Language/Korean/Grammar/Negation

Korean Grammar - Negation

Hi Korean learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be exploring the concept of negation in Korean grammar. Negation refers to the process of forming negative sentences in a language. In Korean grammar, negation involves the use of special particles and verbs to express a negative meaning.

Negative Particles

In Korean grammar, there are two primary negative particles: "안" and "못".

The first particle, "안", is the most commonly used negative particle. It is used to negate verbs and adjectives. For example:

Korean	Pronunciation	English
먹다	meokda	to eat
안 먹다	an meokda	to not eat
예쁘다	yeppeuda	pretty
안 예쁘다	an yeppeuda	not pretty

The second particle, "못", is used to express the idea of "can't" or "unable to". For example:

Korean	Pronunciation	English
할 수 있다	hal su itda	can do
할 수 없다	hal su eopda	cannot do

Negative Verbs

In addition to negative particles, Korean also has negative verbs. Negative verbs indicate a negative meaning by themselves, without the need for a particle. The two most common negative verbs in Korean are "아니다" and "모르다".

The verb "아니다" means "to not be" or "to be not". It is often used to negate a sentence by stating that something doesn't exist or isn't true. For example:

Korean	Pronunciation	English
나는 학생이 아니다	naneun haksaengi anida	I am not a student
이것은 사과가 아니다	igeoseun sagwaga anida	This is not an apple

The verb "모르다" means "to not know" or "to be unaware of". It is typically used to express a lack of knowledge about something or someone.

Korean	Pronunciation	English
나는 그 사람을 모른다	naneun geu saram-eul moreunda	I don't know that person
이것은 무슨 뜻인지 모르겠다	igeoseun museun tteus-inji moreugessda	I don't know what this means

Practice with Dialogues

To better understand how to use negative particles and verbs in Korean grammar, here are a few dialogues to practice with:

• Person 1: 먹었어요? (Did you eat?)
• Person 2: 아니요, 안 먹었어요. (No, I didn't eat)

• Person 1: 이 영화를 볼 수 있어요? (Can you watch this movie?)
• Person 2: 아니요, 못 봐요. (No, I can't watch it)

• Person 1: 이것이 예쁘지 않아요? (Isn't this pretty?)
• Person 2: 음, 아니에요. (Um, no it's not)

Cultural Insight

In Korean culture, using negation can be seen as a polite way to decline an offer or invitation. For example, if someone offers food to a Korean person, it is common for the person to say "안 먹을게요" (I won't eat) to politely decline the offer.

Conclusion

Negation is an important aspect of Korean grammar, allowing speakers to express negative ideas or show politeness when declining offers or invitations. To improve your understanding of Korean Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Korean grammar Wikipedia page
• Korean language Wikipedia page
• Korean particles Wikipedia page