안 - Simple Negation
안 is a simple and common way to make negative sentences in Korean.
It is placed before a verb or adjective and usually means “not,” “do not,” or “does not.”
- 저는 커피를 안 마셔요.
I do not drink coffee. - 오늘은 안 추워요.
It is not cold today. - 민수 씨는 학교에 안 가요.
Minsu does not go to school.
안 is especially common in everyday conversation.
Basic Sentence Structure
The basic structure is:
안 + Verb or Adjective
- 가요 → 안 가요
go → do not go - 먹어요 → 안 먹어요
eat → do not eat - 비싸요 → 안 비싸요
is expensive → is not expensive - 추워요 → 안 추워요
is cold → is not cold
안 does not change according to the tense, subject, or level of politeness.
The verb or adjective after 안 carries the tense and sentence ending.
Negating Action Verbs
Place 안 directly before an action verb.
- 저는 아침을 안 먹어요.
I do not eat breakfast. - 친구가 오늘 학교에 안 가요.
My friend is not going to school today. - 저는 커피를 안 마셔요.
I do not drink coffee. - 민수 씨는 텔레비전을 안 봐요.
Minsu does not watch television. - 주말에는 일 안 해요.
I do not work on weekends.
The topic, subject, object, and other sentence elements remain in their usual positions.
- 저는 한국어를 안 공부해요.
Literal: As for me, Korean not study.
Natural: I do not study Korean.
Negating Adjectives
안 can also be placed before Korean adjectives.
- 오늘은 안 추워요.
It is not cold today. - 이 가방은 안 비싸요.
This bag is not expensive. - 음식이 안 매워요.
The food is not spicy. - 제 방은 안 커요.
My room is not big. - 한국어가 안 어려워요.
Korean is not difficult.
Korean adjectives conjugate like verbs, so 안 can be used with both action verbs and descriptive adjectives.
Using 안 with 하다 Verbs
Many Korean verbs are formed with a noun and 하다.
Examples include:
- 공부하다
to study - 운동하다
to exercise - 일하다
to work - 요리하다
to cook
In natural conversation, 안 is commonly placed before 하다.
- 공부 안 해요.
I do not study. - 운동 안 해요.
I do not exercise. - 오늘은 일 안 해요.
I do not work today. - 집에서 요리 안 해요.
I do not cook at home.
The object can also remain in the sentence.
- 한국어를 공부 안 해요.
I do not study Korean. - 오늘 운동을 안 해요.
I am not exercising today.
Forms such as 안 공부해요 are understandable, but 공부 안 해요 is often more natural in everyday conversation.
Using 안 in Different Tenses
안 stays in the same position. Only the verb or adjective changes tense.
Present tense
- 저는 고기를 안 먹어요.
I do not eat meat.
Past tense
- 어제 고기를 안 먹었어요.
I did not eat meat yesterday.
Future tense
- 내일 고기를 안 먹을 거예요.
I will not eat meat tomorrow.
Another example:
- 오늘 학교에 안 가요.
I am not going to school today. - 어제 학교에 안 갔어요.
I did not go to school yesterday. - 내일 학교에 안 갈 거예요.
I will not go to school tomorrow.
Using 안 in Questions
안 can be used in questions when asking whether someone does not do something or whether a condition is not true.
- 커피를 안 마셔요?
Do you not drink coffee? - 오늘 학교에 안 가요?
Are you not going to school today? - 음식이 안 매워요?
Is the food not spicy? - 한국어가 안 어려워요?
Is Korean not difficult?
These questions may express surprise, confirmation, or a genuine request for information.
Short Answers
- 네, 안 마셔요.
No, I do not drink it. - 네, 안 가요.
No, I am not going.
In Korean, 네 confirms that the negative statement is correct.
For example:
- 커피를 안 마셔요?
Do you not drink coffee? - 네, 안 마셔요.
That is correct. I do not drink coffee.
This can feel different from English, where the answer may begin with “No.”
More Examples
- 저는 술을 안 마셔요.
I do not drink alcohol. - 아침에는 텔레비전을 안 봐요.
I do not watch television in the morning. - 친구가 전화를 안 해요.
My friend does not call. - 오늘은 비가 안 와요.
It is not raining today. - 이 신발은 안 편해요.
These shoes are not comfortable. - 저는 매운 음식을 안 좋아해요.
I do not like spicy food. - 주말에는 일찍 안 일어나요.
I do not wake up early on weekends. - 요즘 운동을 안 해요.
I do not exercise these days.
안 좋아요 and 안 좋아해요
These two expressions have different grammatical structures.
안 좋아요
좋다 is an adjective meaning “to be good.”
- 날씨가 안 좋아요.
The weather is not good. - 기분이 안 좋아요.
I do not feel well.
I am in a bad mood.
안 좋아해요
좋아하다 is a verb meaning “to like.”
- 저는 커피를 안 좋아해요.
I do not like coffee. - 민수 씨는 운동을 안 좋아해요.
Minsu does not like exercise.
Compare:
- 이 음식은 안 좋아요.
This food is not good. - 저는 이 음식을 안 좋아해요.
I do not like this food.
안 and 못
Both 안 and 못 can make a negative sentence, but they have different meanings.
안 means that someone does not do something, often because of a choice, habit, or simple negative fact.
- 저는 커피를 안 마셔요.
I do not drink coffee.
못 means that someone cannot do something because of a lack of ability or because a situation makes it impossible.
- 저는 커피를 못 마셔요.
I cannot drink coffee.
Compare:
- 오늘 학교에 안 가요.
I am not going to school today. - 오늘 학교에 못 가요.
I cannot go to school today.
For now, remember:
안 = do not
못 = cannot
Special Negative Forms
Some Korean expressions use a separate negative form instead of 안.
이에요/예요 → 아니에요
Use 아니에요 to say that a noun is not something.
- 저는 학생이 아니에요.
I am not a student.
Do not place 안 before 이에요 or 예요.
저는 학생이 아니에요. ✓
저는 학생이 안 이에요. ✗
있어요 → 없어요
Use 없어요 to express nonexistence or lack of possession.
- 책이 없어요.
There is no book. - 저는 시간이 없어요.
I do not have time.
For beginners, use 없어요 rather than 안 있어요 when something does not exist or someone does not have something.
책이 없어요. ✓
책이 안 있어요. ✗
Common Mistakes
Placing 안 after the verb
안 normally comes before the verb or adjective.
커피를 안 마셔요. ✓
커피를 마셔요 안. ✗
오늘은 안 추워요. ✓
오늘은 추워요 안. ✗
Attaching 안 to the following word
안 is written separately from the verb or adjective.
안 먹어요. ✓
안먹어요. ✗
안 비싸요. ✓
안비싸요. ✗
With 하다 verbs, the common structure is also written with spaces.
공부 안 해요. ✓
공부안해요. ✗
Using 안 with 이에요/예요
Use 아니에요 instead.
의사가 아니에요. ✓
의사가 안 이에요. ✗
Using 안 있어요 for nonexistence
Use 없어요 when something does not exist or when someone does not have something.
시간이 없어요. ✓
시간이 안 있어요. ✗
Confusing 안 with 못
Use 안 for a simple negative statement.
- 저는 고기를 안 먹어요.
I do not eat meat.
Use 못 when an action is impossible.
- 저는 고기를 못 먹어요.
I cannot eat meat.
Quick Practice
Change each sentence into a negative sentence using 안.
- 저는 커피를 마셔요.
- 친구가 학교에 가요.
- 오늘은 날씨가 추워요.
- 민수 씨는 운동해요.
- 저는 텔레비전을 봐요.
- 이 가방은 비싸요.
Answers
- 저는 커피를 안 마셔요.
- 친구가 학교에 안 가요.
- 오늘은 날씨가 안 추워요.
- 민수 씨는 운동 안 해요.
- 저는 텔레비전을 안 봐요.
- 이 가방은 안 비싸요.
Sentence Practice
Complete each sentence with your own information.
- 저는 __________을/를 안 먹어요.
- 저는 __________을/를 안 마셔요.
- 주말에는 __________ 안 해요.
- 오늘은 __________에 안 가요.
- 저는 __________을/를 안 좋아해요.
- 제 고향은 안 __________.
Key Points
- Place 안 before a verb or adjective.
- 안 is a simple and common way to express negation.
- Write 안 separately from the following verb or adjective.
- With many 하다 verbs, place 안 before 하다: 공부 안 해요.
- 안 stays in the same position in present, past, and future sentences.
- Use 아니에요 instead of 안 with 이에요/예요.
- Use 없어요 to express nonexistence or lack of possession.
- 안 means “do not,” while 못 generally means “cannot.”
Continue Learning
Next grammar:
-지 않아요 ✨ Standard Negation
