The "ㄹ Variation Rules"

 

1. If the stem of the infinitive verb or adjective, whose last syllable ends with a vowel (CV form), ㄹ is added under the last syllable and 수 있어요 follows.  

 

Ex)

말하다 (infinitive verb) to speak

말하 (infinitive stem) speak + ㄹ 수 있어요 can

말할 수 있어요 (Polite form) can speak

 

저는 한국어를 말할 수 있어요. (한국어 Korean language)

I can speak Korean.

 

Ex)

가다 (infinitive verb) to go

가 (infinitive stem) go + ㄹ 수 있어요 can

갈 수 있어요 (Polite form) can go

 

저는 지금 한국에 갈 수 있어요. (한국에 to Korea, 지금 now)

I can go to Korea now.

 

 

 

2. If the stem of the infinitive verb or adjective, whose last syllable has a final consonant (CVC(C) form), we need an extra syllable 을 before adding 수 있어요. This is because the final consonant of the stem is fixed.  

 

Ex)

먹다 (infinitive  verb) to eat

먹 (infinitive stem) eat + 을 수 있어요 can

먹을 수 있어요 (Polite form) can eat

 

저는 매운 음식을 먹을 수 있어요. (매운 음식 spicy food)

I can eat spicy food.

 

Ex)

읽다 (infinitive  verb) to read

읽 (infinitive stem) read + 을 수 있어요 can

읽을 수 있어요 (Polite form) can read

 

저는 한국어 책을 읽을 수 있어요. (한국어 책 Korean book)

I can read a Korean book. 

 

 

3. If the stem of the infinitive verb or adjective, whose last syllable already has the final consonantㄹ (CVCform), we only add 수 있어요 after the infinitive stem.    

 

Ex)

놀다 (infinitive  verb) to play

놀 (infinitive stem) play + 수 있어요 can

*놀 수 있어요 (Polite form) can play

 

그는 오늘 놀 수 있어요. (오늘 today)

He can play today.

 

Ex)

살다 (infinitive  verb) to live

살 (infinitive stem) live + 수 있어요 can

*살 수 있어요 (Polite form) can live

 

그들은 시골에서 살 수 있어요. (시골 countryside)

They can live in the countryside.

 

 

 

 

4-1. If the stem of the infinitive verb or adjective ends in the final consonant ㄷ (CVC form), and if the final consonant ㄷ changes to ㄹ during conjugation, then instead of using the infinitive stem, the first syllable of the conjugated stem is retained, and 을 수 있어요 follows. This is because the final consonant of the stem is fixed. 

 

Ex)

듣다 (infinitive  verb) to listen

듣다 → 들어요 (conjugated form) listen : 들listen + 을 수 있어요 can

*들을 수 있어요 (Polite form) can listen

 

저는 한국 음악을 들을 수 있어요. (한국 음악 Korean music)

I can listen to Korean music.

 

Ex)

걷다 (infinitive  verb) to walk

걷다 → 걸어요 (conjugated form) walk : 걸 walk + 을 수 있어요 can

*걸을 수 있어요 (Polite form) can walk

 

저는 빨리 걸을 수 있어요. (빨리 fast)

 I can walk fast.

 

 

4-2. If the stem of the infinitive verb or adjective, whose last syllable has the final consonant ㄷ (CVC form),and if the final consonantㄷ is not dropped during its conjugation, we keep the infinitive stem and 을 수 있어요is added after the stem. This is because the final consonant of the stem is fixed.    

    

Ex)

받다 (infinitive  verb) to receive

받다 → 받아요 (conjugated stem) receive : 받receive + 을 수 있어요 can

*받을 수 있어요 (Polite form) can receive

 

저는 당신의 문자를 받을 수 있어요. (문자 text message)

I can receive your text message. 

 

 

 

 

5-1. If the stem of the infinitive verb or adjective ends in the final consonant ㅂ (CVC form), and if the final consonant ㅂ is dropped during conjugation, then instead of using the infinitive stem, the first syllable of the conjugated stem is retained, and 울 수 있어요 follows.

 

Ex)

굽다 (infinitive  verb) to bake

굽다 → 구워요 (conjugated form) bake : 구 bake + 울 수 있어요 can

*구울 수 있어요 (Polite form) can bake

 

저는 케이크를 구울 수 있어요.

I can bake a cake.

 

5-2. If the stem of the infinitive verb or adjective, whose last syllable has the final consonant ㅂ (CVC form),and if the final consonant ㅂ is not dropped during its conjugation, we keep the infinitive stem and을 수 있어요is added after the stem.   

                                                                                                        

Ex)

잡다 (infinitive  verb) to catch

잡다 → 잡아요 (conjugated form) catch : 잡 catch + 을 수 있어요 can

*잡을 수 있어요 (Polite form) can catch

 

저는 그들을 잡을 수 있어요. 

I can catch them.

 

 

 

 

6-1. If the stem of the infinitive verb or adjective ends in the final consonant ㅅ (CVC form), and if the final consonant ㅅ is dropped during conjugation, then instead of using the infinitive stem, the first syllable of the conjugated stem is retained, and 을 수 있어요 follows.

 

Ex)

짓다 (infinitive verb) to build

짓다 → 지어요 (conjugated form) build : 지build + 을 수 있어요 can

*지을 수 있어요 (Polite form) can build

 

저는 집을 지을 수 있어요.

I can build a house.

 

 

6-2. If the stem of the infinitive verb or adjective, whose last syllable has the final consonant ㅅ (CVC form),and if the final consonant ㅅ is not dropped during its conjugation, we keep the infinitive stem and을 수 있어요is added after the stem.   

                                                                                                     

Ex)

웃다 (infinitive  verb) to smile/laugh

웃다 → 웃어요 (conjugated form) smile/laugh : 웃 smile/laugh + 을 수 있어요 can

*웃을 수 있어요 (Polite form) can smile/laugh

 

저는 웃을 수 있어요. 

I can smile/laugh.

 

 

For example,

Infinitive form	Be able to/Can  (Theㄹ Variation Rules)	Be able to/Can  Infinitive
공부하다 to study	공부하 + ㄹ 수 있어요 Study + Can	공부할 수 있어요 Can study
가다 to go	가 + ㄹ 수 있어요 Go + Can	갈 수 있어요 Can go
오다 to come	오 + ㄹ 수 있어요 Come + Can	올 수 있어요 Can come
보다 to watch, to see	보 + ㄹ 수 있어요 Watch/See + Can	볼 수 있어요 Can watch/see
말하다 to speak	말하 + ㄹ 수 있어요 Speak + Can	말할 수 있어요 Can speak
만나다 to meet	만나 + ㄹ 수 있어요 Meet + Can	만날 수 있어요 Can meet
일하다 to work	일하 + ㄹ 수 있어요 Work + Can	일할 수 있어요 Can work
요리하다 to cook	요리하 + ㄹ 수 있어요 Cook + Can	요리할 수 있어요 Can cook
먹다 to eat	먹 + 을 수 있어요 Eat + Can	먹을 수 있어요 Can eat
놀다 to play/chill	놀 +  수 있어요 Play/Chill + Can	놀 수 있어요 Can play/chill
살다 to live	살 + 수 있어요 Live + Can	살 수 있어요 Can live
사다 to buy	사 + ㄹ 수 있어요 Buy + Can	살 수 있어요 Can buy
입다 to wear	입 + 을 수 있어요 Wear + Can	입을 수 있어요 Can wear
웃다 to smile/laugh	웃 + 을 수 있어요 Smile/Laugh + Can	웃을 수 있어요 Can smile/laugh
짓다 to build	지 + 을 수 있어요 Build + Can	지을 수 있어요 Can build
걷다 to walk	걸 + 을 수 있어요 Walk + Can	걸을 수 있어요 Can walk
듣다 to listen, to hear	들 + 을 수 있어요 Listen/Hear + Can	들을 수 있어요 Can listen/hear
받다 to receive, to get	받 + 을 수 있어요 Receive/Get + Can	받을 수 있어요 Can receive/get
알다 to know	알 + 수 있어요 Know + Can	알 수 있어요 Can know
하다 to do	하 + ㄹ 수 있어요 Do + Can	할 수 있어요 Can do
앉다 to sit down	앉 + 을 수 있어요 Sit + Can	앉을 수 있어요 Can sit
춥다 to be cold	추 + 울 수 있어요 Cold + Can	추울 수 있어요 Can be cold
덥다 to be hot	더 + 울 수 있어요 Hot + Can	더울 수 있어요 Can be hot
좋다 to be good	좋 + 을 수 있어요 Good + Can	좋을 수 있어요 Can be good
피곤하다 to be tired	피곤하 + ㄹ 수 있어요 Tired + Can	피곤할 수 있어요 Can be tired
아프다 to be sick/hurt	아프 + ㄹ 수 있어요 Sick/Hurt + Can	아플 수 있어요 Can hurt/Can be sick
바쁘다 to be busy	바쁘 + ㄹ 수 있어요 Busy + Can	바쁠 수 있어요 Can be busy