Negation Patterns

ലെവൽ 1

Korean has two main ways to say 'not': placing '안' before a verb/adjective, or attaching '-지 않다' after a verb/adjective stem.

ഇത് എങ്ങനെ പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്നു

In Korean, there are two primary ways to negate verbs and adjectives. Both are very common.

1. Short Form: 안 + Verb/Adjective
This is the simpler and more common way in conversation. You just place 안 directly before the verb or adjective.

가다 (to go) → 안 가요 (don't go)
예쁘다 (to be pretty) → 안 예뻐요 (not pretty)

Important Rule for 하다 verbs: For verbs that are a noun + 하다 (e.g., 공부하다 - to study), 안 goes between the noun and 하다.

공부하다 (to study) → 공부를 안 해요 or 공부 안 해요 (don't study)
운동하다 (to exercise) → 운동 안 해요 (don't exercise)
Incorrect: 안 공부해요 (X)

2. Long Form: Verb/Adjective Stem + -지 않다
This form is also very common and can sound a bit more formal or emphatic. You attach -지 않다 to the verb or adjective stem.

먹다 (to eat) → 먹지 않아요 (don't eat)
비싸다 (to be expensive) → 비싸지 않아요 (not expensive)

Both forms are generally interchangeable in meaning. For example, '안 먹어요' and '먹지 않아요' both mean 'I don't eat.'

This pattern covers simple negation ('not'). For expressing inability ('cannot'), you use 못.

ഉദാഹരണങ്ങൾ (5)

저는 아침을 안 먹어요.
I don't eat breakfast.
വാക്കിന് വാക്ക്: I breakfast (object) not eat.
This is the short-form negation using '안' placed before the verb '먹어요'.
저는 아침을 먹지 않아요.
I don't eat breakfast.
വാക്കിന് വാക്ക്: I breakfast (object) eat not.
This is the long-form negation using '-지 않아요' attached to the verb stem '먹다'. It has the same meaning as '안 먹어요'.
이 음식은 안 짜요.
This food is not salty.
വാക്കിന് വാക്ക്: This food not is salty.
Here, '안' is used to negate the adjective '짜다' (to be salty).
주말에는 공부 안 해요.
I don't study on the weekend.
വാക്കിന് വാക്ക്: On weekends study not do.
For 하다 verbs like '공부하다', '안' is placed between the noun part (공부) and '해요'.
저는 김치를 못 먹어요.
I can't eat kimchi.
വാക്കിന് വാക്ക്: I kimchi (object) cannot eat.
This example uses '못' instead of '안'. It means 'cannot' (due to inability, spiciness, etc.), not just 'do not'.

സാധാരണ തെറ്റുകൾ

Placing '안' before a 하다 verb instead of between the noun and 하다.
저는 안 운동해요.
저는 운동 안 해요.
For verbs made of a noun + 하다 (like 운동하다, 공부하다, 일하다), '안' must come right before '하다'.
Using '안' (don't) when you mean '못' (can't).
വേറെ അർത്ഥം저는 수영을 안 해요. (When you mean you don't know how to swim)
저는 수영을 못 해요.
Use '안' when you choose not to do something. Use '못' when you lack the ability or are prevented from doing something. '수영을 안 해요' means 'I don't swim' (by choice), while '수영을 못 해요' means 'I can't swim'.