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Lesson 4
Negation: 안, 못, ~지 않다
Three ways to make negative sentences in Korean.
안 — Simple Negation (won't / don't)
Place 안 before the verb/adjective. It means you choose not to or it simply isn't. For 하다 verbs, put 안 between the noun and 하다: 공부 안 해요.
오늘은 안 가요.oneureun an gayoI'm not going today.
저는 고기를 안 먹어요.jeoneun gogireul an meogeoyoI don't eat meat.
못 — Cannot / Unable to
Place 못 before the verb. It means you are unable to due to lack of ability or circumstances. For 하다 verbs: 못 해요 or noun을/를 못 해요.
수영을 못 해요.suyeongeul mot haeyoI can't swim.
어제 못 잤어요.eoje mot jasseoyoI couldn't sleep yesterday.
좋아하다joahadato like
Examples매운 음식을 안 좋아해요.maeun eumsigeul an joahaeyoI don't like spicy food.
알다aldato know
Examples그 사람을 몰라요.geu sarameul mollayoI don't know that person.
운전하다unjeonhadato drive
Examples저는 운전을 못 해요.jeoneun unjeoneul mot haeyoI can't drive.
이해하다ihaehadato understand
Examples이 문장을 이해하지 못해요.i munjangeul ihaehaji motaeyoI can't understand this sentence.
필요하다piryohadato be necessary / to need
Examples그건 필요하지 않아요.geugeon piryohaji anayoThat is not necessary.
비싸다bissadato be expensive
Examples이건 안 비싸요.igeon an bissayoThis is not expensive.