In Korean, there are many ways to make a negative sentence. Today, I'll show you the ending that has a negative meaning. In particular, the informal polite present tense form. I'll also show you the differences with the similar grammar.
<Table of Contents>
1. 지 않아요 Grammar
Meaning
지 않다 is an ending(expression) that changes a sentence into a negative sentence. It can be attached to a verb or adjective stem. You can translate it as "not" in English. You'll learn the details of "지 않다" in the future. For today, let's focus on the informal polite present tense form!
The stem of 않다 is 않. To make the informal polite present form, we attach 아/어/여요. It depends on the last vowel. The vowel of 않 is ㅏ. Then, we will apply the regular rule number 1, adding 아요. So, 않다 will become 않아요.
지 않아요. = am/are/is/do/does not
e.g. 한국어는 어렵지 않아요. The Korean language is not difficult.
Pronunciation
basic form | |
present tense form |
Listen to the words! 않다 sounds [안타]. For the double final consonant ㄶ, the ㄴ survives. ㅎ is silent. However, that doesn't mean ㅎ just disappears! It still affects the next consonant which is ㄷ. The consonant ㅌ originally came by combining ㄷ and ㅎ. So, even though we write the word "않다" we should read it as [안타].
However, 않아요 sounds [아나요]. The ㅎ again is silent and it can't affect ㅇ since it doesn't have any sounds. After ㅎ disappears, we have [안아요] left. Now, the final consonant ㄴ from 안 moves on to the next empty spot. So, it becomes [아나요].
Sentence Types
"지 않아요" can be used in a statement, question, or exclamation sentences. It is not used in a command or request.
Statement: 진수 씨가 공부를 하지 않아요. Jinsu doesn't study.
Question: 진수 씨가 공부를 하지 않아요? Jinsu doesn't study?
Exclamation: 진수 씨가 공부를 하지 않아요! Jinse doesn't study!
2. Conjugation Information
지 part is attached to a verb or an adjective stem. But there is good news. You don't have to worry about the conjugation rules! You can simply and directly attach 지 않아요 to the stem! I'll still show you some examples.
먹다 to eat → 먹지 않아요.
가다 to go → 가지 않아요.
예쁘다 to be pretty → 예쁘지 않아요.
듣다 to listen → 듣지 않아요.
춥다 to be cold → 춥지 않아요.
3. Sentence Information
Let's compare the similar grammar. Like 지 않다, there is an adverb that makes a sentence into a negative one. Remember the negative adverb 안? By attaching 안 before the verb, you can make the negative sentence.
안 is a short way to make a negative sentence, people call it "단형부정(a short negative form)." 지 않다 is called "장형부정(a long negative form)."
People like to say things quickly, so 안 is more commonly used in daily speaking. 지 않다 is more often used in written language or formal situations.
Here is the summary chart for you. Read carefully and compare them!
안 + V/Adj | V/Adj+지 않다 |
단형 부정 A short negative form It is usually used in a speaking language. | 장형 부정 A long negative form It is usually used in a written language. |
한국어는 안 어려워요. | 한국어는 어렵지 않아요. |
In the case of 하다 verbs, 하다 must be spilited. 안 attach between noun and 하다. (하다 is the actual verb part.) | -지 않다 is attachd to 하. 하다 verb can be split or not. |
공부하다 진수 씨가 공부를 안 해요.(O) 진수 씨가 안 공부해요. (X) | 공부하다 진수 씨가 공부하지 않아요. (O) 진수 씨가 공부를 하지 않아요. (O) |
4. Examples
1
식당에 사람이 많지 않아요. There are not many people in the restaurant.
지 않아요 is attached to 많다. It means to be a lot(many/much). 식당 is a restaurant.
2
저는 저녁에 커피를 마시지 않아요. I don't drink coffee in the evening.
저녁 is evening. 커피 is easy to guess, yes, it is coffee. 지 않아요 is attached to 마시다 (to drink).
3
민수 씨는 아파요. 하지만 병원에 가지 않아요. Minsu is sick. But he is not going to the hospital.
아파요 came from 아프다(to be sick). 하지만 is a conjunction, meaning "but" or "however." 지 않아요 is attached to 가다 (to go) this time.
4
저는 지금 배가 고프지 않아요. I'm not hungry now.
지금 means now. 배 is stomach and 배가 고프다 means "to be hungry." It is also used as 배고프다.
5
Q: 지금 좀 배고프지 않아요? Aren't you hungry a bit now?
A: 네, 배고파요. Yes, I'm hungry.
Here is an example with a question. 지 않아요 is attached to 배고프다 (to be hungry) and used as "Aren't you?"
5. Wrap-up & Worksheet: 지 않아요 Grammar
Since we focused on the present tense form, the lesson wasn't that difficult today. Here is the summary for you!
지 않아요 makes a negative present tense sentence.
It can be attached to a verb or an adjective stem.
You can attach it directly without conjugation.
I prepared the free and printable Korean grammar worksheet. Try to change the words into the negative form!
If this lesson was helpful, please like my post and subscribe to my website for future updates! In the next lesson, you'll learn about how to change a verb into a noun. Thank you for studying using My Korean lesson. 감사합니다! 🤗