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Korean 「-라고 할 수 있다」 is often translated as “can be said to be…” or “can be considered…,” as in “This place can be said to be the center of Seoul” or “This work can be said to be one of this year’s representative works.” In actual sentence formation, however, the Chinese expression 「可以說」 cannot always be replaced with 「라고 할 수 있다」. The Korean quotation form changes depending on whether the preceding element is a noun, adjective, or verb.

With nouns, you use 「(이)라고 할 수 있다」, as in 「중심이라고 할 수 있다」. With adjectives, 「-다고 할 수 있다」 is common, as in 「크다고 할 수 있다」. With verbs, the form changes according to tense, such as 「-ㄴ/는다고」 or 「-았/었다고」. This is also where learners most often get stuck: in Chinese, everything may simply look like “can be said to…,” but Korean cannot handle all of these cases with just one 「라고」.

「-라고 할 수 있다」 often appears in introductions, reviews, meetings, and reports, and it can also be used in ordinary conversation. In speech, however, it carries a slight sense of organizing one’s thoughts and presenting a judgment. This article begins with the attachment rules, then looks at how the expression is used for classification, evaluation, and conclusions, and finally compares its nuance with 「-라고 볼 수 있다」, 「-라고 해도 과언이 아니다」, and the Japanese expression 「〜と言える」.

What does Korean 「-라고 할 수 있다」 mean? It expresses “can be said to be” or “can be called”

「-라고 할 수 있다」 can be understood as meaning “it is valid to call it this,” “it can be placed in this category,” or “this judgment can reasonably be made.” The most basic structure comes from 「N＋(이)라고 하다」 plus 「-(으)ㄹ 수 있다」, which expresses possibility. So when you see 「친구라고 할 수 있다」, rather than breaking it down literally as “to be able to say friend,” it is more natural to understand it as “can be called a friend” or “can be said to be a friend.”

This distinction is not very obvious in Chinese, because 「可以說是」 can be used for classification, evaluation, and summary alike. In Korean, however, you first need to determine whether what comes before is a noun or a complete verbal or adjectival statement. If you are simply judging A to be B, the noun pattern 「(이)라고 할 수 있다」 is the most direct. If you want to say something like “it can be said to have become larger” or “it can be said to be changing,” the quotation form before it changes accordingly. If the sentence is not making a judgment but instead inferring “it seems to be so” from evidence, its function is closer to the Korean expression 「것 같다」.

Attachment rules for 「-라고 할 수 있다」: how do nouns, adjectives, and verbs change?

「-라고 할 수 있다」 is often memorized as one complete grammar pattern, but in actual sentences, 「라고」 does not always appear before it. The forms 「라고／다고／ㄴ다고／는다고」 here are Korean indirect quotation forms, so the choice depends on whether the preceding element is a noun, adjective, or verb. With nouns followed by 「이다」, use 「(이)라고」. General adjectives use 「-다고」. Present-tense verbs take either 「-ㄴ다고」 or 「-는다고」 depending on whether the stem has 받침. In the past tense, verbs and adjectives usually take 「-았/었다고」. So although Chinese may translate all of these as “can be said to…,” the first thing you actually need to determine in Korean is “how would this preceding part normally be expressed?”

Preceding content	Attachment pattern	Base form	With 「할 수 있다」	English meaning
Noun＋이다 (with 받침)	N＋이라고 할 수 있다	중심이다	중심이라고 할 수 있다	can be said to be the center
Noun＋이다 (without 받침)	N＋라고 할 수 있다	친구이다	친구라고 할 수 있다	can be said to be a friend
Adjective	A＋다고 할 수 있다	크다	크다고 할 수 있다	can be said to be large
Adjective	A＋다고 할 수 있다	중요하다	중요하다고 할 수 있다	can be said to be important
Present-tense verb (no 받침／ㄹ 받침)	V＋ㄴ다고 할 수 있다	가다	간다고 할 수 있다	can be said to go / be going
Present-tense verb (with 받침)	V＋는다고 할 수 있다	먹다	먹는다고 할 수 있다	can be said to eat / be eating
Past-tense verb or adjective	-았/었다고 할 수 있다	변하다	변했다고 할 수 있다	can be said to have changed
「있다／없다」	있다고／없다고 할 수 있다	있다	있다고 할 수 있다	can be said to exist / be present

Korean indirect quotation already has this distinction: general adjectives use 「-다고」, present-tense verbs use 「-ㄴ/는다고」, and nouns with 「이다」 use 「(이)라고」. For that reason, when learning 「-라고 할 수 있다」, it is not very useful to memorize 「라고 할 수 있다」 as one fixed string. It is better to first convert the preceding content into the appropriate indirect quotation form and then add 「할 수 있다」.

Noun＋「이다」｜Use 「(이)라고 할 수 있다」

When the preceding element is a noun, you can think of the original form 「N이다」 as meaning “to be N.” In indirect quotation, 「이다」 becomes 「(이)라고」: if the noun ends in 받침, use 「이라고」; if it does not, use 「라고」. Therefore, 「중심이다」 becomes 「중심이라고 할 수 있다」, while 「친구이다」 becomes 「친구라고 할 수 있다」. This type of sentence is commonly used to name or classify a person or thing, or to say that a certain label is appropriate in the given context.

• Example: 이곳은 서울의 중심이라고 할 수 있어요.
  Romanization: i-go-seun seo-u-re jung-si-mi-ra-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
  Translation: This place can be said to be the center of Seoul.
  「중심」 ends in 받침, so it takes 「이라고 할 수 있어요」. This sentence does not merely introduce the location; it expresses the judgment that calling this place “the center of Seoul” is appropriate.
• Example: 그 사람은 제 인생의 은인이라고 할 수 있어요.
  Romanization: geu sa-ra-meun je in-saeng-ui eu-ni-ni-ra-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
  Translation: That person can be said to be a benefactor in my life.
  「은인」 is a noun and ends in 받침, so 「은인이라고」 is used. Here, the speaker is evaluating what this person means to them, rather than simply introducing the person’s identity.
• Example: 민수 씨는 가족 같은 친구라고 할 수 있어요.
  Romanization: min-su ssi-neun ga-jok ga-teun chin-gu-ra-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
  Translation: Minsu can be said to be a friend who is like family.
  「친구」 does not end in 받침, so 「이라고」 is not used. It attaches directly as 「친구라고 할 수 있어요」.

Adjectives｜Use 「-다고 할 수 있다」

If the preceding element is not a noun but an adjective such as 「크다, 좋다, 중요하다」, you cannot attach 「라고」 directly. General adjectives use 「-다고」 in present-tense indirect quotation, so 「크다」 becomes 「크다고 할 수 있다」 and 「중요하다」 becomes 「중요하다고 할 수 있다」. These sentences do not place something into a noun category; instead, they state that it possesses a certain quality or degree.

• Example: 이번 변화는 꽤 크다고 할 수 있습니다.
  Romanization: i-beon byeon-hwa-neun kkwae keu-da-go hal su i-sseum-ni-da.
  Translation: This change can be said to be quite significant.
  The preceding word 「크다」 is an adjective, so 「크다고」 is used. You cannot say 「크라고 할 수 있습니다」.
• Example: 이 문제는 상당히 중요하다고 할 수 있어요.
  Romanization: i mun-je-neun sang-dang-hi jung-yo-ha-da-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
  Translation: This issue can be said to be quite important.
  「중요하다」 describes the nature of the issue, so the adjectival quotation form 「중요하다고」 is used.

There is one form here that is especially easy to confuse: expressions such as 「현실적이다」 and 「대표적이다」, which end in 「이다」. In 「가장 현실적이라고 할 수 있다」, the form is 「현실적이라고」, not 「현실적다고」. You cannot simply look at the Chinese meaning, decide that it functions like an adjective, and apply 「-다고」. You need to look at the Korean structure itself. Since the underlying form is 「현실적＋이다」, quotation follows the pattern for 「이다」, producing 「현실적이라고」.

• Example: 이 방법이 가장 현실적이라고 할 수 있어요.
  Romanization: i bang-beo-bi ga-jang hyeon-sil-jeo-gi-ra-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
  Translation: This method can be said to be the most realistic.
  Here, 「현실적이라고」 is used, which differs from the attachment pattern of an ordinary adjective such as 「크다 → 크다고」. When you see 「-적이다」, do not automatically attach the general adjectival form 「-다고」.

Present-tense verbs｜Use 「-ㄴ/는다고 할 수 있다」

When the preceding element is a present-tense verb, use 「-ㄴ/는다고」. If the verb stem has no 받침, or ends in 「ㄹ」, it usually takes 「-ㄴ다고」. Other verbs with 받침 take 「-는다고」. For example, 「가다」 becomes 「간다고」, 「살다」 becomes 「산다고」, and 「먹다」 becomes 「먹는다고」. These sentences are not saying “what something is”; they present a judgment about an action, behavior, or phenomenon.

• Example: 요즘은 사람들이 온라인으로 더 많이 소통한다고 할 수 있어요.
  Romanization: yo-jeu-meun sa-ram-deu-ri on-ra-in-eu-ro deo ma-ni so-tong-han-da-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
  Translation: These days, it can be said that more people communicate online.
  「소통하다」 is a verb, and the stem 「소통하-」 has no 받침, so the present-tense quotation form becomes 「소통한다고」.
• Example: 요즘에는 집에서 밥을 먹는 사람이 많다고 할 수 있어요.
  Romanization: yo-jeu-me-neun ji-be-seo ba-beul meong-neun sa-ra-mi man-ta-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
  Translation: These days, it can be said that many people eat at home.
  What actually connects to 「할 수 있다」 in this sentence is the later predicate 「많다」, so the form is 「많다고 할 수 있다」. The earlier 「먹는」 simply modifies 「사람」. When deciding the attachment pattern, you cannot just look at which verbs appear somewhere in the sentence; you need to identify which predicate actually comes directly before 「할 수 있다」.

Past-tense verbs and adjectives｜Use 「-았/었다고 할 수 있다」

If you are talking about something that has already happened, the preceding verb or adjective first changes into the past tense and then takes 「다고」. For example, 「변하다 → 변했다 → 변했다고」 and 「많아지다 → 많아졌다 → 많아졌다고」. Therefore, 「-았/었다고 할 수 있다」 can be understood as “can be said to have already…”

• Example: 최근 소비 방식이 많이 변했다고 할 수 있습니다.
  Romanization: choe-geun so-bi bang-si-gi ma-ni byeon-haet-da-go hal su i-sseum-ni-da.
  Translation: It can be said that consumer behavior has changed considerably in recent times.
  「변하다」 first becomes the past tense 「변했다」, and then takes the quotation form, producing 「변했다고 할 수 있습니다」.
• Example: 온라인으로 소통하는 사람이 더 많아졌다고 할 수 있어요.
  Romanization: on-ra-in-eu-ro so-tong-ha-neun sa-ra-mi deo ma-na-jyeot-da-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
  Translation: It can be said that more people now communicate online.
  This sentence describes a change in the number of people compared with before, so 「많아졌다고」 is used. If you change it to 「많다고 할 수 있어요」, you are merely saying “there are many people now,” and it does not necessarily imply that the number has increased compared with the past.

「있다／없다」｜Use 「있다고／없다고 할 수 있다」 directly

In indirect quotation, 「있다」 and 「없다」 become 「있다고」 and 「없다고」, not 「있는다고」 or 「없는다고」. Therefore, in sentences expressing things like “a difference exists” or “there is no problem,” you will see forms such as 「차이가 있다고 할 수 있다」 and 「문제가 없다고 할 수 있다」.

• Example: 이 결과는 두 집단 사이에 차이가 있다고 할 수 있습니다.
  Romanization: i gyeol-gwa-neun du jip-dan sa-i-e cha-i-ga it-da-go hal su i-sseum-ni-da.
  Translation: From this result, it can be said that there is a difference between the two groups.
  The quotation form of 「있다」 is 「있다고」, so the sentence uses 「차이가 있다고 할 수 있습니다」.

When working out the attachment, one useful method is to temporarily remove 「할 수 있다」 and look at what the preceding content originally is. If it is 「친구이다」, it becomes 「친구라고」; 「크다」 becomes 「크다고」; 「가다」 becomes 「간다고」; 「먹다」 becomes 「먹는다고」; and 「변했다」 becomes 「변했다고」. Then simply add 「할 수 있다」 back. This approach is less error-prone than memorizing the entire pattern as a fixed 「-라고 할 수 있다」.

Three common uses of Korean 「-라고 할 수 있다」: classification, evaluation, and summary

Use ① of 「-라고 할 수 있다」｜Classifying a person or thing as “can be called…”

This is the most direct use of 「-라고 할 수 있다」. The speaker believes that a person or object fits a certain identity, category, or label, but does not necessarily want to make the absolute statement “A is B.” Instead, expressions such as “can be called” or “can be said to be” leave some room for judgment. This use is common when introducing a person’s role, the positioning of a place, or the nature of a work.

• Example:  이곳은 서울의 중심이라고 할 수 있어요.
  Romanization: i-got-eun seo-ul-ui jung-sim-i-ra-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
  Translation: This place can be said to be the center of Seoul.
  Rather than defining the location as the one and only geographic “center,” the sentence makes a reasonable classification based on function or position.
• Example:  그 사람은 제 인생의 은인이라고 할 수 있어요.
  Romanization: geu sa-ram-eun je in-saeng-ui eun-in-i-ra-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
  Translation: That person can be said to be a benefactor in my life.
  「은인」 has 받침, so 「이라고 할 수 있다」 is used.
• Example:  이 작품은 현대 한국 문학의 대표작이라고 할 수 있습니다.
  Romanization: i jak-pum-eun hyeon-dae han-guk mun-hak-ui dae-pyo-jak-i-ra-go hal su it-seum-ni-da.
  Translation: This work can be said to be a representative work of modern Korean literature.
  This type of evaluation often appears in introductions, reviews, or relatively formal explanations.

Use ② of 「-라고 할 수 있다」｜Making an evaluation or summary without sounding too absolute

「-라고 할 수 있다」 is also often used to make evaluations. Here, the focus is not on giving something a name but on drawing a conclusion from the preceding situation. In Chinese, it may still be translated as 「可以說……」, but in Korean, the preceding form changes according to part of speech, so 「라고」 itself does not necessarily appear.

• Example:  이 방법은 가장 현실적이라고 할 수 있어요.
  Romanization: i bang-beop-eun ga-jang hyeon-sil-jeok-i-ra-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
  Translation: This method can be said to be the most realistic.
  「현실적이다」 becomes 「현실적이라고」 in the sentence, giving the statement slightly more of a judgmental quality than directly saying 「가장 현실적이에요」.
• Example:  이번 변화는 꽤 크다고 할 수 있습니다.
  Romanization: i-beon byeon-hwa-neun kkwae keu-da-go hal su it-seum-ni-da.
  Translation: This change can be said to be quite significant.
  「크다」 is an adjective, so 「크다고 할 수 있다」 is used. You cannot say 「크라고 할 수 있다」.
• Example:  요즘은 온라인으로 소통하는 사람이 더 많아졌다고 할 수 있어요.
  Romanization: yo-jeum-eun on-ra-in-eu-ro so-tong-ha-neun sa-ram-i deo ma-na-jyeot-da-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
  Translation: It can be said that more people now communicate online.
  The preceding part is the complete past change 「많아졌다」, so it connects as 「많아졌다고 할 수 있다」.

Use ③ of 「-라고 할 수 있다」｜Presenting a reasonable conclusion in explanations, reports, or reviews

In presentations, articles, reports, or more formal discussions, 「-라고 할 수 있다」 works well at the end of an explanation to wrap up the preceding information. If you also need to distinguish how this type of sentence ending differs between spoken and written language, you can compare Korean written style, news style, and conversational style. The nuance is not “this matter can only be understood this way with 100% certainty,” but rather “given what has been discussed above, this conclusion is reasonable.” That also makes it more suitable for analytical writing than a simple 「이다／-다」 statement.

• Example:  이 결과는 두 집단 사이에 차이가 있다고 할 수 있습니다.
  Romanization: i gyeol-gwa-neun du jip-dan sa-i-e cha-i-ga it-da-go hal su it-seum-ni-da.
  Translation: It can be said that there is a difference between the two groups.
  The entire proposition 「차이가 있다」 is treated as the content of the judgment, so 「있다고 할 수 있다」 is used.
• Example:  최근 소비 방식이 빠르게 변하고 있다고 할 수 있습니다.
  Romanization: choe-geun so-bi bang-sik-i ppa-reu-ge byeon-ha-go it-da-go hal su it-seum-ni-da.
  Translation: It can be said that consumer behavior has recently been changing rapidly.
  「변하고 있다」 first forms a complete statement and then takes 「-다고 할 수 있다」.
• Example:  이번 결정은 새로운 방향의 시작이라고 할 수 있습니다.
  Romanization: i-beon gyeol-jeong-eun sae-ro-un bang-hyang-ui si-jak-i-ra-go hal su it-seum-ni-da.
  Translation: This decision can be said to mark the beginning of a new direction.
  After giving a full explanation of the reasons, this sentence can be used as a somewhat reserved conclusion.

What is the difference between 「-라고 할 수 있다」, 「-라고 볼 수 있다」, and 「-라고 해도 과언이 아니다」?

All three patterns may be translated into Chinese with expressions like 「可以說是……」, but the focus differs in Korean. 「-라고 할 수 있다」 presents a label, classification, or judgment, and is close to saying “it is valid to describe it this way.” 「-라고 볼 수 있다」 places more emphasis on how something is viewed or interpreted, and is closer to “from this perspective, it can be seen as…” In 「-라고 해도 과언이 아니다」, 「과언」 means “an excessive or exaggerated statement,” so the full expression means “even saying it to this extent would not be an exaggeration,” making the degree of affirmation clearly stronger.

「-라고 할 수 있다」 and 「-라고 볼 수 있다」 can sometimes be used interchangeably, but the emphasis changes. The former sounds more like drawing a conclusion in the form of an evaluation, while the latter more readily suggests that there is a preceding basis of observation, conditions, or analysis. 「-라고 해도 과언이 아니다」 cannot simply be treated as a longer version of the other two because it inherently strengthens the statement. If you are merely classifying an ordinary person or object, using this expression can actually sound too strong.

Pattern	「-라고 할 수 있다」	「-라고 볼 수 있다」	「-라고 해도 과언이 아니다」
Common English meaning	can be said to be, can be called	can be viewed as, can be regarded as	it is no exaggeration to say…
Main focus	presenting a valid label, classification, or judgment	interpreting a person, event, or result from a certain perspective	agreeing with a statement that already sounds relatively strong
Speaker nuance	states an evaluation while leaving some room	carries a sense of “looking at the situation this way”	the speaker explicitly endorses the strong evaluation
Strength of affirmation	medium	medium	strong
Common contexts	definition, classification, review, summarizing a conclusion, reports	analyzing causes, interpreting data, observing trends, reviews	emphasizing influence, results, degree, or giving a very high/strong evaluation
Interchangeability with other patterns	often interchangeable with 「-라고 볼 수 있다」, but the focus changes	can sometimes be replaced with 「-라고 할 수 있다」, but the “way of viewing it” becomes weaker	usually cannot directly replace the first two; doing so makes the tone noticeably stronger

The table above first compares the noun-based 「-라고」 forms because the main difference between the three patterns lies in what follows: 「할 수 있다／볼 수 있다／해도 과언이 아니다」. If the preceding content changes to an adjective or verb, the quotation form still changes according to the original attachment rules, such as 「-다고」 or 「-ㄴ/는다고」, but the nuance differences among the three patterns remain the same.

▌Difference between 「-라고 할 수 있다」 and 「-라고 볼 수 있다」｜A valid way to describe it vs interpreting it from this perspective

「-라고 할 수 있다」 is more like organizing the preceding information into one statement and then saying, “this description is valid.” 「-라고 볼 수 있다」 brings in the idea of “how to view something” and is closer to “given the current circumstances, this can be seen this way.” So even when describing the same event as “a new beginning,” using 「할 수 있다」 sounds more like giving the event an evaluation, while using 「볼 수 있다」 sounds more like interpreting it based on how events have developed. Neither pattern necessarily means that the speaker lacks confidence. The difference lies in where the speaker leaves room: one leaves room in “how to describe it,” while the other leaves room in “how to view it.”

• Example: 이번 변화는 새로운 시작이라고 할 수 있습니다.
  Romanization: i-beon byeon-hwa-neun sae-ro-un si-ja-gi-ra-go hal su i-sseum-ni-da.
  Translation: This change can be said to be a new beginning.
  This sentence treats “a new beginning” as an evaluation of the change. The speaker believes the description is appropriate but does not directly declare, “This is a new beginning.”
• Example: 이번 변화는 새로운 시작이라고 볼 수 있습니다.
  Romanization: i-beon byeon-hwa-neun sae-ro-un si-ja-gi-ra-go bol su i-sseum-ni-da.
  Translation: This change can be viewed as a new beginning.
  This sentence adds the perspective of “how to view this event.” It sounds as though, after considering the preceding changes, background, or results, the speaker believes the event can be interpreted as a new beginning.

▌Difference between 「-라고 할 수 있다」 and 「-라고 해도 과언이 아니다」｜A valid way to describe it vs it would not be an exaggeration to say so

「-라고 할 수 있다」 can be used whenever the speaker believes a classification or evaluation is reasonable; the preceding content does not need to be especially strong. 「-라고 해도 과언이 아니다」 is different. It usually accompanies statements that already carry some weight, such as “the biggest reason,” “the most important turning point,” or “the best work of the year.” The speaker recognizes that the statement may sound strong, so they add that “even saying this would not be an exaggeration.” As a result, even if both patterns are used with the same content, the latter makes the entire sentence sound more assertive.

• Example: 꾸준한 준비가 이번 성공을 만든 가장 큰 힘이라고 할 수 있습니다.
  Romanization: kku-jun-han jun-bi-ga i-beon seong-gong-eul man-deun ga-jang keun hi-mi-ra-go hal su i-sseum-ni-da.
  Translation: Consistent preparation can be said to have been the biggest force behind this success.
  This sentence summarizes the reasons for the success and considers it valid to describe “consistent preparation” as the biggest force behind it. The sentence contains an evaluation, but it does not deliberately intensify the degree.
• Example: 꾸준한 준비가 이번 성공을 만든 가장 큰 힘이라고 해도 과언이 아닙니다.
  Romanization: kku-jun-han jun-bi-ga i-beon seong-gong-eul man-deun ga-jang keun hi-mi-ra-go hae-do gwa-eo-ni a-nim-ni-da.
  Translation: It would not be an exaggeration to say that consistent preparation was the biggest force behind this success.
  This sentence directly endorses the strong expression “the biggest force.” It does not merely mean “this is a possible way to describe it,” but rather “even putting it this strongly is not an exaggeration.”

▌Difference between 「-라고 볼 수 있다」 and 「-라고 해도 과언이 아니다」｜Viewing it from this perspective vs saying it would not be an exaggeration

「-라고 볼 수 있다」 often appears after analyzing something—for example, after looking at changes, data, causes, or differences before and after—before presenting an interpretation such as “it can be viewed as…” 「-라고 해도 과언이 아니다」 does not explain the analytical perspective; instead, it directly handles the strength of the evaluation. The former sounds like “based on what can currently be observed, this can be understood in this way,” while the latter sounds like “this evaluation is strong, but it is not overstated.” For that reason, 「볼 수 있다」 is often more natural when an article is analyzing trends, causes, or results, while 「과언이 아니다」 is more likely to appear when emphasizing how great an impact something had.

• Example: 이번 업데이트는 서비스 방향을 바꾼 전환점이라고 볼 수 있습니다.
  Romanization: i-beon eop-de-i-teu-neun seo-bi-seu bang-hyang-eul ba-kkun jeon-hwan-jjeo-mi-ra-go bol su i-sseum-ni-da.
  Translation: This update can be viewed as a turning point that changed the direction of the service.
  This sentence sounds as though, after looking at the changes before and after the update, the speaker interprets the update as a turning point. The focus is on “how to view this update.”
• Example: 이번 업데이트는 서비스 방향을 바꾼 전환점이라고 해도 과언이 아닙니다.
  Romanization: i-beon eop-de-i-teu-neun seo-bi-seu bang-hyang-eul ba-kkun jeon-hwan-jjeo-mi-ra-go hae-do gwa-eo-ni a-nim-ni-da.
  Translation: It would not be an exaggeration to say that this update was a turning point that changed the direction of the service.
  This sentence does more than offer one interpretation. It clearly states that the impact of the update was indeed great enough for it to be called a “turning point.” The tone is stronger than in the previous sentence.

▌Nuance differences among the three “can be said to be” patterns when evaluating the same work

If all three patterns are used with exactly the same evaluation, the differences become clearer. Suppose that, after watching a work, you want to say that it is “the best among the works released this year.” 「-라고 할 수 있다」 presents the evaluation without making it completely absolute. 「-라고 볼 수 있다」 sounds more like the speaker has considered the work’s performance, reviews, or other conditions and believes it can reasonably be placed first. 「-라고 해도 과언이 아니다」 directly states that although this is a very high evaluation, it is not exaggerated. All three sentences refer to the same work, but the speaker’s stance differs.

• Example: 이 작품은 올해 나온 작품 중 최고라고 할 수 있어요.
  Romanization: i jak-pum-eun ol-hae na-on jak-pum jung choe-go-ra-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
  Translation: This work can be said to be the best among those released this year.
  This sentence presents the evaluation “the best of the year.” The speaker clearly thinks the work is excellent, but by using 「할 수 있다」, they leave some room for discussion instead of directly saying, “This is the best of the year.”
• Example: 이 작품은 올해 나온 작품 중 최고라고 볼 수 있어요.
  Romanization: i jak-pum-eun ol-hae na-on jak-pum jung choe-go-ra-go bol su i-sseo-yo.
  Translation: This work can be viewed as the best among those released this year.
  This sentence sounds more like a conclusion reached after comparison or evaluation, with a nuance close to “based on its overall performance, it can be ranked as the best work of the year.”
• Example: 이 작품은 올해 나온 작품 중 최고라고 해도 과언이 아니에요.
  Romanization: i jak-pum-eun ol-hae na-on jak-pum jung choe-go-ra-go hae-do gwa-eo-ni a-ni-e-yo.
  Translation: It would not be an exaggeration to say that this is the best work released this year.
  This sentence gives the strongest praise. “The best of the year” is already a very high evaluation, but the speaker believes that even going that far is not an exaggeration, almost directly endorsing the evaluation.

How is Korean 「-라고 할 수 있다」 used in reports, reviews, and everyday conversation?

「-라고 할 수 있다」 is well suited to situations where you need to find an appropriate way to describe something, classify it, or summarize an evaluation. In reports, it can turn the preceding data or changes into a concluding statement. When reviewing a work, it can be used to say what category the work could reasonably be placed in. In everyday conversation, it can also describe a person or a relationship. However, not every statement with “is” needs to become “can be said to be.” If you are simply stating an identity or fact, directly using 「이다」 is usually more natural. 「-라고 할 수 있다」 is most often used because the speaker is choosing a label, classification, or evaluation and believes that “this is a reasonable way to describe it.”

▌Situation ①｜Summarizing the biggest change in a project report

A：이번 프로젝트의 가장 큰 변화는 무엇입니까?
　　i-beon peu-ro-jek-teu-ui ga-jang keun byeon-hwa-neun mu-eo-sim-ni-kka?
　　What was the biggest change in this project?

B：업무 처리 속도가 빨라진 점이라고 할 수 있습니다.
　　eom-mu cheo-ri sok-do-ga ppal-ra-jin jeo-mi-ra-go hal su i-sseum-ni-da.
　　It can be said to be the fact that work processing became faster.

📌 Grammar Point: 「업무 처리 속도가 빨라진 점이라고 할 수 있습니다」 does not directly announce, “This is the biggest change.” Instead, based on the project situation discussed earlier, it organizes “the fact that processing became faster” into a reasonable conclusion. Reports, presentations, and meeting explanations often require this kind of summary, so 「-라고 할 수 있습니다」 carries more of a judgmental nuance than directly using 「입니다」. If the sentence is analyzing “from what perspective this change can be viewed,” it may instead use 「-라고 볼 수 있습니다」.

▌Situation ②｜Reviewing a drama that is difficult to classify under a single genre

A：이 드라마는 로맨스예요, 스릴러예요?
　　i deu-ra-ma-neun ro-maen-seu-ye-yo, seu-ril-reo-ye-yo?
　　Is this drama a romance or a thriller?

B：둘 다 섞여 있어서 한 장르로만 설명하기 어려운 작품이라고 할 수 있어요.
　　dul da seok-kyeo i-sseo-seo han jang-reu-ro-man seol-myeong-ha-gi eo-ryeo-un jak-pu-mi-ra-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
　　It contains elements of both, so it can be said to be a work that is difficult to explain using only one genre.

📌 Grammar Point: 「한 장르로만 설명하기 어려운 작품이라고 할 수 있어요」 finds a more appropriate way to describe the work. The speaker first explains that it contains both romance and thriller elements, then uses 「-라고 할 수 있다」 to organize those features into the evaluation “a work that is difficult to classify under only one genre.” This use can appear in reviews of dramas, books, restaurants, products, and more, because reviews often involve classification or evaluation, and 「-라고 할 수 있다」 is well suited to expressing that “this is an appropriate way to describe it.”

▌Situation ③｜Describing a friendship in everyday conversation

A：민수 씨는 많이 친한 친구예요?
　　min-su ssi-neun ma-ni chin-han chin-gu-ye-yo?
　　Is Minsu a very close friend?

B：네, 가족 같은 친구라고 할 수 있어요.
　　ne, ga-jok ga-teun chin-gu-ra-go hal su i-sseo-yo.
　　Yes, you could say he is a friend who is like family.

📌 Grammar Point: 「가족 같은 친구라고 할 수 있어요」 does not simply confirm whether the two people are friends. Instead, it reflects the question, “What is the most appropriate way to describe this relationship?” If you are only answering “He is a friend,” you can simply say 「친구예요」. Here, because the speaker wants to express that the relationship is closer than an ordinary friendship, they evaluate him as 「가족 같은 친구」 and then add 「-라고 할 수 있어요」. Therefore, 「-라고 할 수 있다」 is not uncommon in everyday conversation, but it normally appears in sentences that involve description, classification, or evaluation. It is not added universally just to make every statement sound softer.

Additional usage notes:

1. 「-라고 할 수 있다」 is often used as 「-라고 할 수 있습니다」 in formal settings, such as when organizing preceding information in reports, presentations, articles, or reviews. 「이번 결과는 긍정적인 변화라고 할 수 있습니다」 means “This result can be said to be a positive change.” The sentence is not expressing doubt over whether the result is positive; it is organizing what has been observed into the evaluation “a positive change.”
2. 「-라고 할 수 있어요」 can also be used in everyday conversation, but it usually appears when the speaker is “looking for an appropriate way to describe something.” 「그 사람은 제 인생의 은인이라고 할 수 있어요」 means “That person can be said to be a benefactor in my life.” The speaker is not merely introducing the person’s identity but evaluating what the person means to them. If you simply say 「그 사람은 제 친구예요」 and there is no particular need for classification or evaluation, directly using 「예요」 is more natural.
3. The element before 「-라고 할 수 있다」 is not always a noun. Nouns take 「(이)라고 할 수 있다」, as in 「친구라고 할 수 있다」. General adjectives become 「-다고 할 수 있다」, as in 「변화가 크다고 할 수 있다」. Present-tense verbs use 「-ㄴ/는다고 할 수 있다」, as in 「사람들이 온라인으로 더 많이 소통한다고 할 수 있다」. When you encounter this pattern, you first need to check whether the preceding content is a noun or a complete statement. You cannot attach 「라고 할 수 있다」 to everything just because Chinese translates it all as 「可以說……」.
4. 「-라고 할 수 있다」 also does not mean “uncertain.” In a report sentence such as 「가장 큰 변화라고 할 수 있습니다」, the speaker may be quite confident but simply chooses not to use the more categorical form 「가장 큰 변화입니다」. The pattern is closer to saying, “Based on what has been discussed so far, describing or evaluating it this way is valid.” If the intended meaning is “from this perspective, it can be interpreted this way,” then 「-라고 볼 수 있다」 is closer. If the intended meaning is “even putting it this strongly would not be an exaggeration,” the stronger 「-라고 해도 과언이 아니다」 is used.

How should Korean 「-라고 할 수 있다」 be understood in comparison with Japanese 「〜と言える」?

Korean 「-라고 할 수 있다」 and Japanese 「〜と言える」 overlap considerably. Both can be used to classify people or things, present evaluations, or organize preceding information and say “this can be said.” For example, in sentences such as “This place can be said to be the center of Seoul” and “This work can be said to be a representative work of modern Korean literature,” Korean can use 「-라고 할 수 있다」, while Japanese can naturally use 「〜と言える」. Neither expression makes a judgment as absolutely as directly using 「이다／だ」. Instead, each presents a description and indicates that, given the current information or conditions, describing it that way is valid. However, the attachment systems are different. Japanese generally attaches 「と」 to the preceding content and then adds 「言える」, whereas Korean first distinguishes whether the preceding content is a noun, adjective, or verb and then chooses quotation forms such as 「(이)라고」, 「-다고」, or 「-ㄴ/는다고」. For that reason, Japanese 「と言える」 cannot simply be replaced word-for-word with 「라고 할 수 있다」.

◆ Similar grammar: 「〜と言える」

Japanese 「〜と言える」 can mean not only the literal “be able to say,” but also that a certain statement is valid. This use is very close to Korean 「-라고 할 수 있다」. In articles, reviews, presentations, or ordinary explanations, both expressions can organize the preceding information and then present a judgment such as “can be called…” or “can be said to be…” Neither necessarily indicates that the speaker lacks confidence. For example, saying 「大きな変化と言える」 after seeing a series of data does not mean the speaker is unsure whether the change was large; it means the preceding observations are being summarized into the evaluation “it can be considered a major change.”

• Example: ここはソウルの中心と言えます。
  Kana: ここは ソウルの ちゅうしんと いえます。
  Translation: This place can be said to be the center of Seoul.
  In Korean, you can say 「이곳은 서울의 중심이라고 할 수 있습니다」. Japanese 「中心と言える」 and Korean 「중심이라고 할 수 있다」 both position the place in a certain way. They are not simply giving its address; they express the judgment that calling it “the center of Seoul” is appropriate. Because the preceding element in Korean is the noun 「중심」, 「이라고 할 수 있다」 is used.
• Example: この作品は現代韓国文学の代表作と言えます。
  Kana: この さくひんは げんだい かんこくぶんがくの だいひょうさくと いえます。
  Translation: This work can be said to be a representative work of modern Korean literature.
  In Korean, you can say 「이 작품은 현대 한국 문학의 대표작이라고 할 수 있습니다」. Neither sentence merely states which category the work belongs to; both contain an evaluation that its standing is high enough for it to be called a “representative work.” If you directly say 「代表作です／대표작입니다」, the judgment is more categorical. Using 「と言える／-라고 할 수 있다」 instead presents a reasoned evaluation that can reasonably be made.
• Example: 今回の変化はかなり大きいと言えます。
  Kana: こんかいの へんかは かなり おおきいと いえます。
  Translation: This change can be said to be quite significant.
  In Korean, you can say 「이번 변화는 꽤 크다고 할 수 있습니다」. This pair shows the difference in attachment between the two languages. In Japanese, 「大きい」 is followed directly by 「と言える」. In Korean, because the preceding element is the adjective 「크다」, it must become the quotation form 「크다고 할 수 있다」 and cannot be written as 「크라고 할 수 있다」.

◆ Difference from 「-라고 할 수 있다」:

Japanese 「〜と言える」 and Korean 「-라고 할 수 있다」 are very close in uses meaning “it can reasonably be called this” or “this judgment can be made,” so they often correspond in translation. However, Korean cannot attach every type of content to 「라고 할 수 있다」. With nouns, use 「(이)라고 할 수 있다」, as in 「대표작이라고 할 수 있다」. General adjectives use 「-다고 할 수 있다」, as in 「크다고 할 수 있다」. Present-tense verbs take 「-ㄴ/는다고 할 수 있다」. Japanese, on the surface, usually continues to use the preceding content plus 「と言える」, so when translating from Japanese into Korean, the main thing that needs to be reprocessed is the Korean quotation form. You cannot simply copy the Japanese sentence ending into Korean.

In addition, Japanese 「言える」 is itself the potential form of 「言う」, so not every instance of 「言える」 can be translated as Korean 「-라고 할 수 있다」. For example, 「自分の名前が言えます」 means “I can say my own name,” in the sense of being able to utter it. In Korean, this would be 「자기 이름을 말할 수 있어요」, not 「이름이라고 할 수 있어요」. Only uses such as 「代表作と言える」 or 「大きな変化と言える」, where 「〜と言える」 assigns a label, classification, or judgment to something, are especially close to Korean 「-라고 할 수 있다」. In actual comparison, first check whether the Japanese means “having the ability to say something aloud” or “this way of describing it is valid.” The former usually corresponds to 「말할 수 있다」, while the latter more readily corresponds to 「-라고／-다고／-ㄴ/는다고 할 수 있다」.

You can first remember 「-라고 할 수 있다」 as meaning “can be said to be” or “can be called,” but when forming sentences, you still need to look at what comes before it. Nouns take 「(이)라고 할 수 있다」, general adjectives take 「-다고 할 수 있다」, and verbs change to the appropriate quotation form according to tense, such as present or past. 「친구라고 할 수 있다」 and 「크다고 할 수 있다」 can both be translated as “can be said to…” in English, but their Korean structures are actually different.

In terms of nuance, this pattern is well suited to classifying people or things and is also common in reviews, explanations, or after a passage of analysis. If the sentence is closer to meaning “from this perspective, it can be viewed this way,” you will usually see 「-라고 볼 수 있다」. 「-라고 해도 과언이 아니다」, on the other hand, carries clear emphasis and is used when the speaker genuinely wants to say, “even putting it this strongly would not be an exaggeration.”

So when you encounter Korean 「-라고 할 수 있다」, you do not need to focus only on the English translation “can be said to be.” Look at the part of speech that comes before it, and then consider whether the sentence is classifying something, evaluating it, or summarizing preceding information. That will usually make it easier to understand why 「할 수 있다」 is used there rather than one of the two similar patterns.

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