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What is Difference between 못 vs 수 없어요 ? I am reading both mean Cannot do something.

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못 is more like "not"(or do not / cannot ) in English, so you can say either "I do speak Korean" or "I do not speak Korean". "못" is used similar way in Korean language. You can add 못 to pretty much everywhere. 나는 영어를 해요/할수있어요(잘해요): I do speak English (very well) 나는 영어롤 "못"해요 : I do "not" speak English Technically 나는 영어를 못해요 delivers similar/same meaning as 나는 영어를 할 "수 없어요", but "수 없어요" always showed up at the end of the sentence while "못" is in the middle of the sentence of even at the beginning.

But TL;DR; Yes you can take it as Can't do something or Don't do something, depending on the context. It is two different styles.

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  • I still don't understand the meaning difference, I already know the korean word usage spelled above, but what does it mean between the two?
    – mattsmith5
    Aug 4 at 3:43
  • 못 is more like "not"(or do not / cannot ) in English, so you can say either "I do speak Korean" or "I do not speak Korean". "못" is used similar way in Korean language. You can add 못 to pretty much everywhere. 나는 영어를 해요/할수있어요(잘해요): I do speak English (very well) 나는 영어롤 "못"해요 : I do "not" speak English Technically 나는 영어를 못해요 delivers similar/same meaning as 나는 영어를 할 "수 없어요", but "수 없어요" always showed up at the end of the sentence while "못" is in the middle of the sentence of even at the beginning.
    – wonhee
    Aug 4 at 4:59
  • But TL;DR; Yes you can take it as Can't do something or Don't do something, depending on the context. It is two different styles.
    – wonhee
    Aug 4 at 5:07
  • please write in answer, and I can send points, thanks
    – mattsmith5
    Aug 5 at 8:12
  • @mattsmith5 Done. Sorry, I checked it late.
    – wonhee
    Aug 10 at 21:15

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