Usage of '잘'
'잘' is an adverb commonly used to express doing something well, skillfully, or satisfactorily. It can describe someone's ability, condition, or the quality of an action.
Common contexts
- Describing skill or ability: "한국어를 잘 하다" means "to speak Korean well."
- Asking about someone's condition politely: "잘 지내세요?" means "Are you doing well?"
- Complimenting or confirming good performance: "숙제를 잘 했어요" means "I did the homework well."
Collocations and patterns
- 잘 하다: to do well
- 잘 못 하다: to not do well
- 잘 지내다: to be doing well (health, life)
- 잘 모르다: to not know well
Notes
'잘' is often used in polite and casual speech. It is important not to confuse '잘' with '좋게' which means 'nicely' or 'in a good way' but is less about skill and more about manner or attitude.
Learners sometimes omit '잘' when trying to express ability, but including it makes the sentence more natural and clear.