Overview of Korean Negation
Korean has several ways to make a sentence negative, and each one carries a slightly different nuance. The two main patterns are short negation (placing 안 before the verb) and long negation (attaching -지 않다 to the verb stem). There is also a separate pattern for expressing inability using 못. Understanding when to use each form is essential for natural-sounding Korean.
Short negation with 안 and long negation with -지 않다 mean the same thing. The short form is more natural in casual conversation, while the long form sounds slightly more deliberate or formal. As a beginner, master the short form first — it is easier to produce quickly in conversation.
Short Negation: 안 (an)
The simplest way to negate a verb is to place 안 directly before it. This is the most common negation pattern in everyday speech.
오늘 안 가요.
oneul an gayo.
I am not going today.
아직 안 먹었어요.
ajik an meogeosseoyo.
I have not eaten yet.
The pattern is straightforward: 안 + Verb
- 가요 (go) → 안 가요 (do not go)
- 봐요 (see) → 안 봐요 (do not see)
- 알아요 (know) → 안 알아요 → more naturally: 몰라요 (do not know)
Long Negation: -지 않다 (ji anta)
The long negation pattern attaches -지 않다 to the verb stem. The 않다 part then conjugates according to the speech level.
저는 고기를 먹지 않아요.
jeo-neun gogi-reul meokji anayo.
I do not eat meat.
그 영화는 재미있지 않았어요.
geu yeonghwa-neun jaemiitji anasseoyo.
That movie was not interesting.
The pattern is: Verb stem + -지 않다
- 먹다 → 먹지 않아요 (do not eat)
- 가다 → 가지 않아요 (do not go)
- 좋다 → 좋지 않아요 (is not good)
Short vs Long Negation
Both forms express the same meaning, but there are tendencies in how native speakers use them:
커피 안 마셔요.
keopi an masyeoyo.
I do not drink coffee. (casual, conversational)
커피를 마시지 않아요.
keopi-reul masiji anayo.
I do not drink coffee. (slightly more deliberate)
Short negation (안) feels more natural in quick, casual exchanges. Long negation (-지 않다) sounds slightly more considered and appears more often in writing or when the speaker wants to be emphatic.
The 하다 Verb Split
This is one of the most important negation rules in Korean. Verbs that end in 하다 (to do) have a special negation pattern: 안 goes between the noun and 하다, not before the entire word.
For 하다 compound verbs, you must split the word and insert 안 between the noun and 하다. Say 공부 안 해요 (study not do), NOT "안 공부해요." This split pattern applies to all 하다 verbs: 운동 안 해요 (do not exercise), 요리 안 해요 (do not cook), 전화 안 해요 (do not call).
오늘은 운동 안 해요.
oneul-eun undong an haeyo.
I am not exercising today.
요즘 공부 안 해요.
yojeum gongbu an haeyo.
I am not studying these days.
With long negation, 하다 verbs do not require splitting: 공부하지 않아요 is correct as-is.
Inability: 못 (mot)
To express that you cannot do something (due to inability, circumstances, or lack of skill), use 못 before the verb. This is different from 안, which expresses a choice not to do something.
매운 음식을 못 먹어요.
maeun eumsig-eul mot meogeoyo.
I cannot eat spicy food.
어제 못 잤어요.
eoje mot jasseoyo.
I could not sleep yesterday.
Like 안, 못 also has a long form: -지 못하다
시간이 없어서 가지 못했어요.
sigan-i eopseoseo gaji motaesseoyo.
I could not go because I had no time.
아직 한국어를 잘 하지 못해요.
ajik hangugeo-reul jal haji motaeyo.
I cannot speak Korean well yet.
The difference between 안 and 못 is about choice vs ability. Use 안 when you choose not to do something ("I do not eat meat" — by choice). Use 못 when you are unable to do something ("I cannot eat spicy food" — it is too hot for you). This distinction matters and Korean speakers notice when it is wrong.
The 하다 verb split rule applies to 못 as well: 운동 못 해요 (cannot exercise), not "못 운동해요."
Noun Negation: 아니다 (anida)
To negate nouns — saying something is NOT something — use 아니다 instead of 이다. It means "is not."
저는 학생이 아니에요.
jeo-neun haksaeng-i anieyo.
I am not a student.
이것은 제 가방이 아닙니다.
igeot-eun je gabang-i animnida.
This is not my bag.
The pattern is: [Noun]이/가 아니에요 (is not [noun])
Expressing "There Is Not" / "Do Not Have": 없다 (eopda)
The opposite of 있다 (to have / to exist) is 없다 (to not have / to not exist). This is used as a standalone word, not with 안 or 못.
시간이 없어요.
sigan-i eopseoyo.
I do not have time.
여기에 화장실이 없어요.
yeogi-e hwajangsil-i eopseoyo.
There is no restroom here.
Useful Negative Expressions
아직 안 — "Not Yet"
아직 안 끝났어요.
ajik an kkeunnasseoyo.
It has not finished yet.
숙제를 아직 안 했어요.
sukje-reul ajik an haesseoyo.
I have not done the homework yet.
더 이상 안 — "Not Anymore"
더 이상 안 먹을래요.
deo isang an meogeullaeyo.
I do not want to eat anymore.
더 이상 기다리지 않을 거예요.
deo isang gidariji aneul geoyeyo.
I will not wait anymore.
Quick Reference Table
| Affirmative | Short Negative (안) | Long Negative (-지 않다) | Cannot (못) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 가요 (go) | 안 가요 | 가지 않아요 | 못 가요 |
| 먹어요 (eat) | 안 먹어요 | 먹지 않아요 | 못 먹어요 |
| 공부해요 (study) | 공부 안 해요 | 공부하지 않아요 | 공부 못 해요 |
| 좋아요 (is good) | 안 좋아요 | 좋지 않아요 | — |
| 학생이에요 (is a student) | 학생이 아니에요 | — | — |
| 있어요 (have/exist) | 없어요 | — | — |
Summary
Korean negation is systematic once you understand the core patterns. The key takeaways:
- 안 = choice not to — "I do not eat meat" (by preference)
- 못 = unable to — "I cannot eat spicy food" (beyond my ability)
- -지 않다 / -지 못하다 — longer forms of the same negations, slightly more formal
- 하다 verbs split — insert 안 or 못 between the noun and 하다 (공부 안 해요)
- 아니다 negates nouns — "is not" something (학생이 아니에요)
- 없다 is the opposite of 있다 — use it for "do not have" and "does not exist," not 안 있다
