What it means
The most standard way to negate verbs and adjectives in Korean. Attach -지 않다 to the verb/adjective stem to mean "does not / is not."
Nuance & when to use
Two ways to negate: (1) 안 + verb (안 가요 = don't go) — shorter, more casual. (2) verb + 지 않다 (가지 않아요 = don't go) — more formal/emphatic. Both are correct. -지 않다 is slightly stronger in emphasis.
⚠ Common mistake
Some verbs can't use 안: 공부하다 → 공부 안 해요 (✓) or 공부하지 않아요 (✓). But for single-syllable stems, 안 works more naturally: 안 가요 is better than 가지 않아요 in casual speech.
Example sentences
See also
FAQ
When is this used?
Two ways to negate: (1) 안 + verb (안 가요 = don't go) — shorter, more casual. (2) verb + 지 않다 (가지 않아요 = don't go) — more formal/emphatic. Both are correct. -지 않다 is slightly stronger in emphasis.
What's a common mistake?
Some verbs can't use 안: 공부하다 → 공부 안 해요 (✓) or 공부하지 않아요 (✓). But for single-syllable stems, 안 works more naturally: 안 가요 is better than 가지 않아요 in casual speech.
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