Korean Negation: 안 vs 못 vs -지 않다 vs -지 못하다

Learn the four main ways to say no or express inability in Korean — 안, 못, -지 않다, and -지 못하다 — with clear rules and example sentences.

Saying "no" in Korean is not as simple as adding one word — the language distinguishes between "I don't" (choice) and "I can't" (inability), and each has both a short spoken form and a longer written form.

안: Simple Negation ("Don't/Doesn't")

Place 안 directly before the verb to negate it as a choice or simple fact — this is the most common, casual way to say "not."

Positive	Negative with 안	Meaning
가요 (go)	안 가요	don't go
먹어요 (eat)	안 먹어요	don't eat
좋아요 (good)	안 좋아요	not good

못: Inability ("Can't")

못 expresses inability due to circumstance, skill, or external limitation — not a choice.

Positive	Negative with 못	Meaning
가요 (go)	못 가요	can't go
먹어요 (eat)	못 먹어요	can't eat
자요 (sleep)	못 자요	can't sleep

The Long Forms: -지 않다 and -지 못하다

Both 안 and 못 have longer, slightly more formal equivalents attached directly to the verb stem, common in writing and formal speech.

Short form	Long form	Meaning
안 가요	가지 않아요	don't go
못 먹어요	먹지 못해요	can't eat

Important Exception: -하다 Verbs

For verbs ending in -하다 (like 공부하다, to study), 안 and 못 go between the noun and 하다, not before the whole word.

• 공부 안 해요. — I don't study. (not 안 공부해요)
• 운동 못 해요. — I can't exercise. (not 못 운동해요)

Quick FAQ

Is 안 or -지 않다 more common in speech? 안 is far more common in casual spoken Korean; -지 않다 appears more in writing, news, and formal contexts.

Can I combine 안 and 못 in one sentence? No — choose whichever fits the situation. If something is both undesired and impossible, context usually makes 못 the more natural choice.

Getting negation right instantly makes your Korean sound more precise. Klovers' grammar lessons drill the difference between "won't" and "can't" until choosing the right form becomes automatic.