Korean Negation

In Korean, there is no single word for “not.” Instead, negation depends on what you are negating — existence, identity, an action, or an ability. This chapter covers the four most important ways to make negative sentences in Korean.

있다 / 없다 — To Exist / Not to Exist

있다 and 없다 are opposite pairs. 있다 means “to exist” or “to have,” and 없다 means “the opposite — to not exist” or “to not have.” These are separate words, not a negation pattern added to another verb.

Examples 예문

시간이 있어요. I have time.
시간이 없어요. I don’t have time.

오늘 약속이 있어요. I have plans today.
오늘 약속이 없어요. I don’t have plans today.

집에 고양이가 있어요. There is a cat at home.
집에 고양이가 없어요. There is no cat at home.

💡 있다 / 없다 are also used to talk about location.
런던에 있어요. I am in London. (I exist in London)
지민은 한국에 있어요. Jimin is in Korea.

Noun이다 / 아니다 — To Be / Not to Be

You already learned Noun + 이에요/예요 to say “I am .” To say “I am NOT ,” Korean uses Noun + 이/가 아니에요. Notice that the subject particle (이/가) is needed before 아니에요 — even though there is no separate subject in the sentence.

With 받침* → 이 아니에요

저는 학생이에요. I am a student.
저는 학생이 아니에요. I am not a student.

이건 선생님 책이에요. This is the teacher’s book.
이건 선생님 책이 아니에요. This is not the teacher’s book.

Without 받침* → 가 아니에요

저는 의사예요. I am a doctor.
저는 의사가 아니에요. I am not a doctor.

지민은 배우예요. Jimin is an actor.
지민은 배우가 아니에요. Jimin is not an actor.

☕ Don’t forget the particle!
이/가 아니에요 — NOT just 아니에요
This connects back to the Subject Particle you learned earlier.

안 / -지 않다 — Not (General Negation)

To say a verb or adjective is “not” happening, Korean has two ways — adding 안 before the verb, or adding -지 않다 after the verb stem. Both have the same meaning, but 안 + verb is more common in everyday speech.

저는 커피를 안 마셔요. I don’t drink coffee.
오늘 안 바빠요. I am not busy today.
지민은 안 와요. Jimin is not coming.

Verb stem + -지 않아요

저는 커피를 마시지 않아요. I don’t drink coffee.
오늘 바쁘지 않아요. I am not busy today.
지민은 오지 않아요. Jimin is not coming.

💡 Both forms mean the same thing.
안 + verb is shorter and more common in conversation.
-지 않다 is slightly more formal but still used in everyday speech.

Special Case — 하다 Verbs

With 하다 verbs, 안 goes before 하다 — not before the whole verb.

공부하다 → 공부 안 해요 ✓
안 공부해요 ✗

운동하다 → 운동 안 해요 ✓
안 운동해요 ✗

못 / -지 못하다 — Cannot (Inability)

While 안 simply means “not” (a choice or fact), 못 means “cannot” — describing something you are unable to do. Like 안, it also has two forms: 못 before the verb, or -지 못하다 after the verb stem.

못 + Verb

저는 운전을 하지 못해요. I can’t drive.
오늘 가지 못해요. I can’t go today.
지민은 오지 못해요. Jimin can’t come.

☕ Same rule for 하다 verbs!
운전하다 → 운전 못 해요 ✓
못 운전해요 ✗

안 vs 못 — What’s the Difference?

안 and 못 are often confused because both can be translated as “not” in English. The difference is about choice vs. ability.

안 — Choice / Simple Negation

저는 운동 안 해요. I don’t exercise. (a choice — I simply don’t)

못 — Inability

저는 수영 못 해요. I can’t swim. (I am unable to)

💡 Compare:
저는 매운 음식을 안 먹어요. I don’t eat spicy food. (choice — I don’t want to)
저는 매운 음식을 못 먹어요. I can’t eat spicy food. (ability — it’s too spicy for me!)

Summary · 정리

Meaning	Pattern	Example
Not to exist / not to have	없다	시간이 없어요.
Not to be (Noun)	이/가 아니에요	학생이 아니에요.
Not (choice)	안 + V / V-지 않다	안 마셔요. / 마시지 않아요.
Cannot (ability)	못 + V / V-지 못하다	못 해요. / 하지 못해요.

Practice · 연습

Exercise 1 — Choose the correct negation 맞는 부정형을 고르세요

1. 저는 고기를 __ 먹어요. (안 / 못) — I don’t eat meat. (vegetarian, by choice)
2. 저는 매운 음식을 __ 먹어요. (안 / 못) — I can’t eat spicy food. (too spicy for me)
3. 오늘 시간이 __. (안 / 없어요) — I don’t have time today.
4. 지민은 가수__. (이/가 아니에요 / 안 가수예요) — Jimin is not a singer.
5. 저는 운전을 __ 해요. (안 / 못) (I have never learned to drive)

Answers 정답

1. 안 (choice — vegetarian)
2. 못 (ability — too spicy)
3. 없어요
4. 가수가 아니에요
5. 못 (never learned — inability)

Exercise 2 — Translate into Korean 한국어로 쓰세요

1. I don’t have a car.
   → ____________________
2. I am not a teacher.
   → ____________________
3. I don’t drink coffee. (choice)
   → ____________________
4. I can’t swim. (ability)
   → ____________________

Answers 정답

1. 저는 차가 없어요.
2. 저는 선생님이 아니에요.
3. 저는 커피를 안 마셔요. / 커피를 마시지 않아요.
4. 저는 수영을 못 해요. / 수영을 하지 못해요.