못해 vs. 할수없어

[opalescence]

Are these interchangeable, or is there a slight nuance between them?

Thanks

[Alexis]

I've just been doing this too, and I might be wrong, but what I gathered was ㄹ 수 있어/없어 is used to convey ability - so whether or not you can actually do something. Whereas 못 is used to say you can't do something for another reason. EG: "I can't eat because I'm depressed" kinda thing.

I'm not sure if that's right, but that's what I gathered...

[holdfast]

yes - 할 수 없어 talks about your ability/capability (수 means ability, so 할 수 없어 literally means the ability to do it doesn't exist). so... 말을 할 수 없어 would mean you literally can't talk - like you are physically incapable of talking, while 말을 할 지 못 해 also means you can't talk, but probably for some other reason than physical incapability (maybe you are too mad to talk, or maybe someone is covering your mouth, i don't know.. haha).

i still get corrected on this one a lot though - i use 할 수 없어/있어 too often, i guess. ^^

[Alexis]

Yay! I got something right!! *Excited*

[yhenry]

Yay! I got something right!! *Excited*

Yes, you got it right but only partially though.

못하다 has three different uses, 1. ability 2. negation 3. prohibition;

1【불능】cannot;be impossible;be unable to;fail to;cannot afford 《to do》;not have the power 《to do》;be incapable of
사람은 물과 공기가 없으면 살지 못한다 We are unable to subsist without water and air.
너무 어려워서 나는 못한다 It is too difficult for me to do.
나는 너무 놀라서 대답을 하지 못했다 I was so shocked that I was incapable of answering.
폭풍 때문에 출발을 못한다 The storm prevents us from starting.
그 문제는 어려워서 도저히 내 힘이 자라지 못한다 The problem is utterly beyond my power.
내 형편에 그런 사치는 못한다 I cannot afford such luxury.
이 더위는 참지 못하겠다 I can´t bear this hot weather. or This hot weather is more than I can bear.
죽어도 그런 나쁜 짓은 못하겠다 I will not do such an evil deed even if it should cost me my life.
노력했지만 우리는 상을 타지 못했다 In spite of our efforts, we failed to win the prize.

2【부정】be not
물이 맑지 못하다 The water is not clear.
이 등불은 밝지 못하다 This lamp is not bright enough.
그는 유능하지 못하다 He is lacking in ability.
그의 세력이 전국에는 미치지 못한다 His influence does not extend all over the country.

3【금지】be not allowed[supposed] 《to》
이 식당에서는 담배를 피우지 못한다 Smoking is not allowed in this restaurant.
정확한 암호가 없이는 보안 체계로 들어가지 못한다 The security system will not permit you to enter without the correct password.

source; http://endic.naver.com/search.nhn?query=%uBABB%uD558%uB2E4

[kyuree]

^ thanks henry

Just wanted to say while watching Boys over flowers (episode 3 ) they said

"The one thing he can't do is swim!" and use 못 해

so that would contradict holdfast's theory

[yhenry]

^ thanks henry

Just wanted to say while watching Boys over flowers (episode 3 ) they said

"The one thing he can't do is swim!" and use 못 해

so that would contradict holdfast's theory

Get this;
A:해 주세요
B:못해요
A:왜요?
B:할 수 없으니 못해요
A:왜 할 수 없어요? 능력이 없어요, 재주가 없어요 아니면 할 마음이 없어요?
B;할 기분이 없어요

[kyuree]

I'll try but it's complicated...

Get this;
A:해 주세요
B:못해요
A:왜요?
B:할 수 없으니 못해요
A:왜 할 수 없어요? 능력이 없어요, 재주가 없어요 아니면 할 마음이 없어요?
B;할 기분이 없어요

A: "Please, do that for me."
B: "I can't."
A: "Why can't you?"
B: "I can't do it because I can't do it" (kehehe)
A: "Why can't you do it? Because you don't have the talent for it because you are not capable of doing it or because you don't feel like doing it?"
B: "I'm not in the mood for it."

I got similar translation for 재주 and 능력 on Yahoo

Well, Henry, give us the solution

[yhenry]

I got similar translation for 재주 and 능력 on Yahoo

Well, Henry, give us the solution

재주 has something to do with 'skill or talent' but 능력 has to do a lot with 'ability or power' to do because
능(能) means ability;capacity;capability;talent
력 is 력(力) 【힘】power;strength;
경제력 economic power[strength, might]
구매력 purchasing power
영도력 leadership

[kyuree]

so then was my translation right?

[holdfast]

^ thanks henry

Just wanted to say while watching Boys over flowers (episode 3 ) they said

"The one thing he can't do is swim!" and use 못 해

so that would contradict holdfast's theory

let me reword my theory a bit then: 할 수 없어 is specifically for an incapability of doing something, whereas 못 해 can be used for any number of reasons, and it doesn't explain the reason at all. if they wanted to be more specific and say that he was incapable of swimming or that he didn't know how, they could have said it many other ways - 수영 할 수 없어 (swimming ability does not exist) or 수영 할 줄 몰라 (don't know how to swim) but simply saying 수영 못 해 says simply "can't swim" without giving any reason. it is the simplest way to say it. it's like in english, you could just say "i can't swim" "why?" "i don't know how" - that sort of thing.

hopefully i'm not making things more complicated than they need to be ^^