English–Korean

“not be able to” in Korean

Korean

Pronunciation

Romanizationmotada

Example

저는 한국어를 못해요.cheo neun han gu geo reul mo tae yo

I am not able to speak Korean.

Illustration for 못하다 (not be able to)

How to say “not be able to” in Korean

“Not be able to” in Korean is 못하다 (motada).

A barrier or lack of ability keeps someone from doing something.

Full entry for 못하다: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with 못하다

아직 새 차로는 운전을 못해요.a jik sae cha ro neun un jeo neul mo tae yo

I can't drive the new car yet.

Tips for using 못하다

  • When describing a personal skill, this word often sounds modest, especially with a polite ending, rather than making a strong claim about ability.

“not be able to” in other languages