💡 In Level 5 you'll modify nouns with clauses, express opinions and guesses, report what others said, speak formally, and prepare for TOPIK-style questions.
5-1 💪 Ability & Possibility — 가능 표현
How to say "I can / I can't do this" in Korean
💡 The Formula
Verb stem + -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 = "I can ___"
Verb stem + -(으)ㄹ 수 없어요 = "I can't ___"
No final consonant → add ㄹ 수 있어요/없어요. Has a final consonant → add 을 수 있어요/없어요.
🗣️ Korean often drops the subject when it's obvious from context — 갈 수 있어요 alone usually means "(I) can go", not just "can go" in the abstract. You only need to say 저는/제가 ("I") when it's not already clear who you're talking about.
ㄹ 수 있어요
No final consonant
When the verb stem ends in a vowel (no final consonant), just add ㄹ 수 있어요.
가다 to go가 + 다 + ㄹ 수 있어요=갈 수 있어요can go
마시다 to drink마시 + 다 + ㄹ 수 있어요=마실 수 있어요can drink
운전하다 to drive운전하 + 다 + ㄹ 수 있어요=운전할 수 있어요can drive
배우다 to learn배우 + 다 + ㄹ 수 있어요=배울 수 있어요can learn
만나다 to meet만나 + 다 + ㄹ 수 있어요=만날 수 있어요can meet
📚 10 Examples — ㄹ 수 있어요
저는 한국어를 할 수 있어요.
jeo-neun han-gu-geo-reul hal su i-sseo-yo.
I can speak Korean.
저는 수영할 수 있어요.
jeo-neun su-yeong-hal su i-sseo-yo.
I can swim.
운전할 수 있어요.
un-jeon-hal su i-sseo-yo.
I can drive.
피아노를 칠 수 있어요.
pi-a-no-reul chil su i-sseo-yo.
I can play the piano.
혼자 갈 수 있어요.
hon-ja gal su i-sseo-yo.
I can go alone.
이 노래를 부를 수 있어요.
i no-rae-reul bu-reul su i-sseo-yo.
I can sing this song.
외국어를 배울 수 있어요.
oe-gu-geo-reul bae-ul su i-sseo-yo.
I can learn a foreign language.
친구를 기다릴 수 있어요.
chin-gu-reul gi-da-ril su i-sseo-yo.
I can wait for a friend.
이 영화를 볼 수 있어요.
i yeong-hwa-reul bol su i-sseo-yo.
I can watch this movie.
노래방에서 노래할 수 있어요.
no-rae-bang-e-seo no-rae-hal su i-sseo-yo.
I can sing at a karaoke room.
을 수 있어요
Has a final consonant
When the verb stem ends in a consonant (final consonant), add 을 수 있어요.
먹다 to eat먹 + 다 + 을 수 있어요=먹을 수 있어요can eat
읽다 to read읽 + 다 + 을 수 있어요=읽을 수 있어요can read
찾다 to find찾 + 다 + 을 수 있어요=찾을 수 있어요can find
입다 to wear입 + 다 + 을 수 있어요=입을 수 있어요can wear
받다 to receive받 + 다 + 을 수 있어요=받을 수 있어요can receive
📚 10 Examples — 을 수 있어요
매운 음식을 먹을 수 있어요.
mae-un eum-si-geul meo-geul su i-sseo-yo.
I can eat spicy food.
이 책을 읽을 수 있어요.
i chae-geul il-geul su i-sseo-yo.
I can read this book.
한복을 입을 수 있어요.
han-bo-geul i-beul su i-sseo-yo.
I can wear a hanbok.
이 선물을 받을 수 있어요.
i seon-mu-reul ba-deul su i-sseo-yo.
I can receive this gift.
지갑을 찾을 수 있어요.
ji-ga-beul cha-jeul su i-sseo-yo.
I can find my wallet.
문을 닫을 수 있어요.
mu-neul da-deul su i-sseo-yo.
I can close the door.
신발을 신을 수 있어요.
sin-ba-reul si-neul su i-sseo-yo.
I can put on shoes.
공을 잡을 수 있어요.
gong-eul ja-beul su i-sseo-yo.
I can catch the ball.
마음껏 웃을 수 있어요.
ma-eum-kkeot u-seul su i-sseo-yo.
I can laugh freely.
손을 씻을 수 있어요.
so-neul ssi-seul su i-sseo-yo.
I can wash my hands.
없어요
Negative — can't
Just swap 있어요 → 없어요 at the end to say "can't".
마시다 to drink마실 수 + 없어요=마실 수 없어요can't drink
먹다 to eat먹을 수 + 없어요=먹을 수 없어요can't eat
가다 to go갈 수 + 없어요=갈 수 없어요can't go
보다 to watch볼 수 + 없어요=볼 수 없어요can't watch
하다 to do할 수 + 없어요=할 수 없어요can't do
📚 10 Examples — 없어요 (can't)
저는 술을 마실 수 없어요.
jeo-neun su-reul ma-sil su eop-seo-yo.
I can't drink alcohol.
매운 음식을 먹을 수 없어요.
mae-un eum-si-geul meo-geul su eop-seo-yo.
I can't eat spicy food.
한국어를 아직 잘 할 수 없어요.
han-gu-geo-reul a-jik jal hal su eop-seo-yo.
I still can't speak Korean well.
내일은 갈 수 없어요.
nae-i-reun gal su eop-seo-yo.
I can't go tomorrow.
이 일을 혼자 할 수 없어요.
i i-reul hon-ja hal su eop-seo-yo.
I can't do this work alone.
지금은 만날 수 없어요.
ji-geu-meun man-nal su eop-seo-yo.
I can't meet right now.
이 책을 읽을 수 없어요.
i chae-geul il-geul su eop-seo-yo.
I can't read this book.
돈이 없어서 살 수 없어요.
do-ni eop-seo-seo sal su eop-seo-yo.
I can't buy it because I have no money.
시간이 없어서 도와줄 수 없어요.
si-gan-i eop-seo-seo do-wa-jul su eop-seo-yo.
I can't help because I don't have time.
잠을 잘 수 없어요.
ja-meul jal su eop-seo-yo.
I can't sleep.
✏️ Practice — Ability & Possibility
👏
5-1 done — you can say what you CAN do!
잘했어요! "-(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다" is one of the most useful patterns in everyday Korean.
No final consonant → ㄹ 수 있어요/없어요 · Has a final consonant → 을 수 있어요/없어요
Swap 있어요 ↔ 없어요 to flip between "can" and "can't"
5-2 🏷️ Noun-Modifying Clauses — 관형형
"the person who eats", "the food I ate", "the time I'll eat"
💡 The Formula
Korean attaches the verb directly in front of the noun it describes — no "who/which/that" needed. -는 = ongoing/habitual (eats) · -(으)ㄴ = completed (ate) · -(으)ㄹ = future/intended (will eat)
⚠️ Don't confuse this with the past tense from 4-1! 먹었어요 (4-1, ends the sentence: "I ate") is completely different from 먹은 (5-2, goes right before a noun: "the food I ate"). One finishes a sentence, the other describes a noun inside one.
-는
Present / ongoing action
Stem + 는 regardless of final consonant. Describes an action happening now or habitually.
가다 to go가 + 는=가는going
먹다 to eat먹 + 는=먹는eating
읽다 to read읽 + 는=읽는reading
마시다 to drink마시 + 는=마시는drinking
만나다 to meet만나 + 는=만나는meeting
⚠️ ㄹ-irregular note
살다 (to live) drops its ㄹ before 는: 살다 → 사는 (e.g. 한국에 사는 사람 = a person living in Korea). Same for 만들다 → 만드는.
📚 10 Examples — -는 (ongoing/habitual)
책을 읽는 사람이 누구예요?
chae-geul il-geun sa-ram-i nu-gu-ye-yo?
Who is the person reading a book?
커피를 마시는 사람은 제 동생이에요.
ko-pi-reul ma-si-neun sa-ram-eun je dong-saeng-i-e-yo.
I study English in order to get a job at a good company.
✏️ Practice — Reason & Purpose
👏
5-3 done — you can explain why!
잘했어요! Reason and purpose are everywhere in natural conversation and writing.
때문에 = because of an existing reason · -(으)려고/-기 위해서 = in order to reach a goal
-(으)려고 is more casual/spoken, -기 위해서 sounds more formal/written
5-4 🤔 Opinion & Guessing — 의견·추측 표현
것 같아요, 나 봐요, 겠어요 — how sure are you?
💡 Three Ways to Say "I Think / It Seems"
These all soften a statement, but they come from different kinds of evidence:
general opiniondirect observation
것 같아요 = your general impression/opinion (most common, safest default) · 나 봐요 = you just noticed a clue and are inferring · 겠어요 = an immediate reaction to something right in front of you
것 같아요
General opinion / guess
Reuses the noun-modifying forms from 5-2! Verb: -는/-(으)ㄴ/-(으)ㄹ 것 같아요. Adjective present: -(으)ㄴ 것 같아요 (but 있다/없다-type adjectives like 맛있다 use -는 instead). Noun: 인 것 같아요.
가다 (present)가 + 는 것 같아요=가는 것 같아요seems to be going
좋다 (adjective)좋 + 은 것 같아요=좋은 것 같아요seems good
맛있다 (있다-type)맛있 + 는 것 같아요=맛있는 것 같아요seems delicious
가다 (future)가 + ㄹ 것 같아요=갈 것 같아요seems like it will go
먹다 (past)먹 + 은 것 같아요=먹은 것 같아요seems to have eaten
📚 10 Examples — 것 같아요
비가 오는 것 같아요.
bi-ga o-neun geot ga-ta-yo.
It seems like it's raining.
이 음식이 맛있는 것 같아요.
i eum-si-gi ma-sin-neun geot ga-ta-yo.
This food seems delicious.
그 영화가 재미있는 것 같아요.
geu yeong-hwa-ga jae-mi-it-neun geot ga-ta-yo.
That movie seems fun.
오늘 날씨가 좋은 것 같아요.
o-neul nal-ssi-ga jo-eun geot ga-ta-yo.
The weather seems nice today.
저 사람이 한국 사람인 것 같아요.
jeo sa-ram-i han-guk sa-ram-in geot ga-ta-yo.
That person seems to be Korean.
비가 온 것 같아요.
bi-ga on geot ga-ta-yo.
It seems like it rained.
친구가 벌써 간 것 같아요.
chin-gu-ga beol-sseo gan geot ga-ta-yo.
It seems my friend already left.
내일 비가 올 것 같아요.
nae-il bi-ga ol geot ga-ta-yo.
It seems like it will rain tomorrow.
이 일이 어려울 것 같아요.
i i-ri eo-ryeo-ul geot ga-ta-yo.
This work seems like it'll be difficult.
그 사람은 바쁜 것 같아요.
geu sa-ram-eun ba-ppeun geot ga-ta-yo.
That person seems busy.
나 봐요
Inferring from a clue
Verb stem + 나 봐요. Adjective stem + -(으)ㄴ가 봐요. Past + 았/었나 봐요. Use this when you just saw/heard something that tipped you off.
오다 (verb)오 + 나 봐요=오나 봐요seems to be coming
비싸다 (adjective)비싸 + ㄴ가 봐요=비싼가 봐요seems expensive
좋다 (adjective)좋 + 은가 봐요=좋은가 봐요seems good
막히다 (verb)막히 + 나 봐요=막히나 봐요seems jammed
고프다 (adjective)고프 + ㄴ가 봐요=고픈가 봐요seems hungry
📚 10 Examples — 나 봐요 / -(으)ㄴ가 봐요
밖에 비가 오나 봐요.
bak-e bi-ga o-na bwa-yo.
It seems it's raining outside.
길이 막히나 봐요.
gi-ri ma-ki-na bwa-yo.
Traffic seems jammed.
그 식당이 인기가 많나 봐요.
geu sik-dang-i in-gi-ga man-na bwa-yo.
That restaurant seems popular.
저 사람이 화가 났나 봐요.
jeo sa-ram-i hwa-ga nat-na bwa-yo.
That person seems to have gotten angry.
아이가 배가 고픈가 봐요.
a-i-ga bae-ga go-peun-ga bwa-yo.
The child seems hungry.
이 옷이 비싼가 봐요.
i o-si bi-ssan-ga bwa-yo.
These clothes seem expensive.
그 사람이 한국어를 잘하나 봐요.
geu sa-ram-i han-gu-geo-reul jal-ha-na bwa-yo.
That person seems to be good at Korean.
오늘 기분이 좋은가 봐요.
o-neul gi-bu-ni jo-eun-ga bwa-yo.
Seems like you're in a good mood today.
늦게 일어났나 봐요.
neut-ge i-reo-nat-na bwa-yo.
Seems like he woke up late.
회의가 길어지나 봐요.
hwe-i-ga gi-reo-ji-na bwa-yo.
The meeting seems to be running long.
겠어요
Immediate reaction
Stem + 겠어요 directly, no final-consonant rule needed. Use this the moment you see/hear/taste something and react.
맛있다 delicious맛있 + 겠어요=맛있겠어요looks delicious!
피곤하다 tired피곤하 + 겠어요=피곤하겠어요must be tired
춥다 cold춥 + 겠어요=춥겠어요must be cold
바쁘다 busy바쁘 + 겠어요=바쁘겠어요must be busy
좋다 good좋 + 겠어요=좋겠어요sounds nice!
📚 10 Examples — 겠어요
맛있겠어요!
ma-sit-ge-sseo-yo!
That looks delicious!
힘들겠어요.
him-deul-ge-sseo-yo.
That must be tough.
춥겠어요.
chup-ge-sseo-yo.
That must be cold.
피곤하겠어요.
pi-gon-ha-ge-sseo-yo.
You must be tired.
재미있겠어요!
jae-mi-it-ge-sseo-yo!
That sounds fun!
바쁘겠어요.
ba-ppeu-ge-sseo-yo.
You must be busy.
비싸겠어요.
bi-ssa-ge-sseo-yo.
That must be expensive.
아프겠어요.
a-peu-ge-sseo-yo.
That must hurt.
좋겠어요!
jo-ke-sseo-yo!
That sounds nice! (Lucky you!)
어렵겠어요.
eo-ryeop-ge-sseo-yo.
That looks difficult.
✏️ Practice — Opinion & Guessing
👏
5-4 done — you can soften your statements naturally!
잘했어요! Native speakers use these constantly instead of flat, blunt statements.
것 같아요 = safe general default · 나 봐요 = "I just noticed a clue" · 겠어요 = immediate reaction
맛있다/없다-type adjectives act like verbs and take -는 것 같아요, not -(으)ㄴ
5-5 💬 Reported Speech — 간접화법
다고 해요, 냐고 물었어요, (으)라고 해요 — telling others what someone said
💡 The Formula
When you repeat what someone else said, the sentence ending changes depending on whether the original was a statement, question, or command. You drop the polite -요 from the original and add a reporting ending instead.
📖 The big picture — 3 endings, pick by sentence type
Statement "I'm going"→(ㄴ/는)다고 해요
Question "Are you going?"→냐고 물었어요
Command "Go!"→(으)라고 해요
🗣️ Don't try to memorize all 3 at once
Each one below has its own rule card and 10 examples. Work through 다고 해요 first and do its quiz before moving to 냐고 물었어요 — you don't need all three in your head at the same time to get started.
다고 해요
Reporting a statement
Action verb, no final consonant → stem + ㄴ다고 해요. Action verb, has a final consonant → stem + 는다고 해요. Adjective → stem + 다고 해요 directly. Past (any) → stem + 았다고/었다고 해요.
Drop the polite -요 from the original sentence before adding the reporting ending
5-6 🙇 Honorifics & Formal Speech — 높임말 & 격식체
-(으)시- subject honorific, 합니다체 formal speech
💡 The Formula
-(으)시- shows respect to the subject of the sentence (a customer, elder, boss) — use it whenever you talk about someone you should respect. 합니다체 is a separate, more formal sentence ending used in news, presentations, and announcements — it doesn't show respect to a specific person, just formality of the situation.
🙇 When do I actually need to use this?
Use -(으)시- when you talk about someone you're showing respect to — often a customer, your boss, a teacher, or someone older. Whether you use it depends on your relationship and the situation, not age alone, and you don't use it about yourself. 합니다체 is about the situation, not the listener — use it in interviews, presentations, the news, and official announcements, regardless of who's there. In everyday conversation with friends or coworkers your age, neither is needed — that's what 5-1~5-4's -어요/-아요 forms are for.
📖 Honorific vocabulary swaps — some verbs/nouns change completely
먹다 to eat→드시다 / 잡수시다
자다 to sleep→주무시다
있다 to be/exist→계시다
말하다 to say→말씀하시다
이름 name→성함
나이 age→연세
집 house→댁
-(으)시-
Subject honorific
No final consonant → stem + 세요. Has a final consonant → stem + 으세요. Insert 시 before any other ending (있으시다, 가셨어요) to show respect for the subject — a customer, elder, teacher, or boss.
가다 to go가 + 세요=가세요(he/she) goes
읽다 to read읽 + 으세요=읽으세요(he/she) reads
바쁘다 busy바쁘 + 세요=바쁘세요(he/she) is busy
오다 (past)오 + 셨어요=오셨어요(he/she) came
있다 (honorific swap)계시 + 세요=계세요(he/she) is (here)
📚 10 Examples — -(으)시-
할머니께서 댁에 계세요.
hal-meo-ni-kke-seo dae-ge gye-se-yo.
Grandmother is at home.
사장님이 회의실에 가세요.
sa-jang-nim-i hwe-i-sil-e ga-se-yo.
The boss is going to the meeting room.
선생님이 책을 읽으세요.
seon-saeng-nim-i chae-geul il-geu-se-yo.
The teacher reads a book.
할아버지께서 신문을 보세요.
ha-ra-beo-ji-kke-seo sin-mu-neul bo-se-yo.
Grandfather reads the newspaper.
교수님이 요즘 바쁘세요.
gyo-su-nim-i yo-jeum ba-ppeu-se-yo.
The professor is busy these days.
사장님이 어제 일찍 오셨어요.
sa-jang-nim-i eo-je il-jjik o-syeo-sseo-yo.
The boss came early yesterday.
손님, 여기 앉으세요.
son-nim, yeo-gi an-jeu-se-yo.
(Customer,) please sit here.
어머니께서 음식을 만드세요.
eo-meo-ni-kke-seo eum-si-geul man-deu-se-yo.
Mother is making food.
선생님께서 무엇을 드세요?
seon-saeng-nim-kke-seo mu-eo-seul deu-se-yo?
What does the teacher eat? (honorific 먹다)
할머니께서 일찍 주무세요.
hal-meo-ni-kke-seo il-jjik ju-mu-se-yo.
Grandmother sleeps early. (honorific 자다)
-ㅂ니다/습니다
Formal statement (합니다체)
No final consonant → stem + ㅂ니다. Has a final consonant → stem + 습니다. Used in news, presentations, military, and formal announcements — not for casual conversation.
No final consonant → stem + ㅂ니까?. Has a final consonant → stem + 습니까?. The formal question partner of -ㅂ니다/습니다 — used in interviews, formal meetings, and presentations.
가다 to go가 + ㅂ니까=갑니까?do you go?
먹다 to eat먹 + 습니까=먹습니까?do you eat?
어떻다 how어떻 + 습니까=어떻습니까?how is it?
회사원 (noun)회사원 + 입니까=회사원입니까?are you an office worker?
있다 to have있 + 습니까=있습니까?do you have?
📚 10 Examples — -ㅂ니까/습니까
어디로 가십니까?
eo-di-ro ga-sim-ni-kka?
Where are you going? (formal + honorific)
성함이 어떻게 되십니까?
seong-ha-mi eo-tteo-ke doe-sim-ni-kka?
What is your name? (very formal/honorific)
이 일을 언제까지 끝내야 합니까?
i i-reul eon-je-kka-ji kkeun-nae-ya ham-ni-kka?
By when must this work be finished?
회의 자료는 준비됐습니까?
hwe-i ja-ryo-neun jun-bi-dwaet-seum-ni-kka?
Are the meeting materials ready?
질문이 있습니까?
jil-mu-ni it-seum-ni-kka?
Do you have any questions?
어느 회사에서 일하십니까?
eo-neu hwe-sa-e-seo il-ha-sim-ni-kka?
Which company do you work at?
전공이 무엇입니까?
jeon-gong-i mu-eo-sim-ni-kka?
What is your major?
이 제품의 가격은 얼마입니까?
i je-pu-mui ga-gyeo-geun eol-ma-im-ni-kka?
How much does this product cost?
예약하셨습니까?
ye-ya-ka-syeot-seum-ni-kka?
Did you make a reservation?
이해하셨습니까?
i-hae-ha-syeot-seum-ni-kka?
Did you understand?
✏️ Practice — Honorifics & Formal Speech
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5-6 done — you can now speak respectfully and formally!
잘했어요! -(으)시- shows respect to a specific person; 합니다체 shows formality for the whole situation. Korean offices, news, and customer service all run on these two.
-(으)시- = respect toward the subject · 합니다체 = formal tone for the situation
Some honorific words replace the plain word entirely: 드시다, 계시다, 주무시다, 성함, 연세
5-7 🏢 Real Situations — 실전 상황
10 essential sentences for 8 real-life situations
🔎 Two patterns you'll see everywhere below
드리다 is the humble version of "give" — verb + 아/어 드릴게요 means "I'll do this (humbly) for you" (도와드릴까요? = "shall I help you?"). -겠어요/겠습니다 adds a sense of "will / about to" — it sounds more deliberate and polite than -(으)ㄹ 거예요. You don't need to conjugate these yourself yet — just recognize the pattern when you see it in the phrases.
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5-7 done — you can now handle real professional situations!
잘했어요! Interviews, phone calls, customer service, and meetings are some of the most common formal situations you'll face in Korean.
Most professional speech uses 합니다체 or polite -(으)세요 forms from 5-6
Practice saying these out loud — formal speech needs repetition to feel natural
5-8 📝 TOPIK Practice — 토픽 연습
Reading comprehension and cumulative grammar review
💡 How TOPIK reading questions work
Read the passage once, then answer questions about the blanks and the overall meaning — just like the real TOPIK exam. The grammar you need is everything from 5-1 to 5-7.
✏️ Practice — Reading Comprehension & Grammar Review
You can now report speech, speak formally and respectfully, handle real professional situations, and read TOPIK-style passages. That's a huge step up from where you started.