문장구조A1

Negative Sentences

Negative sentences: short negation (안 + verb) and long negation (-지 않다)

Learning Goal

Can form negative sentences using both 안 and -지 않다, and distinguish 안 from 못

Exam Skills:쓰기읽기

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

오늘 안 가요.

I'm not going today.

매운 음식을 먹지 않아요.

I don't eat spicy food.

수영을 못 해요.

I can't swim.

공부 안 해요.

I'm not studying.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

부정문 — Negative Sentences

Korean has two ways to negate verbs: short negation (안) and long negation (-지 않다). Both mean the same thing.

Short negation: 안 + verb

PositiveNegative
가요 (go)안 가요 (don't go)
먹어요 (eat)안 먹어요 (don't eat)
좋아해요 (like)좋아안 해요 ✗ → 안 좋아해요 ✓

Long negation: verb stem + -지 않아요

PositiveNegative
가요 (go)가지 않아요 (don't go)
먹어요 (eat)먹지 않아요 (don't eat)
공부해요 (study)공부하지 않아요 (don't study)

하다 verbs with short negation: For compound 하다 verbs, 안 goes before 하다: 공부 안 해요 (NOT *안 공부해요). But 안 좋아해요 is also acceptable.

Special negatives (inherently negative words):

  • 없다 (not exist/not have) — already negative, don't add 안
  • 모르다 (not know) — negative of 알다 (know)
  • 못 + verb = cannot (inability): 못 가요 (can't go)

못 vs 안: 안 = choose not to (won't). 못 = unable to (can't). 안 먹어요 (I don't eat it — choice). 못 먹어요 (I can't eat it — unable).

Learners confuse short/long negation placement, use double negation with 없다, or mix up 안 (won't) and 못 (can't). 🇬🇧 English speakers: English negation uses 'don't/doesn't' which is relatively simple. Korean's two systems feel redundant at first. Tip: short 안 is more conversational, long -지 않다 is slightly more formal/written. 🇩🇪 German speakers: German uses 'nicht' (similar to 안) before the verb. The long negation -지 않다 has no German parallel. Also, 못 (can't) vs 안 (won't) maps roughly to 'kann nicht' vs 'will nicht'.

Common Error Patterns

Placed 안 in the wrong position (e.g., before compound noun instead of before 하다)

Simple verbs: 안 + verb (안 가요). 하다 compounds: noun + 안 + 해요 (공부 안 해요)

Confused 안 (won't/don't) with 못 (can't)

안 = voluntary choice (I won't). 못 = inability (I can't). 안 먹어요 (won't eat) vs 못 먹어요 (can't eat)

오늘 안 가요.

I'm not going today.

Short negation: 안 placed directly before the verb. 오늘 (today) + 안 + 가요 (go) = I'm not going today.

매운 음식을 먹지 않아요.

I don't eat spicy food.

Long negation: verb stem + 지 않아요. 먹 (eat stem) + 지 않아요 = don't eat. More formal/emphatic than 안 먹어요.

수영을 못 해요.

I can't swim.

못 = can't (inability). 수영 (swimming) + 을 + 못 해요 (can't do). Compare: 수영 안 해요 = I don't swim (choice).

공부 안 해요.

I'm not studying.

하다 compound verbs: 안 goes between the noun and 하다: 공부 + 안 + 해요. NOT *안 공부해요.

Practice in course

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