Grammar Lesson 17:

줄 알아요 vs. 줄 몰라요

줄 알아요 means "to know how to," 줄 몰라요 means "to not know how to"

1. 그 분은 5개국어를 할 줄 알아요. 
He knows how to speak 5 languages. 

2. 그 분은 수영할 줄 알아요. 
He knows how to swim. 

3. 저는 피아노 칠 줄 몰라요. 
I don't know how to play the piano.

4. 저는 김치 만들 줄 몰라요. 
I don't know how to make kimchi. 

Now the past tense will be 줄 알았어요 and 줄 몰랐어요. 
어렸을 때는 피아노 칠 줄 알았는데 이제는 몰라요. I knew how to play the piano, but I don't anymore. 

However, 줄 알았어요 and 줄 몰랐어요 have a second meaning. It's "I thought ... (but I was wrong)" 

1. 저는 이렇게 추울 줄 몰랐어요. 
I didn't know it would be this cold. 

2. 미안해요. 일이 끝난 줄 알고 전화했어요. 
I'm sorry. I called because I thought you got off of work. 

3. 낚시가 이렇게 재밌는 줄 몰랐어요. 
I didn't know fishing was so much fun. 

4. 엄마가 집에 있는 줄 알았어요. 
I thought my mom was at home.

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