I. Examples
Firstly, ‘안’ of 안 A/V-아/어요 approximates to ‘not’ in English. Thus, negating verbs and adjectives is formed by adding 안 to the front of verbs and adjectives. Second way of negating verbs and adjective is to add -지 않아요 to the end of verb and adjective stems.
<Example 1>
- 방이 안 넓어요. (The room is not spacious)
= 방이 넓지 않아요.
<Example 2>
- 저는 해산물을 안 먹어요. (I do not eat seafood.)
= 저는 해산물을 먹지 않아요.
II. Grammar Point
1. The Point
- 타다(ride)
- 안 타요
- 타지 않아요
- 멀다(far away)
- 안 멀어요
- 멀지 않아요
- 덥다(hot) * irregular form
- 안 더워요
- 덥지 않아요
- 걷다(walk) * irregular form
- 안 걸어요 (not walking)
- 걷지 않아요
2. Verbs Ending in ‘하다’
Most, if not all, verbs that end in ‘하다’ are composed of ‘Noun + 하다.’ Therefore, they can be negated by either placing ‘안’ before the verb part ‘하다,’ resulting in ‘Noun + 안하다,’ or by adding ‘-지 않다’ after ‘하’ in ‘하다,’ resulting in ‘Noun + 하지 않다.
- 일하다(work)
- 일 안 해요
- 일하지 않아요
- 공부하다(study)
- 공부 안 해요
- 공부하지 않아요
3. Adjectives Ending in ‘하다’
On the other hand, adjectives that end in ‘하다’ are negated by adding ‘안’ to the front of the adjective, not before the ‘하다’ part, as in ‘안 + Adjective’. That being said, putting ‘안’ before the 하다 part is not grammatically incorrect, but it is less commonly used. In fact, it sounds awkward, but still makes sense.
- 친절하다(kind)
- 안 친절해요
- 친절하지 않아요
- 친절 안 해요 (?)
- 불편하다(uncomfortable)
- 안 불편해요
- 불편하지 않아요
- 불편 안 해요 (?)
4. 좋아하다 / 싫어하다
Though 좋아하다(like) and 싫어하다(dislike) ends in 하다, these are not verbs in the form of ‘Noun + 하다’. In fact, these are single and indivisible verbs. Thus, they are written as 안 좋아하다 / 좋아하지 않다 and 안 싫어하다 / 싫어하지 않다. That being said, putting ‘안’ before the 하다 part is not grammatically incorrect when spoken, but it is not correct in written or formal Korean.
- 좋아하다(like)
- 안 좋아해요
- 좋아하지 않아요
- 좋아 안 해요
–> spoken(?), written(X)
- 싫어하다(dislike)
- 안 싫어해요
- 싫어하지 않아요
- 싫어 안 해요
–> spoken(?), written(X)
5. Not Usable in Imperative OR Propositive
안 and -지 않다 can be used in declarative and interrogative sentences. On the other hand, the style cannot be used in imperative or propositive sentences. Rather, -지 마라(말자) / -지 마십시오(맙시다) is used in imperative or propositive sentences.
- Please do not go.
- 안 가십시오. (X)
- 가지 않으십시오. (X)
- 가지 마라. (O)
- 가지 마십시오. (O)
- Let’s not go.
- 가지 말자. (O)
- 가지 맙시다. (O)
- Let’s no eat.
- 안 먹읍시다. (X)
- 먹지 않읍시다. (X)
- 먹지 말자. (O)
- 먹지 맙시다. (O)
III. Practice
- 오늘 영화를 ___ (보다)
- 매일 운동을 ___ (하다)
- 식당 종업원이 ___ (친절하다)