안 A/V-아/어요 (A/V-지 않아요) — not

하다 contraction: 안 + 해요 → 안 해요 (not do)

Regular ㅏ/ㅗ: 안 + 잡아요 → 안 잡아요 (not catch)

Regular other vowel: 안 + 먹어요 → 안 먹어요 (not eat)

ㅏ + 아요 contraction: 안 + 가요 → 안 가요 (not go)

ㅗ + 아요 → ㅘ요: 안 + 봐요 → 안 봐요 (not see / watch)

ㅐ + 어요 contraction: 안 + 보내요 → 안 보내요 (not send)

ㅜ + 어요 → ㅝ요: 안 + 배워요 → 안 배워요 (not learn)

ㅣ + 어요 → ㅕ요: 안 + 마셔요 → 안 마셔요 (not drink)

ㅚ + 어요 → ㅙ요: 안 + 돼요 → 안 돼요 (not become)

Complex vowel, no contraction: 안 + 쉬어요 → 안 쉬어요 (not rest)

ㄹ-final regular here: 안 + 살아요 → 안 살아요 (not live)

This pattern is added to verbs and adjectives to negate an action or state.

It approximates to 'not' in English.

It is formed by adding 안 to the front of verbs and adjectives or -지 않아요 to the end of verb and adjective stems.

Details

Because verbs that end in 하다 are comprised of 'Noun + 하다', they are negated by adding 안 to the front of the verb, forming 'Noun 안 하다'. Adjectives, on the other hand, are negated by adding 안 to the front, as in '안 + Adjective'. Note, however, that for the verbs 좋아하다 (to like) and 싫어하다 (to dislike), because they are not verbs in the form of 'Noun + 하다', but rather are indivisible, single verbs, they are written as 안 좋아하다/좋아하지 않다 and 안 싫어하다/싫어하지 않다.

Although 안 and -지 않다 can be used in declarative and interrogative sentences, they cannot be used in imperative or propositive sentences.

안 가십시오, 가지 않으십시오 ✕

안 먹읍시다，먹지 않읍시다 ✕

Kimchi Reader

A pattern used to express the negative form of a verb.