안 + verb / -지 않다 – Korean negative sentences
- Meaning
- do not, is not
- Level
- Beginner
- Topic
- Verb endings & tenses
Two ways to say “not”: 안 placed before the verb (short and spoken) or -지 않다 attached to the stem (a little more formal). With 하다 verbs, 안 goes before 하다: 공부 안 해요.
Key rules
- 안 goes before verb
- Casual negation
- Simple negation pattern
- Most common in speech
- Place 안 before verb
- ㄹ irregular verb
- 르 → ㄹㄹ before 아
- More formal/emphatic
Examples with 안 + verb / -지 않다
The highlighted part is the grammar form.
- 고기를 안 먹어요 Gogireul an meogeoyo I don't eat meat 안 + verb = don't do (short form) · Base form: 먹다 (meokda)
- 학교에 안 가요 Hakgyoe an gayo I don't go to school 안 before verb = simple negative · Base form: 가다 (gada)
- 저는 몰라요 Jeoneun mollayo I don't know 모르다 → 몰라요 (ㄹ irregular, means 'don't know') · Base form: 모르다 (moreuda)
- 운동을 하지 않아요 Undongeul haji anayo I don't exercise Verb stem + 지 않다 = long negative form · Base form: 하다 (hada)
- 술을 마시지 않아요 Sureul masiji anayo I don't drink alcohol 마시 + 지 않아요 = more formal/emphatic negative · Base form: 마시다 (masida)
- 안 비싸요 An bissayo It's not expensive 안 works with adjectives too · Base form: 비싸다 (bissada)
- 매운 음식을 안 좋아해요 Maeun eumsigeul an joahaeyo I don't like spicy food 안 before 하다 verbs · Base form: 좋아하다 (joahada)
- 시간이 없어요 Sigani eopseoyo I don't have time 없다 = not exist/don't have (opposite of 있다) · Base form: 없다 (eopda)
Vocabulary in these examples
안short negative
모르다don't know
지 않다long negative
술alcohol
비싸다expensive
좋아하다like
매운spicy
없다don't have/not exist
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More: verb endings & tenses
-ㅂ니다 / -습니다Formal polite endingformal polite statement-아요 / -어요Polite present 해요 formpolite, friendly statement or question-았- / -었-Past tensedid, was-고 싶다Want to dowant to (do something)-(으)ㄹ 거예요Future tensewill, going to-고 있다Progressive: be doingbe doing (right now)-(으)세요Polite requests and commandsplease do-(으)ㅂ시다 / -(으)ㄹ까요?Let’s / shall we?let’s, shall we-(으)ㄹ 수 있다 / 없다Can / cannotcan, be able to
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