Knowing How -줄 알다/ 모르다

Category
Intermediate Grammar
Keyword #
능력, 여부

TL;DR

  • -줄 알다 means "to know how to do something" — it shows you have the ability or knowledge to do it! 🎯
  • -줄 모르다 means "to not know how to do something" — you lack that skill or knowledge 🤷
  • Attach -ㄹ/을 줄 to verb stems, then add 알다 (know) or 모르다 (don't know) to express ability! 💪

What does -줄 알다/모르다 mean? 🤔

This pattern is all about knowing how to do something (or not knowing how)! ✨
It's different from just knowing facts — it's specifically about having the ability or skill to do an action 🎨

How to build it 🔨

Verb stem + -ㄹ/을 줄 알다/모르다

When to use -ㄹ vs -을 📝

  • If the verb stem ends in a vowel → use -ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다 🌸
  • If the verb stem ends in a consonant → use -을 줄 알다/모르다 🧱
→ 저는 요리할 줄 알아요. (I know how to cook.) 👨‍🍳
→ 제 친구는 수영할 줄 몰라요. (My friend doesn't know how to swim.) 🏊
→ 한국어를 읽을 줄 알아요? (Do you know how to read Korean?) 📖
→ 피아노를 칠 줄 몰라요. (I don't know how to play the piano.) 🎹

Important things to remember! ⚠️

It's about ability, not facts 🎓

-줄 알다/모르다 is for skills and abilities you can perform!
For knowing information or facts, just use regular 알다/모르다 without -줄 💡
→ 저는 한국어를 할 줄 알아요. (I know how to speak Korean.) ✅ — This is about ability!
→ 저는 그 사람을 알아요. (I know that person.) ✅ — This is knowing someone, not a skill!
→ 저는 답을 알아요. (I know the answer.) ✅ — This is knowing a fact!

Past and future tenses work too! ⏰

You can conjugate 알다 and 모르다 into different tenses 🕐
→ 어렸을 때 자전거를 탈 줄 몰랐어요. (When I was young, I didn't know how to ride a bicycle.) 🚲
→ 내년에는 운전할 줄 알 거예요. (By next year, I'll know how to drive.) 🚗

More examples to help you! 💪

→ 동생은 김치를 만들 줄 알아요. (My younger sibling knows how to make kimchi.) 🥬
→ 저는 스키를 탈 줄 몰라요. (I don't know how to ski.) ⛷️
→ 할머니는 스마트폰을 쓸 줄 아세요? (Does grandmother know how to use a smartphone?) 📱
→ 저는 춤출 줄 알아요! (I know how to dance!) 💃
→ 기타를 칠 줄 알면 좋겠어요. (I wish I knew how to play the guitar.) 🎸

Exceptions 🚨

하다 verbs are special! 🌟

When using 하다 verbs, you typically drop the 하다 and attach -할 줄:
→ 저는 운전할 줄 알아요. (I know how to drive.) — from 운전하다 🚙
→ 요리할 줄 알아요. (I know how to cook.) — from 요리하다 🍳
But sometimes you'll see the full form too, especially in casual speech! Both work 😊
You're doing amazing! 🎉 Keep practicing and soon you'll be able to say all the things you know how to do in Korean! 화이팅! 💪✨
 
Try the following exercise.
Fill in the blanks using -줄 알다 or -줄 모르다 to express knowing or not knowing how to do something. 🎯
 
  • 저는 한국어로 편지를 .
      • Answer
      쓸 줄 알아요
 
 
  • 동생은 아직 자전거를 .
      • Answer
      탈 줄 몰라요
 
 
  • 언니는 피아노를 .
      • Answer
      칠 줄 알아요
 
 
  • 제 친구는 김치를 .
      • Answer
      만들 줄 몰라요
 
 
  • 저는 한자를 .
      • Answer
      읽을 줄 몰라요
 
 
  • 오빠는 요리를 잘 .
      • Answer
      할 줄 알아요
 
 
  • 우리 아버지는 컴퓨터를 .
      • Answer
      사용할 줄 모르세요
 
 
  • 저는 수영을 .
      • Answer
      할 줄 알아요
 
 
  • 동생은 운전을 .
      • Answer
      할 줄 몰라요
 
 
  • 선생님은 영어를 .
      • Answer
      가르칠 줄 아세요
Vocabulary
편지 — letter
쓰다 — to write
자전거 — bicycle
타다 — to ride
피아노 — piano
치다 — to play (instrument)
김치 — kimchi
만들다 — to make
한자 — Chinese characters
읽다 — to read
요리 — cooking
컴퓨터 — computer
사용하다 — to use
수영 — swimming
운전 — driving
가르치다 — to teach
Common mistakes
  • 🚫 Don't confuse -줄 알다/모르다 with -ㄹ/을 수 있다/없다. Use -줄 알다/모르다 for learned skills and abilities, not general possibility.
  • 🚫 Remember that 줄 is always attached to the verb stem with -ㄹ/을, never use other tense markers before 줄.
  • 🚫 Don't forget that 알다 and 모르다 conjugate normally after -줄 (e.g., 줄 알아요, 줄 몰라요, 줄 아세요).
  • 🚫 Be careful with honorifics — when the subject is someone who deserves respect, use 아세요/모르세요 instead of 알아요/몰라요.