Negating a Statement

01

Short Negation: Using 안 (an)

The simplest way to say "not" is to place the word 안 (an) immediately before the verb or adjective. This is very common in casual conversation and is typically used with shorter, native Korean verbs.

• 저는 고기를 안 먹어요.

  chŏ·nŭn ko·gi·rŭl an mŏg·ŏ·yo.jeo·neun go·gi·reul an meog·eo·yo.chŏ·nŭn ko·gi·rŭl an mŏg·ŏ·yo.ce·nun ko·ki·lul an meg·e·yo.

  I do not eat meat.

• 오늘 학교에 안 가요.

  o·nŭl hak·gyo·e an ga·yo.o·neul hak·gyo·e an ga·yo.o·nŭl hak·gyo·e an ga·yo.o·nul hak·kyo·ey an ka·yo.

  I am not going to school today.

• 이 영화는 안 슬퍼요.

  i yŏng·hwa·nŭn an sŭl·pʰŏ·yo.i yeong·hwa·neun an seul·peo·yo.i yŏng·hwa·nŭn an sŭl·p'ŏ·yo.i yeng·hwa·nun an sul·phe·yo.

  This movie is not sad.

02

Long Negation: Using -지 않다 (-ji an·tʰa)

The long form is created by attaching the ending -지 않다 (-ji an·tʰa-ji an·ta-ji an·t'a-ci an·tha) to the verb stem. This form is slightly more formal than 안 (an), though it is still used in daily speech. It is the preferred method for negating longer adjectives or complex verbs.

To use it, remove 다 (dadadata) from the dictionary form of the verb and add -지 않다 (-ji an·tʰa-ji an·ta-ji an·t'a-ci an·tha). This ending is then conjugated (e.g., to -지 않아요 (-ji an·a·yo-ji an·a·yo-ji an·a·yo-ci an·a·yo) in the polite present tense).

• 고기를 먹지 않아요.

  ko·gi·rŭl mŏg·ji an·a·yo.go·gi·reul meog·ji an·a·yo.ko·gi·rŭl mŏg·ji an·a·yo.ko·ki·lul meg·ci an·a·yo.

  I do not eat meat.

• 집이 멀지 않아요.

  chi·bi mŏl·ji an·a·yo.ji·bi meol·ji an·a·yo.chi·bi mŏl·ji an·a·yo.ci·pi mel·ci an·a·yo.

  The house is not far.

• 그것은 중요하지 않아요.

  kŭ·gŏ·sŭn chung·yo·ha·ji an·a·yo.geu·geo·seun jung·yo·ha·ji an·a·yo.kŭ·gŏ·sŭn chung·yo·ha·ji an·a·yo.ku·ke·sun cung·yo·ha·ci an·a·yo.

  That is not important.

03

Negating '하다 (ha·da)' Verbs

Many Korean verbs are formed by combining a noun with the verb 하다 (ha·daha·daha·daha·ta) - to do, such as 요리하다 (yo·ri·ha·dayo·ri·ha·dayo·ri·ha·dayo·li·ha·ta) - to cook or 공부하다 (kong·bu·ha·dagong·bu·ha·dakong·bu·ha·dakong·pu·ha·ta) - to study.

When using the short negation 안 (an) with these verbs, you must separate the noun from 하다 (ha·daha·daha·daha·ta) and place 안 (an) in between them. You cannot put 안 (an) in front of the noun.

• 저는 요리 안 해요.

  chŏ·nŭn yo·ri an hæ·yo.jeo·neun yo·ri an hae·yo.chŏ·nŭn yo·ri an hae·yo.ce·nun yo·li an hay·yo.

  I do not cook.

• 어제 운동 안 했어요.

  ŏ·je un·dong an hæss·ŏ·yo.eo·je un·dong an haess·eo·yo.ŏ·je un·dong an haess·ŏ·yo.e·cey un·tong an hayss·e·yo.

  I didn't exercise yesterday.

However, if you use the long negation -지 않다 (-ji an·tʰa-ji an·ta-ji an·t'a-ci an·tha), you do not split the word. You attach the ending to the full verb stem.

• 요리하지 않아요.

  yo·ri·ha·ji an·a·yo.yo·ri·ha·ji an·a·yo.yo·ri·ha·ji an·a·yo.yo·li·ha·ci an·a·yo.

  I do not cook.

04

Cannot vs. Do Not (못 (mot) vs. 안 (an))

It is important to distinguish between not doing something by choice and being unable to do something.

• 안 (an) indicates volition: you are choosing not to do it, or it simply isn't happening.
• 못 (mot) indicates inability: you cannot do it (due to lack of skill, situation, or external factors).

Like 안 (an), 못 (mot) is placed before the verb.

• 저는 수영 안 해요.

  chŏ·nŭn su·yŏng an hæ·yo.jeo·neun su·yeong an hae·yo.chŏ·nŭn su·yŏng an hae·yo.ce·nun su·yeng an hay·yo.

  I don't swim (I choose not to).

• 저는 수영 못 해요.

  chŏ·nŭn su·yŏng mos hæ·yo.jeo·neun su·yeong mos hae·yo.chŏ·nŭn su·yŏng mos hae·yo.ce·nun su·yeng mos hay·yo.

  I can't swim (I don't know how).

• 매운 음식을 못 먹어요.

  mæ·un ŭm·si·gŭl mos mŏg·ŏ·yo.mae·un eum·si·geul mos meog·eo·yo.mae·un ŭm·si·gŭl mos mŏg·ŏ·yo.may·un um·si·kul mos meg·e·yo.

  I can't eat spicy food (it makes me sick).

05

Special Negation: To Be and To Have

The verbs 이다 (i·dai·dai·dai·ta) - to be and 있다 (it·dait·dait·dait·ta) - to have/exist have specific negative forms and cannot be negated with 안 (an).

The opposite of 있다 (it·dait·dait·dait·ta) is 없다 (ŏp·daeop·daŏp·daep·ta) - to not have/not exist.

• 저는 열쇠가 없어요.

  chŏ·nŭn yŏl·sœ·ga ŏps·ŏ·yo.jeo·neun yeol·soe·ga eops·eo·yo.chŏ·nŭn yŏl·soe·ga ŏps·ŏ·yo.ce·nun yel·sway·ka eps·e·yo.

  I don't have a key.

• 지금 집에 아무도 없어.

  chi·gŭm chi·be a·mu·do ŏps·ŏ.ji·geum ji·be a·mu·do eops·eo.chi·gŭm chi·be a·mu·do ŏps·ŏ.ci·kum ci·pey a·mu·to eps·e.

  There is no one at home right now.

• 재미없어요.

  chæ·mi·ŏps·ŏ·yo.jae·mi·eops·eo·yo.chae·mi·ŏps·ŏ·yo.cay·mi·eps·e·yo.

  It is not interesting (It is boring).

The opposite of 이다 (i·dai·dai·dai·ta) is 아니다 (a·ni·daa·ni·daa·ni·daa·ni·ta) - to not be. Note that the noun before 아니다 (a·ni·daa·ni·daa·ni·daa·ni·ta) takes the subject particle (이/가 (i/ga)).

• 저는 학생이 아니에요.

  chŏ·nŭn hak·sæng·i a·ni·e·yo.jeo·neun hak·saeng·i a·ni·e·yo.chŏ·nŭn hak·saeng·i a·ni·e·yo.ce·nun hak·sayng·i a·ni·ey·yo.

  I am not a student.

• 이것은 제 차가 아니에요.

  i·gŏ·sŭn che chʰa·ga a·ni·e·yo.i·geo·seun je cha·ga a·ni·e·yo.i·gŏ·sŭn che ch'a·ga a·ni·e·yo.i·ke·sun cey cha·ka a·ni·ey·yo.

  This is not my car.

06

Imperative: Telling Someone "Don't"

To tell someone not to do something, you cannot use 안 (an) or 못 (mot). Instead, use the pattern -지 마세요 (-ji ma·se·yo-ji ma·se·yo-ji ma·se·yo-ci ma·sey·yo) - polite or -지 마 (-ji ma-ji ma-ji ma-ci ma) - casual.

• 가지 마세요.

  ka·ji ma·se·yo.ga·ji ma·se·yo.ka·ji ma·se·yo.ka·ci ma·sey·yo.

  Please do not go.

• 걱정하지 마세요.

  kŏk·jjŏng·ha·ji ma·se·yo.geok·jjeong·ha·ji ma·se·yo.kŏk·tchŏng·ha·ji ma·se·yo.kek·cceng·ha·ci ma·sey·yo.

  Please do not worry.

• 그거 먹지 마!

  kŭ·gŏ mŏg·ji ma!geu·geo meog·ji ma!kŭ·gŏ mŏg·ji ma!ku·ke meg·ci ma!

  Don't eat that!

07

The Verb 'To Know'

The verb 알다 (al·daal·daal·daal·ta) - to know is never negated with 안 (an). You cannot say "I don't know" by using 안 알아요 (an a·ra·yoan a·ra·yoan a·ra·yoan a·la·yo). Instead, you must use the separate verb 모르다 (mo·rŭ·damo·reu·damo·rŭ·damo·lu·ta) - to not know.

• 저는 그 사람을 몰라요.

  chŏ·nŭn kŭ sa·ra·mŭl mol·la·yo.jeo·neun geu sa·ra·meul mol·la·yo.chŏ·nŭn kŭ sa·ra·mŭl mol·la·yo.ce·nun ku sa·la·mul mol·la·yo.

  I don't know that person.