, “Nailed it!” or “Oops, that was an epic fail!”? 🤣 Well, today’s lesson is all about that! We’re diving deep into the world of “잘하다” (doing well) and its mischievous counterpart “못하다” (not doing well). So, whether you’re the master of your domain or can’t quite get that pancake flip right (hey, we’ve all been there), we’ve got the phrases to express both your moments of glory and those… let’s call them “learning experiences”. Ready to boost your bragging rights and be humble in Korean? Let’s get this rollercoaster started! 🎢🚀

Section 1: Understanding 잘하다 (Jalhada)

One of the fundamental expressions in Korean for indicating proficiency or skill in an activity is “잘하다” (jalhada). This term is pivotal for expressing that someone is good at something or does it well. Here’s a closer look at its usage and structure.

잘하다 (jalhada)

Definition: To do well or to do something skilfully.
Components:
- “잘” translates to ‘well’ or ‘good’ in English.
- “하다” is a verb meaning ‘to do’.
Usage: 잘하다 is often used to express proficiency or commend someone for a job well done. It’s the kind of word you’d use to give someone a pat on the back or when you’re impressed by someone’s ability.
Example: “한국어를 잘해요.” – You speak Korean well.

“잘하다” literally translates to “do well” or “be good at”. It’s used to express skill, proficiency, or talent in an activity. When you want to say you are good at something, you attach “잘하다” to the verb stem that represents the activity.

To form the expression, take the verb stem and add “잘하다”. For example, “춤” (chum – dance) becomes “춤을 잘하다” (chumeul jalhada – to be good at dancing). In this structure, the object marking particle is added because the noun is the object of what we do well.

The expression can be conjugated to fit various levels of politeness and formality, such as “잘해요” (jalhaeyo) for a polite statement or “잘해” (jalhae) for a more casual tone.

EXAMPLES

저는 요리를 잘해요.” – “I am good at cooking.”
“그는 기타를 잘 쳐요.” – “He plays the guitar well.”

Section 2: The Use of 못하다 (Mothada)

In contrast to “잘하다” (jalhada), which expresses proficiency, the Korean term “못하다” (mothada) is used to convey the opposite – a lack of skill or ability in a particular activity. It’s a straightforward way to communicate difficulties or challenges one might have with certain tasks or hobbies.

못하다 (mothada)

Definition: To cannot do or to be bad at something.

Components:
- “못” is an adverb meaning ‘not’ or ‘can’t’.
- “하다”, as mentioned above, means ‘to do’.

Usage: 못하다 is your go-to when referring to a lack of skill or a need for improvement in a particular area. But be cautious! It can sound negative or critical, so always consider your tone and context.
Example: “노래 못해요.” – I can’t sing.

“못하다” translates to “cannot do well” or “to be bad at.” It’s used to indicate that someone struggles with or is not skilled at a particular activity. This expression is attached to the verb stem of the action that one is not proficient in.

Similar to “잘하다”, “못하다” is formed by adding it to the verb stem. For example, “노래” (norae – song) becomes “노래를 못하다” (noraereul mothada – to be bad at singing).

“못하다” can be conjugated for different levels of politeness, such as “못해요” (mothae-yo) or “못해” (mothae).

EXAMPLES

“저는 춤을 못 춰요.” – “I am not good at dancing.”
“그녀는 운전을 못해요.” – “She is not good at driving.”

At their core, these expressions revolve around the verb “하다,” giving learners a foundation that they might already be familiar with. The adverbs “잘” and “못” dictate the positive or negative tone of the action, making them incredibly versatile in day-to-day conversations.

Now, with these definitions in our toolkit, let’s explore further how to use them in various contexts and make our Korean sound even more natural!

Usage and context

Understanding the basic definitions of “잘하다” and “못하다” is a great start, but language comes alive in context. The nuances of these words can shift subtly based on the situation, tone, and the relationship between speakers. Let’s delve into their varied uses and contexts.

잘하다 (jalhada)
- Compliments and Praise: One of the most common uses of “잘하다” is to compliment someone. It’s a fantastic way to boost someone’s morale and acknowledge their skills.
  - Example: “노래를 정말 잘해요!” – You sing really well!
- Self-evaluation: While modesty is a cultural trait in Korea, you might hear people using “잘하다” to state a fact or in a modest bragging context.
  - Example: “요리는 잘해요.” – I cook well.
- Questions: To inquire about proficiency, “잘하다” can be used in questions.
  - Example: “한국어를 잘해요?” – Do you speak Korean well?

못하다 (mothada)
- Expressing Difficulty or Lack of Skill: This is the primary use of “못하다”, indicating an area of challenge or something one isn’t good at.
  - Example: “저는 수학을 못해요.” – I’m not good at math.
- Polite Refusal or Decline: It can also be a way to decline something politely by implying you might not perform well.
  - Example: “저는 높은 곳이 무서워서 스카이다이빙을 못해요.” – I’m afraid of heights, so I can’t skydive.

Incorporating “잘하다” and “못하다” in various contexts will not only improve your conversational skills but also help you express your feelings, competencies, and areas of improvement with ease. On to the next segment, where we’ll see these words come alive in complete sentences!

하다 can be replaced with other verbs, it depends on the verb. Since a lot of verbs are a combination of NOUN + 하다, it’s usually 잘하다 or 못하다 but the 잘 or 못 can be added to other verbs.

운전 (driving-noun) + 하다 –> 운전하다 (to drive)
요리 (cooking/food/dish) + 하다 –> 요리하다 (to cook)

노래 (song) + 하다 –> 노래하다 (singing)

So for these types of verbs, we can just split them up and add 잘 or 못 before 하다.

설아는 노래 잘해요. – Seo-ra can sing well.

운전 잘해요? – Are you good at driving?
저는 운전 못해요. – I cannot drive.

For others, they have their own verbs that are not part of the 하다 verbs.

그림 그리다 – to draw
춤 추다 – to dance

저는 춤을 못 춰요. – I cannot dance.

철수는 그림 잘 그려요. – Cheol-su draws well.

Section 3: Combining 잘 and 못: 잘 못하다 (Jal Mothada)

The expression “잘 못하다” (jal mothada) in Korean offers a unique way to convey ability, combining elements of both “잘하다” (jalhada) and “못하다” (mothada). This phrase is particularly nuanced and useful for indicating a moderate level of proficiency or skill.

Literal Meaning:

잘: Well

못: Can’t or not well
해요: Do (polite present form of 하다)

When combined, “잘 못해요” means “can’t do well” or “not good at it”.

Usage in Context:

“잘 못해요” is used to express the inability or lack of skill to perform a certain task or action. It’s a polite and modest way to say you’re not good at something.

The structure involves adding “잘 못” before the verb. For example, “수영” (suyeong – swimming) becomes “수영을 잘 못해요” (suyeongeul jal mothae-yo – not very good at swimming).

Unlike “못하다”, which plainly denotes poor ability, “잘 못하다” softens the statement, often used to indicate modesty or an intermediate skill level.

Examples:

한국어를 잘 못해요. Translation: I’m not good at Korean.
저는 노래를 잘 못해요. Translation: I can’t sing well.

요리를 잘 못해요. Translation: I’m not good at cooking.

Nuance of Modesty:

In Korean culture, modesty is highly valued. Even if someone is relatively skilled at something, they might use “잘 못해요” as a sign of humility when someone else compliments them.

Example:

A: 기타를 정말 잘 쳐요! (You play the guitar really well!)
B: 아니에요, 잘 못해요. (No, I really can’t play it well.)

Note on Spacing:

Spacing is crucial here. When “잘” and “못” are spaced correctly as “잘 못해요”, it means “can’t do well”. But when they’re written together as “잘못해요”, it means “did wrong” or “made a mistake”. This difference is a testament to the importance of correct spacing in the Korean language.

In summary, “잘 못해요” is a handy phrase to have in your Korean repertoire, whether you’re genuinely expressing a lack of ability or responding with humility to a compliment. Remember, it’s not just about the words but also the cultural nuances behind them!

However, it is also worth nothing that 잘못해요 is only really ever used in past tense i.e. 잘못했어요 and it translates to “I made a mistake”.

Activity 1

Fill in the blanks.

저는 슈영을 ______. – I cannot swim well.
언니는 요리를 ______. – My sister cooks well.
철수는 영어를 ______. – Cheol-su cannot speak English.

우리 아빠는 춤을 ______. – My dad cannot dance.
하나는 노래를 ______. – Hana sings piano well.

Activity 2

Determine if the translation is correct based on the Korean sentence.

지민은 기타를 잘해요. – Jimin plays the guitar poorly.
저는 운전을 잘 못해요. – I can’t drive well.
선생님은 한국어를 못해요. – The teacher can’t speak Korean.

Activity 1 Answers

저는 수영을 잘 못해요. – I cannot swim well.
언니는 요리를 잘 해요. – My sister cooks well.
철수는 영어를 못해요. – Cheol-su cannot speak English.

우리 아빠는 춤을 못 춰요. – My dad cannot dance.
하나는 노래를 잘해요. – Hana sings well.

Activity 2 Answers

지민은 기타를 잘해요. – INCORRECT – Jimin plays the guitar well

저는 운전을 잘 못해요. – CORRECT – I can’t drive well.
선생님은 한국어를 못해요. – CORRECT – The teacher can’t speak Korean.

Wrap up

Well, well, well, look at you go! You’ve waded through the waters of 잘해요, got a tad tangled in 못해요, and unravelled the mystery of 잘 못해요. If you ever find yourself in a Korean karaoke room and someone asks you to sing, just remember, whether you belt out tunes 잘해요 or 잘 못해요, the most important thing is to sing your heart out (and maybe blame me for any off-key notes 😉).

On a serious note (pun intended!), language learning is all about progress, not perfection. Every little bit you pick up, including today’s lesson, gets you one step closer to fluency. So keep up the good work, and until next time, 화이팅 (fighting)!

Share Your Thoughts:

We would love to hear from you! How have you used “잘하다”, “못하다”, or “잘 못하다” in your conversations?

Feel free to share sentences you’ve created using these expressions in the comments below.
Any particular skills or hobbies you’ve talked about using these expressions? Let us know!

Your experiences and insights are invaluable, both to us and to fellow learners. Sharing them helps create a community of learners who support and learn from each other. So, don’t hesitate to join the conversation and contribute your own experiences.

Keep practicing, and remember: even if you think you “못해요”, with time and effort, you’ll soon be saying “잘해요”! 🌟🎤