-지 않다

Build it

When to use it

Attach -지 to the plain stem and conjugate 않다 at the end: 가 + 지 않다 gives 가지 않아요. There is no vowel harmony and no consonant rule — every verb and adjective behaves the same way.

The one advantage over 안 is structural: 하다 verbs do not split. Where 안 forces 공부 안 해요, this ending gives the clean 공부하지 않아요. That regularity is part of why writing prefers it.

Both forms are equally polite. 안 is shorter and dominates speech; -지 않다 sounds more measured and turns up in essays, reports, and news, and in speech when someone is being emphatic or careful.

How to attach it

In use

1. 저는 커피를 마시지 않아요.

   I don’t drink coffee.

2. 그 영화는 재미있지 않았어요.

   That movie wasn’t interesting.

3. 주말에는 일하지 않습니다.

   I don’t work at the weekend.

4. 이 문제는 어렵지 않아요.

   This problem isn’t difficult.

5. 아직 결정하지 않았어요.

   I haven’t decided yet.

6. 그 사람은 한국어를 공부하지 않아요.

   He doesn’t study Korean.

Compared with

• 안

  Identical meaning, different rhythm. 안 wins in conversation; -지 않다 wins in writing and whenever a 하다 verb would otherwise have to split.

  공부 안 해요. (speech)  /  공부하지 않아요. (writing)

• -지 못하다

  Swap 않다 for 못하다 and the meaning shifts from “do not” to “cannot.” The construction is otherwise the same.

  가지 않았어요. (chose not to)  /  가지 못했어요. (was unable to)

• -지 말다

  For telling someone not to do something, negation moves to 말다. 않다 cannot form a command.

  가지 않아요. (I don’t go)  /  가지 마세요. (please don’t go)

Watch out

• 저는 공부 하지 않아요.

  저는 공부하지 않아요.

  Unlike 안, this ending leaves 하다 verbs whole. Splitting them is a habit carried over from the short form.

• 시간이 있지 않아요.

  시간이 없어요.

  있다 has its own opposite. The same applies to 알다 and 모르다, whichever negation pattern you are using.

• 여기에서 담배를 피우지 않으세요.

  여기에서 담배를 피우지 마세요.

  않다 states a fact and cannot give an order. Requests and prohibitions use -지 말다.

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