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Ability & Possibility

Potential Form with -지 못하다

The construction -지 못하다 (ji mothada) expresses inability to do something, often due to external circumstances or lack of opportunity. It's similar to "cannot" or "be unable to" in English.

Basic Structure

-지 못하다 - cannot do, be unable to do, fail to do

Pattern: [Verb stem] + 지 못하다

Usage: Expressing inability, especially when external factors prevent action

Formation

Pattern: [Verb Stem] + 지 못하다

Works with all action verbs regardless of final sound:

  • 가다 → 가지 못하다 (cannot go)
  • 먹다 → 먹지 못하다 (cannot eat)
  • 보다 → 보지 못하다 (cannot see)
  • 하다 → 하지 못하다 (cannot do)
  • 읽다 → 읽지 못하다 (cannot read)

Always -지 못하다

Unlike some endings, -지 doesn't change based on vowel harmony or final consonant.

Conjugation

Since 못하다 is a verb (하다 verb), it conjugates like action verbs:

Present Tense

Informal polite:

  • 가지 못해요 (cannot go)
  • 먹지 못해요 (cannot eat)

Formal polite:

  • 가지 못합니다 (cannot go)
  • 먹지 못합니다 (cannot eat)

Informal:

  • 가지 못해 (cannot go)

Past Tense

Informal polite:

  • 가지 못했어요 (couldn't go / didn't get to go)
  • 먹지 못했어요 (couldn't eat / didn't get to eat)

Formal polite:

  • 가지 못했습니다 (couldn't go)

Future Tense

Informal polite:

  • 가지 못할 거예요 (won't be able to go)
  • 먹지 못할 거예요 (won't be able to eat)

Meaning and Usage

Primary Meaning: Cannot/Unable to

Expressing inability:

  • 바빠서 가지 못해요. (I'm busy, so I cannot go.)

  • 돈이 없어서 사지 못해요. (I don't have money, so I cannot buy it.)

  • 아파서 일하지 못했어요. (I was sick, so I couldn't work.)

Emphasis on External Circumstances

-지 못하다 often implies external factors prevent the action:

  • 교통이 막혀서 제시간에 도착하지 못했어요. (Traffic was jammed, so I couldn't arrive on time.)

  • 표가 다 팔려서 영화를 보지 못했어요. (Tickets were sold out, so I couldn't watch the movie.)

Comparison with 못 하다

못 하다 (Short Form)

Pattern: 못 + [Verb]

  • 못 가요. (cannot go)
  • 못 먹어요. (cannot eat)
  • 못 봤어요. (couldn't see)

-지 못하다 (Long Form)

Pattern: [Verb]지 못하다

  • 가지 못해요. (cannot go)
  • 먹지 못해요. (cannot eat)
  • 보지 못했어요. (couldn't see)

Difference

Both mean the same thing, but:

  • 못 하다: Shorter, more casual
  • -지 못하다: More formal, more emphasis on inability

Often interchangeable:

  • 못 가요 = 가지 못해요 (both mean "cannot go")

Comparison with -(으)ㄹ 수 없다

-(으)ㄹ 수 없다

More general "cannot":

  • 갈 수 없어요. (cannot go)

Can mean:

  • Physical impossibility
  • Lack of permission
  • General inability

-지 못하다

More specific "cannot":

  • 가지 못해요. (cannot go)

Emphasizes:

  • Failed to accomplish
  • External prevention
  • Lack of opportunity

Nuance Difference

-(으)ㄹ 수 없다:

  • 시간이 없어서 갈 수 없어요. (I don't have time, so I can't go.) - general impossibility

-지 못하다:

  • 시간이 없어서 가지 못해요. (I don't have time, so I can't go.) - emphasizes prevented from going

Both are correct and often interchangeable, but -지 못하다 puts more emphasis on the failure or prevention.

Common Uses

Expressing Regret or Disappointment

-지 못하다 often conveys regret:

  • 친구를 만나지 못해서 아쉬워요. (I couldn't meet my friend, so I'm disappointed.)

  • 시험에 합격하지 못했어요. (I failed to pass the exam. / I couldn't pass.)

Failed Attempts

  • 전화했지만 연결하지 못했어요. (I called but couldn't get through.)

  • 찾아봤지만 찾지 못했어요. (I looked but couldn't find it.)

With Reasons

Pattern: Reason서 [Verb]지 못하다

Cannot because...:

  • 바빠서 가지 못해요. (Because I'm busy, I can't go.)

  • 돈이 없어서 사지 못해요. (Because I don't have money, I can't buy it.)

  • 비가 와서 나가지 못했어요. (Because it rained, I couldn't go out.)

Pattern: [Reason] 때문에 [Verb]지 못하다

  • 교통 체증 때문에 제시간에 도착하지 못했어요. (Because of traffic, I couldn't arrive on time.)

  • 일 때문에 참석하지 못했어요. (Because of work, I couldn't attend.)

Common Verbs with -지 못하다

Movement

  • 가지 못하다 - cannot go

    • 어제 가지 못했어요. (Couldn't go yesterday.)

  • 오지 못하다 - cannot come

    • 파티에 오지 못했어요. (Couldn't come to the party.)

Completion

  • 끝내지 못하다 - cannot finish

    • 숙제를 끝내지 못했어요. (Couldn't finish homework.)

  • 마치지 못하다 - cannot complete

    • 일을 마치지 못했어요. (Couldn't complete the work.)

Perception

  • 보지 못하다 - cannot see

    • 제대로 보지 못했어요. (Couldn't see properly.)

  • 듣지 못하다 - cannot hear

    • 잘 듣지 못했어요. (Couldn't hear well.)

Achievement

  • 이루지 못하다 - cannot achieve

    • 꿈을 이루지 못했어요. (Couldn't achieve my dream.)

  • 성공하지 못하다 - cannot succeed

    • 성공하지 못했어요. (Couldn't succeed.)

Understanding

  • 이해하지 못하다 - cannot understand

    • 설명을 이해하지 못했어요. (Couldn't understand the explanation.)

  • 알아듣지 못하다 - cannot comprehend

    • 말을 알아듣지 못했어요. (Couldn't understand what was said.)

Finding

  • 찾지 못하다 - cannot find

    • 길을 찾지 못했어요. (Couldn't find the way.)

  • 발견하지 못하다 - cannot discover

    • 문제를 발견하지 못했어요. (Couldn't discover the problem.)

Questions with -지 못하다

Pattern: [Verb]지 못했어요?

Asking about past inability:

  • 왜 오지 못했어요? (Why couldn't you come?)

  • 숙제를 끝내지 못했어요? (Couldn't you finish the homework?)

  • 전화를 받지 못했어요? (Couldn't you answer the phone?)

Expressing Opportunity Lost

Pattern: [Action]지 못해서 아쉽다

Regret not being able to:

  • 만나지 못해서 아쉬워요. (I'm disappointed I couldn't meet you.)

  • 가보지 못해서 아쉬워요. (I'm sad I couldn't go.)

  • 먹어보지 못해서 아쉬웠어요. (I was disappointed I couldn't try it.)

Emphasis on Failure

Pattern: [Verb]지 못하다

When emphasizing the failure itself:

  • 약속을 지키지 못했어요. (I failed to keep my promise.)

  • 기대를 충족시키지 못했어요. (I failed to meet expectations.)

  • 목표를 달성하지 못했어요. (I failed to achieve the goal.)

With Time Expressions

Past

  • 어제 가지 못했어요. (I couldn't go yesterday.)

  • 지난주에 만나지 못했어요. (I couldn't meet last week.)

Future

  • 내일도 가지 못할 거예요. (I won't be able to go tomorrow either.)

  • 다음에도 참석하지 못할 것 같아요. (I don't think I'll be able to attend next time either.)

Continuous Inability

Pattern: 계속/아직도 [Verb]지 못하다

Still cannot / continuously cannot:

  • 계속 잠을 자지 못하고 있어요. (I still can't sleep / I continue to be unable to sleep.)

  • 아직도 잊지 못해요. (I still can't forget.)

  • 여전히 이해하지 못하고 있어요. (I still don't understand.)

Irregular Verbs

All Verbs Follow Same Pattern

Since -지 doesn't cause stem changes:

ㄹ Irregular:

  • 알다 → 알지 못해요 (cannot know)
  • 만들다 → 만들지 못해요 (cannot make)

ㄷ Irregular:

  • 듣다 → 듣지 못해요 (cannot hear)
  • 걷다 → 걷지 못해요 (cannot walk)

ㅂ Irregular:

  • 돕다 → 돕지 못해요 (cannot help)

ㅅ Irregular:

  • 낫다 → 낫지 못해요 (cannot get better)

Common Expressions

잊지 못하다

Cannot forget:

  • 그날을 잊지 못해요. (I can't forget that day.)

  • 당신을 잊지 못할 거예요. (I won't be able to forget you.)

참지 못하다

Cannot endure/stand:

  • 더 이상 참지 못하겠어요. (I can't stand it anymore.)

견디지 못하다

Cannot bear/withstand:

  • 고통을 견디지 못했어요. (I couldn't bear the pain.)

Modifying Nouns

Pattern: [Verb]지 못한 [Noun]

Noun that couldn't/didn't...

  • 이루지 못한 꿈 (unrealized dream / dream that couldn't be achieved)

  • 끝내지 못한 일 (unfinished work / work that couldn't be completed)

  • 말하지 못한 진실 (untold truth / truth that couldn't be told)

Formal vs Casual

More Formal

-지 못하다 is generally more formal than 못:

Formal contexts:

  • 참석하지 못하게 되어 죄송합니다. (I apologize for being unable to attend.)

Casual contexts:

  • 못 가요. (Can't go.) - more common in speech

Double Negatives

Pattern: 안 [Verb]지 못하다

Very rare and awkward. Usually avoided:

❌ 안 가지 못해요 (incorrect/awkward) ✓ 가지 못해요 (correct) ✓ 갈 수 없어요 (correct alternative)

Common Patterns

Expressing Inability

  • 가지 못해요. (Can't go.)
  • 먹지 못해요. (Can't eat.)
  • 보지 못했어요. (Couldn't see.)

With Reasons

  • 바빠서 가지 못해요. (Busy, so can't go.)
  • 돈이 없어서 사지 못해요. (No money, so can't buy.)

Expressing Regret

  • 만나지 못해서 아쉬워요. (Sad couldn't meet.)
  • 가보지 못해서 아쉬워요. (Disappointed couldn't go.)

Failed to Complete

  • 끝내지 못했어요. (Couldn't finish.)
  • 이루지 못했어요. (Couldn't achieve.)

Questions

  • 왜 오지 못했어요? (Why couldn't you come?)
  • 듣지 못했어요? (Couldn't you hear?)