Understanding Negative Forms in Korean
In Korean, making a sentence negative is important when you want to say that something is not happening or someone is not doing something. There are different ways to make a sentence negative, and we will learn about them here.
Important Points
- Using '안' before a verb or adjective
- Using '-지 않다' after a verb or adjective
- Using '못' to express inability
The word '안' is placed directly before the verb or adjective to make it negative. This is similar to saying 'not' in English.
Another way to make a verb or adjective negative is by using '-지 않다'. You add '-지' to the verb or adjective stem and then '않다'. This is more formal than using '안'.
Examples
- 나는 학교에 가지 않아요.
- 그것은 어렵지 않아요.
The word '못' is used to say someone cannot do something because they are unable to. It is placed before the verb.
Examples
- 나는 수영을 못 해요.
- 그는 피아노를 못 쳐요.
Practice using these negative forms in sentences you use every day. Try to make both simple and complex sentences negative. This will help you understand how to use these forms naturally.