TOPIK I · LEVEL 2
-지 못하다
-지 못하다 says someone cannot do something (lack of ability or circumstances), the long form of 못.
능력·허락·의무Can, may & mustHan: -지 못하다 needs an action someone is unable to do; adjectives take -지 않다.
Examples
저는 매운 음식을 먹지 못해요.I can't eat spicy food.
길이 막혀서 제시간에 도착하지 못했습니다.The roads were jammed, so I couldn't arrive on time.
어제는 바빠서 운동하지 못했어요.I couldn't exercise yesterday because I was busy.
Don’t mix up
-지 못하다vs-지 않다-지 않다 = not doing (by choice or fact); -지 못하다 = unable to: 가지 않았어요 'didn't go' vs 가지 못했어요 'couldn't go'.How to build it
V+지 못하다
가다 → 가지 못해요, 먹다 → 먹지 못했어요
- It means 'can't', not 'don't want to'; for choosing not to, use 안 or -지 않다.
- More common in writing and formal speech than short 못.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 날씨가 덥지 못해요.
Right: 날씨가 덥지 않아요.
-지 못하다 needs an action someone is unable to do; adjectives take -지 않다.
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All TOPIK grammar- -(으)면 안 되다States that an action is not allowed or not acceptable: 'you must not… / it's not okay to…'.
- -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다Attach it to a verb to say that someone can or cannot do something, either because of their ability or because the situation allows or prevents it.
- -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다Use it to say whether someone knows how to do something, meaning a skill or method they have learned.
- -(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다Says there is no other choice or that a result is unavoidable: 'have no choice but to, can't help but, is bound to'.
- -는 게 좋겠다-는 게 좋겠다 gives soft advice or a suggestion: 'it would be better to …'.
- -아도/어도 되다-아도/어도 되다 means 'it's okay to / you may do it', and it is used to give or ask for permission.
- -아야/어야 되다(하다)Use it to say that someone must or has to do something, or that a certain state is necessary.
- -(으)면-(으)면 attaches to a verb or adjective to set a condition: "if X happens or is true, then Y," and it can also mean "whenever X" for things that regularly happen.
- -(으)ㄴ 지Shows how much time has passed since an action happened.