2 · Negation
Long negation: -지 않다 and -지 못하다
negation after the stem
Instead of a word before the verb, -지 않다 (not) or -지 못하다 (cannot) after the stem: 가지 않아요, 가지 못해요.
-지 goes straight onto the stem, with no vowel rule, and is followed by 않다 or 못하다 as a separate word: 가다 → 가지 않아요, 가지 못해요; 먹다 → 먹지 않아요; 공부하다 → 공부하지 않아요. Tense and politeness go on the second verb: 가지 않았어요, 가지 못했습니다. Note the spelling 않, with a silent final: it sounds like the short 안, and 않아요 is said [아나요].
-지 않다 means the same as 안, and -지 못하다 the same as 못: 가지 않아요 = 안 가요, 가지 못해요 = 못 가요. The long forms sound more careful and more neutral, and they are the normal choice in formal speech and in writing — 참석하지 못했습니다 in an email, 사용하지 않습니다 in an announcement.
In practice: the short forms in everyday conversation, the long forms when you write or speak formally. With adjectives the long form is very common in conversation too: 비싸지 않아요, 어렵지 않아요. And with a long noun + 하다 verb, the long form keeps the word together instead of splitting it: 결정하지 않았어요 reads more smoothly than 결정 안 했어요.
As a question, -지 않아요? often asks for agreement: 좀 춥지 않아요?, "isn't it a bit cold?". Shortened in speech to -잖아요, it becomes a different ending altogether, "you know", treated in its own topic. With -지 않을래요? it makes an invitation: 같이 가지 않을래요?, "would you like to come along?".
The form
| not, after the stem | 가지 않아요 |
| cannot, after the stem | 가지 못해요 |
| past | 먹지 않았어요, 먹지 못했어요 |
| formal | 하지 않습니다, 하지 못했습니다 |
| adjective | 비싸지 않아요 |
| question | 춥지 않아요? |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
-지 attaches to any stem, and 않다 follows as a separate word.
저는 아침을 먹지 않아요.I don't eat breakfast.
Tense and politeness go on 않다 or 못하다.
어제는 회사에 가지 않았어요.I didn't go to work yesterday.
-지 못하다 means "cannot", like 못.
비가 와서 산에 올라가지 못했어요.It rained, so we couldn't climb the mountain.
In formal speech and in writing, the long form is the normal one.
죄송하지만 그날은 참석하지 못합니다.I am sorry, but I cannot attend on that day.
With adjectives, the long form is common in conversation too.
이 문제는 어렵지 않아요.This problem isn't difficult.
A closer look
Choosing short or long
Both forms are standard, and most sentences could take either. The choice is one of register: 안 가요 sounds relaxed and spoken, 가지 않아요 deliberate and a little formal. A news reader says 밝히지 않았습니다, "did not disclose", not 안 밝혔습니다.
The long form is also the usual way to ask for agreement. 이 옷 예쁘지 않아요? expects the answer "yes, it is"; 이 옷 안 예뻐요? sounds more like a genuine question about whether it is pretty at all.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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the stem is 있다, 알다 or the copula
the negative words are preferred here too: 없어요, 몰라요, 아니에요. 알지 못하다 exists, but mainly in writing, where it means "to be unaware of".
그때는 그 사실을 알지 못했습니다.At the time I was not aware of that fact.
The negative partners are the everyday words; the long forms with -지 sound bookish beside them.
How to spot it
- -지 않다
- -지 못하다
- 않아요
- 못했어요
Example sentences
그 식당은 별로 비싸지 않아요.That restaurant isn't very expensive.
저는 술을 마시지 않습니다.I do not drink alcohol.
시간이 없어서 아직 확인하지 못했어요.I haven't had time to check yet.
오늘은 날씨가 덥지 않네요.Oh, it isn't hot today.
좀 춥지 않아요?Isn't it a bit cold?
같이 영화 보지 않을래요?Would you like to see a film together?
7 more example sentences
저는 매운 음식을 좋아하지 않아요.I don't like spicy food.
이 길은 밤에 안전하지 않아요.This road isn't safe at night.
그 사람은 약속 시간을 지키지 않았어요.He didn't turn up at the time we agreed.
너무 긴장해서 말을 잘하지 못했어요.I was so nervous that I couldn't speak well.
이 제품은 어린이에게 적합하지 않습니다.This product is not suitable for children.
요즘은 별로 바쁘지 않아요.I'm not very busy these days.
그날 일은 아직도 잊지 못해요.I still can't forget what happened that day.
Worth knowing (1)
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The silent letter in the long negative
않다 keeps a silent final in writing, and it shows in the sound only through what it does to the next consonant: 않고 sounds [안코], 않지만 [안치만], and 않습니다 [안씀니다].
저는 커피를 마시지 않고 차를 마셔요.I don't drink coffee; I drink tea.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
The long negative is spelled 않, with a silent final consonant, not 안. Both sound alike before 아요, which is exactly why the spelling goes wrong. The rule: 안 stands alone before a verb; 않 always follows -지.
Short before the verb when you talk, long after the stem when you write: an gayo, gaji anayo.
Your turn
10 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.