🧠

Knowing How To: (으)ㄹ 줄 알다 / 모르다

Keywords
(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다
Lesson #
S
Done
Section
Basic Grammar
🧠
TL;DR 🦄
  • (으)ㄹ 줄 알아요 means know how to / can because you know the method.
  • (으)ㄹ 줄 몰라요 means do not know how to / cannot because you do not know the method.
  • Use ㄹ after vowel stems and 을 after consonant stems: 갈 줄 알아요, 먹을 줄 알아요.
🔊
🎧 Iru Helper Note — Open
Korean Helper Widgets
Korean Helper Widgets and listen to 갈 줄 알아요 and 먹을 줄 몰라요.
 

🌈 The Big Picture

This grammar is used when you want to talk about knowing how to do something. It is different from basic ability because it focuses on skill, knowledge, or method.
 
The word 줄 means something like way / method / how, so the pattern feels like:
  • 갈 줄 알아요 = I know the way/how to go → I know how to go
  • 먹을 줄 몰라요 = I do not know the way/how to eat → I do not know how to eat
 
This is close to the ability pattern (으)ㄹ 수 있어요, but the focus is different:
  • 갈 수 있어요 = I can go / it is possible to go.
  • 갈 줄 알아요 = I know how to go / I know the method.
 

🧩 Core Pattern

Start with the dictionary form, remove 다, then attach the correct know-how piece:
  • vowel stem → add ㄹ 줄 알아요 / ㄹ 줄 몰라요
  • consonant stem → add 을 줄 알아요 / 을 줄 몰라요
 
Examples:
  • 가다 → stem 가 → 갈 줄 알아요 / 갈 줄 몰라요
  • 오다 → stem 오 → 올 줄 알아요 / 올 줄 몰라요
  • 먹다 → stem 먹 → 먹을 줄 알아요 / 먹을 줄 몰라요
  • 공부하다 → stem 공부하 → 공부할 줄 알아요 / 공부할 줄 몰라요
 

🛠️ How to Build Know-How Sentences

  1. Find the dictionary form: 가다, 먹다, 공부하다.
  1. Remove 다 to get the stem: 가, 먹, 공부하.
  1. Check the stem ending:
      • vowel ending → add ㄹ 줄
      • consonant ending → add 을 줄
  1. Choose the final ending:
      • 알아요 = know / know how to
      • 몰라요 = do not know / do not know how to
 

🔍 알아요 vs 몰라요

The middle part 줄 stays the same. The final verb changes the meaning:
  • 줄 알아요 = know how to
    • 먹을 줄 알아요 = I know how to eat.
  • 줄 몰라요 = do not know how to
    • 먹을 줄 몰라요 = I do not know how to eat.
 

🔁 Ability vs Know-How

  • 갈 수 있어요 = I can go / it is possible.
  • 갈 줄 알아요 = I know how to go.
  • 먹을 수 없어요 = I cannot eat / it is not possible.
  • 먹을 줄 몰라요 = I do not know how to eat.
 
Use (으)ㄹ 줄 알다 / 모르다 when the focus is knowledge, learned skill, or knowing the method.
 

⚠️ Pitfalls to Dodge

  • ❌ 먹ㄹ 줄 알아요 → ✅ 먹을 줄 알아요
  • ❌ 가을 줄 알아요 → ✅ 갈 줄 알아요
  • ❌ 갈 줄 안 알아요 → ✅ 갈 줄 몰라요
  • ❌ Forgetting 줄 → ✅ keep the full pattern: 갈 줄 알아요.
 

Try this exercise

Instructions
Fill each blank with 알아요 or 몰라요, or fix the know-how form. Check whether the meaning is “know how” or “do not know how.” 🎯
1. 갈 줄 ＿＿＿＿
[gal jul ＿＿＿＿] — I know how to go.
Answer
알아요 — know how to.
2. 갈 줄 ＿＿＿＿
[gal jul ＿＿＿＿] — I do not know how to go.
Answer
몰라요 — do not know how to.
3. 먹을 줄 ＿＿＿＿
[meo-geul jul ＿＿＿＿] — I know how to eat.
Answer
알아요 — know how to.
4. 먹을 줄 ＿＿＿＿
[meo-geul jul ＿＿＿＿] — I do not know how to eat.
Answer
몰라요 — do not know how to.
5. 공부할 줄 ＿＿＿＿
[gong-bu-hal jul ＿＿＿＿] — I know how to study.
Answer
알아요 — know how to.
6. 공부할 줄 ＿＿＿＿
[gong-bu-hal jul ＿＿＿＿] — I do not know how to study.
Answer
몰라요 — do not know how to.
7. 먹다 + know how → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
먹을 줄 알아요
8. 가다 + do not know how → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
갈 줄 몰라요
9. ❌ 먹ㄹ 줄 알아요 → ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
먹을 줄 알아요
10. ❌ 갈 줄 안 알아요 → ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
갈 줄 몰라요
📚
Vocabulary Box
  • 줄 알아요 → know how to
  • 줄 몰라요 → do not know how to
  • 알아요 → know
  • 몰라요 → do not know
  • 가다 → go
  • 오다 → come
  • 먹다 → eat
  • 공부하다 → study
  • 갈 줄 알아요 → know how to go
  • 갈 줄 몰라요 → do not know how to go
  • 먹을 줄 알아요 → know how to eat
  • 먹을 줄 몰라요 → do not know how to eat
 
📦
🎯 Practice Hub — Knowing How To: (으)ㄹ 줄 알다 / 모르다
 
Fill each blank with the correct know-how piece. Each exercise has 10 questions, A-J.

Exercise 1 — Know How: 알아요

A. 갈 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [gal jul ＿＿＿＿] (know how to go)
Answer
알아요
B. 올 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [ol jul ＿＿＿＿] (know how to come)
Answer
알아요
C. 먹을 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [meo-geul jul ＿＿＿＿] (know how to eat)
Answer
알아요
D. 공부할 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [gong-bu-hal jul ＿＿＿＿] (know how to study)
Answer
알아요
E. 저는 갈 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [jeo-neun gal jul ＿＿＿＿] (I know how to go.)
Answer
알아요
F. 저는 올 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [jeo-neun ol jul ＿＿＿＿] (I know how to come.)
Answer
알아요
G. 저는 먹을 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [jeo-neun meo-geul jul ＿＿＿＿] (I know how to eat.)
Answer
알아요
H. 저는 공부할 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [jeo-neun gong-bu-hal jul ＿＿＿＿] (I know how to study.)
Answer
알아요
I. 한국어를 공부할 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [han-gu-geo-reul gong-bu-hal jul ＿＿＿＿] (know how to study Korean)
Answer
알아요
J. Know-how ending after 줄 → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
알아요
 

Exercise 2 — Do Not Know How: 몰라요

A. 갈 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [gal jul ＿＿＿＿] (do not know how to go)
Answer
몰라요
B. 올 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [ol jul ＿＿＿＿] (do not know how to come)
Answer
몰라요
C. 먹을 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [meo-geul jul ＿＿＿＿] (do not know how to eat)
Answer
몰라요
D. 공부할 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [gong-bu-hal jul ＿＿＿＿] (do not know how to study)
Answer
몰라요
E. 저는 갈 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [jeo-neun gal jul ＿＿＿＿] (I do not know how to go.)
Answer
몰라요
F. 저는 올 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [jeo-neun ol jul ＿＿＿＿] (I do not know how to come.)
Answer
몰라요
G. 저는 먹을 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [jeo-neun meo-geul jul ＿＿＿＿] (I do not know how to eat.)
Answer
몰라요
H. 저는 공부할 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [jeo-neun gong-bu-hal jul ＿＿＿＿] (I do not know how to study.)
Answer
몰라요
I. 한국어를 공부할 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [han-gu-geo-reul gong-bu-hal jul ＿＿＿＿] (do not know how to study Korean)
Answer
몰라요
J. Do-not-know-how ending after 줄 → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
몰라요
 

Exercise 3 — ㄹ or 을?

A. 가다 → 가＿＿＿＿ 줄 알아요
Answer
ㄹ → 갈 줄 알아요
B. 오다 → 오＿＿＿＿ 줄 알아요
Answer
ㄹ → 올 줄 알아요
C. 먹다 → 먹＿＿＿＿ 줄 알아요
Answer
을 → 먹을 줄 알아요
D. 공부하다 → 공부하＿＿＿＿ 줄 알아요
Answer
ㄹ → 공부할 줄 알아요
E. 가다 → 가＿＿＿＿ 줄 몰라요
Answer
ㄹ → 갈 줄 몰라요
F. 오다 → 오＿＿＿＿ 줄 몰라요
Answer
ㄹ → 올 줄 몰라요
G. 먹다 → 먹＿＿＿＿ 줄 몰라요
Answer
을 → 먹을 줄 몰라요
H. 공부하다 → 공부하＿＿＿＿ 줄 몰라요
Answer
ㄹ → 공부할 줄 몰라요
I. Vowel stem know-how piece → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
ㄹ
J. Consonant stem know-how piece → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
을
 

Exercise 4 — Build the Full Form

A. 가다 + know how → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
갈 줄 알아요
B. 가다 + do not know how → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
갈 줄 몰라요
C. 오다 + know how → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
올 줄 알아요
D. 오다 + do not know how → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
올 줄 몰라요
E. 먹다 + know how → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
먹을 줄 알아요
F. 먹다 + do not know how → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
먹을 줄 몰라요
G. 공부하다 + know how → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
공부할 줄 알아요
H. 공부하다 + do not know how → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
공부할 줄 몰라요
I. 갈 수 있어요 focuses on ＿＿＿＿
Answer
ability / possibility
J. 갈 줄 알아요 focuses on ＿＿＿＿
Answer
know-how / method
 

Exercise 5 — Mixed Mastery

A. Know-how pattern ending → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
줄 알아요
B. Do-not-know-how pattern ending → ＿＿＿＿
Answer
줄 몰라요
C. ❌ 먹ㄹ 줄 알아요 → ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
먹을 줄 알아요
D. ❌ 가을 줄 알아요 → ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
갈 줄 알아요
E. ❌ 갈 줄 안 알아요 → ✅ ＿＿＿＿
Answer
갈 줄 몰라요
F. 저는 갈 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [jeo-neun gal jul ＿＿＿＿] (I know how to go.)
Answer
알아요
G. 저는 갈 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [jeo-neun gal jul ＿＿＿＿] (I do not know how to go.)
Answer
몰라요
H. 먹____ 줄 알아요. [meok-＿＿＿＿ jul a-ra-yo]
Answer
을
I. 공부할 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [gong-bu-hal jul ＿＿＿＿] (do not know how to study)
Answer
몰라요
J. 올 줄 ＿＿＿＿. [ol jul ＿＿＿＿] (know how to come)
Answer
알아요
📚
Vocabulary Box
  • 줄 알아요 → know how to
  • 줄 몰라요 → do not know how to
  • 알아요 → know
  • 몰라요 → do not know
  • 저는 → I
  • 한국어를 → Korean language
  • 가다 / 가요 → go
  • 오다 / 와요 → come
  • 먹다 / 먹어요 → eat
  • 공부하다 / 공부해요 → study
  • 갈 줄 알아요 → know how to go
  • 갈 줄 몰라요 → do not know how to go
  • 올 줄 알아요 → know how to come
  • 올 줄 몰라요 → do not know how to come
  • 먹을 줄 알아요 → know how to eat
  • 먹을 줄 몰라요 → do not know how to eat
  • 공부할 줄 알아요 → know how to study
  • 공부할 줄 몰라요 → do not know how to study
Tip 💡 Vowel stem + ㄹ 줄; consonant stem + 을 줄.
 
 
🎉
Great job! You finished the know-how practice — now you can build both 줄 알아요 for “know how” and 줄 몰라요 for “do not know how.”