KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다
Korean Grammar “-(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다” (TOPIK 3)
How to attach it
Attach the pattern to the verb stem, which is the dictionary form without 다. Compare how each verb below changes depending on its last sound.
| Dictionary form | Meaning | With this pattern | Romanization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 보다 | to see, to watch | 볼 줄 알다 | bol jul alda |
| 읽다 | to read | 읽을 줄 알다 | ilgeul jul alda |
| 하다 | to do | 할 줄 알다 | hal jul alda |
| 살다 | to live | 살 줄 알다 | sal jul alda |
What changes
- After a stem ending in a vowel, ㄹ is added to the last syllable (보 → 볼). After a stem ending in a consonant, 을 is added (읽 → 읽을). A stem ending in ㄹ keeps it (살 → 살), and 하 becomes 할.
Explanation
저는 아직 한국 노래를 부를 줄 몰라요.
“-(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다” means that you do (or do not) know how to do something. The sentence means “I still don’t know how to sing Korean songs.” It is close to “-(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다,” but it focuses on whether you have learned the way to do it. It also appears as “-(으)ㄹ 줄 알았다,” meaning “I thought that ~.”
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 저는 아직 한국 노래를 부를 줄 몰라요.
In natural speech, sounds link and shift across words. The table below reads each word separately, as it sounds when said on its own.
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 저는 | ||
| 저 | ㅈ+ㅓ | jeo |
| 는 | ㄴ+ㅡ+ㄴ | neun |
| 아직 | ||
| 아 | ㅇ+ㅏ | a |
| 직 | ㅈ+ㅣ+ㄱ | jik |
| 한국 | ||
| 한 | ㅎ+ㅏ+ㄴ | han |
| 국 | ㄱ+ㅜ+ㄱ | guk |
| 노래를 | ||
| 노 | ㄴ+ㅗ | no |
| 래 | ㄹ+ㅐ | rae |
| 를 | ㄹ+ㅡ+ㄹ | reul |
| 부를 | ||
| 부 | ㅂ+ㅜ | bu |
| 를 | ㄹ+ㅡ+ㄹ | reul |
| 줄 | ㅈ+ㅜ+ㄹ | jul |
| 몰라요 | ||
| 몰 | ㅁ+ㅗ+ㄹ | mol |
| 라 | ㄹ+ㅏ | la |
| 요 | ㅇ+ㅛ | yo |
A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.
Politeness level of the example
Ends in -요. The everyday polite style, and a safe choice with shop staff, colleagues, strangers and anyone older than you.
Words in the example sentence
These words from the TOPIK vocabulary lists appear in the phrase (shown in dictionary form).
| Korean | Part of speech | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 아직 | adverb | still, yet | TOPIK level 2 |
| 노래 | noun | song | TOPIK level 1 |
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 저는 아직 한국 노래를 부를 ____ 몰라요.
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Answer: 저는 아직 한국 노래를 부를 줄 몰라요.
Question 2 Which is the correct form of 보다 + -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다?
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Answer: 볼 줄 알다
Question 3 Which is the correct form of 읽다 + -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다?
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Answer: 읽을 줄 알다
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