The short version: Korean has two equal ways to say not: 안 before the verb (안 가요) and -지 않아요 after the stem (가지 않아요). With noun + 하다 verbs, 안 goes in the middle: 공부 안 해요. A few words have their own negative instead: 없다, 모르다, 아니다. Don't! is -지 마세요, and can't is 못.
Making a sentence negative sounds like the simplest thing in any language, and in Korean the basic rule really is simple. The difficulty is in the exceptions: the verbs that split in two, the words that refuse 안 altogether, and the request form that looks like a negative but means something else. This guide goes through them in the order you are likely to need them.
Four kinds of “not”
안 and -지 않아요: the same meaning, two lengths
안 goes directly before a verb or adjective. -지 않다 attaches to the stem. The meaning is the same; the short form is more common in conversation, and the long form is more common in writing, formal speech and with long words.
| Positive | Short | Long | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 가요 | 안 가요 | 가지 않아요 | I'm not going. |
| 비싸요 | 안 비싸요 | 비싸지 않아요 | It isn't expensive. |
| 먹었어요 | 안 먹었어요 | 먹지 않았어요 | I didn't eat. |
Noun + 하다 verbs: 안 goes in the middle
Many Korean verbs are a noun plus 하다: 공부하다 (study), 운동하다 (exercise), 전화하다 (phone), 청소하다 (clean). With these, 안 goes right before 하다.
Words with their own negative
A handful of very common words do not take 안 at all. They have a separate word for the negative, and using 안 with them is one of the clearest beginner mistakes.
have, exist → not have, not exist
know → not know
be (a noun) → not be
Don't!: -지 마세요
To ask someone not to do something, Korean does not use 안. It uses -지 마세요, from the verb 말다 (to stop, to refrain).
Can't: 못
When something prevents you, use 못 instead of 안: 못 가요 (I can't go) rather than 안 가요 (I'm not going). It follows the same placement rule with 하다 verbs: 수영 못 해요. The full comparison, with -(으)ㄹ 수 없어요, is in saying can in Korean.
Answering a negative question
English answers by the facts: “Isn't it spicy?” — “No, it isn't.” Korean answers by agreeing or disagreeing with the question as it was asked.
Agree: it isn't spicy
안 매워요? — 네, 안 매워요.an maewoyo? — ne, an maewoyoIt isn't spicy? — Right, it isn't.
Disagree: it is spicy
안 매워요? — 아니요, 매워요.an maewoyo? — aniyo, maewoyoIt isn't spicy? — Actually, it is.
Words that come with a negative
Some adverbs almost always appear with a negative verb, and they are a quick way to sound more natural.
Check yourself
Which negative does each sentence need?
Noun + 하다: 안 goes before 하다.
알다 has its own negative: 모르다.
이다 → 아니다, with 이/가: 선생님이 아니에요.
A request not to do something: -지 마세요.
You agree with the question as asked: 네, 안 써요.
있다 → 없다.
Say no in every way Korean allows
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- Short / long
- 안 가요 = 가지 않아요. Past: 안 갔어요 = 가지 않았어요.
- Noun + 하다 verbs
- 공부 안 해요, 운동 안 했어요. Not 안 공부해요.
- Own negatives
- 있다 → 없다, 알다 → 모르다, 이다 → 아니다 (학생이 아니에요), 맛있다 → 맛없다, 재미있다 → 재미없다.
- Don't!
- -지 마세요 (가지 마세요), casual -지 마. 안 가세요? = Aren't you going?
- Can't
- 못 + verb: 못 가요.
- Answering
- 안 매워요? → 네, 안 매워요 (right, not spicy) / 아니요, 매워요.
- Words that need a negative
- 별로, 전혀, 아무도, 아직: 별로 안 비싸요, 전혀 몰라요, 아무도 없어요, 아직 안 먹었어요.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 안 and -지 않아요?
Nothing in meaning: 안 가요 and 가지 않아요 both mean I'm not going. 안 is shorter and more common in conversation, while -지 않아요 is common in writing, formal speech and with long words.
Is it 안 공부해요 or 공부 안 해요?
공부 안 해요. When a verb is a noun plus 하다, 안 goes between them: 운동 안 해요, 전화 안 했어요. 하다 adjectives such as 피곤하다 take 안 in front: 안 피곤해요.
How do you say I don't know in Korean?
몰라요, from 모르다. 알다 (to know) has its own negative verb, so 안 알아요 is wrong. A softer version is 잘 모르겠어요.
How do you say don't in Korean?
Use -지 마세요: 가지 마세요 (don't go), 걱정하지 마세요 (don't worry). Between friends, -지 마: 울지 마. 안 가세요? is a question meaning aren't you going?
How do you answer a negative question in Korean?
네 and 아니요 agree or disagree with the statement. 안 매워요? (It isn't spicy?) 네, 안 매워요 means right, it isn't spicy. 아니요, 매워요 means no, it is spicy.
- National Institute of Korean Language, Standard Korean Language Dictionary (표준국어대사전): entries for 안, 않다, 못, 말다 and 아니다.
- National Institute of Korean Language, Basic Korean Dictionary (한국어기초사전): learner entries for -지 않다 and -지 말다.
- National Institute for International Education, TOPIK official site.