Saying no
안, 못, -지 않다, -지 못하다 and -지 마세요.
안: not
안 before a verb or adjective makes it negative, for what you don't do or what isn't so:
- gogireul an meogeoyo.I don't eat meat.
- oneureun an chuwoyo.It's not cold today.
- eoje hakgyoe an gasseoyo.I didn't go to school yesterday.
With a verb made of a noun and 하다, 안 goes before 하다: 공부 안 해요 "I don't study", 운동 안 해요 "I don't exercise", not 안 공부해요. 하다 adjectives take 안 in front: 안 피곤해요 "I'm not tired".
-지 않다: not, in a fuller form
The stem with -지 않아요 means the same as 안, and is more usual in writing and formal speech: 먹지 않아요, 가지 않습니다.
못: can't
못 means you can't, because of ability or circumstances, not choice. Its long form is -지 못하다.
- jeoneun suyeongeul mot haeyo.I can't swim.
- bappaseo mot gasseoyo.I was busy, so I couldn't go.
못 changes the sound of what follows: 못 해요 is said 모태요, and 못 먹어요 몬머거요.
Words that are negative already
| Not | Use | Not |
|---|---|---|
| 이다 to be | 아니다 | 학생이 아니에요 I'm not a student |
| 있다 there is, have | 없다 | 돈이 없어요 I have no money |
| 알다 to know | 모르다 | 몰라요 I don't know |
| 좋아하다 to like | 싫어하다 | 고양이를 싫어해요 I don't like cats |
Don't say 안 알아요 for "I don't know"; say 몰라요, or more softly 잘 모르겠어요.
Don't: -지 마세요
A negative request is -지 마세요, casually -지 마:
- geokjeonghaji maseyo.Don't worry.
- yeogiseo sajin jjikji maseyo.Please don't take photos here.
Nothing, nobody, never
With a negative verb, words with 도 mean "no one", "nothing": 아무도 "nobody", 아무것도 "nothing", 하나도 "not one". 전혀 is "not at all", and 별로 "not very".
- amugeotdo an meogeosseoyo.I didn't eat anything.
- byeollo an bissayo.It's not that expensive.
Cards from this guide
10 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Verbs and adjectives cards.
How do you say 'I don't eat meat' with 고기 and 먹다?
고기를 안 먹어요.
Where does 안 go in 공부해요 (I study)?
Before 하다: 공부 안 해요.
What does -지 않아요 mean, as in 먹지 않아요?
Not: the same as 안 먹어요.
안 or 못: which says 'I can't swim'?
못: 수영을 못 해요.
How do you say 'I couldn't go' with 가다?
못 갔어요.
How do you say 'I don't know'?
몰라요, from 모르다.
How do you say 'Don't worry' with 걱정하다 (to worry)?
걱정하지 마세요.
How do you say 'I didn't eat anything'?
아무것도 안 먹었어요.
What does 별로 mean with a negative, as in 별로 안 비싸요?
Not very: 'it's not that expensive'.
How is 못 해요 said?
모태요 motaeyo.