Negative sentence (Korean)

The Korean language has at least two basic ways to form negative sentences:[cite:@talktomeinkorean2015talk]

1. place the adverb 안 ("not") before a verb, or

2. conjugate with the negative verb ending, -지 않다 ("to not [v.]").

Method (1) is what is usually used in casual conversation, while method (2) is more formal.But not necessarily reserved for formal situations!

While 안 negates only the verb it is applied to, 않다 negates the entire embedded clause.[cite:@wiktionary:88463731] This fact is usually semantically insignificant, but it is quite interesting and useful in precise speech.

Examples

먹다

to eat

안 먹었어요

I did not eat.

먹지 않았어요

I did not eat.

References

• [cite:@talktomeinkorean2015talk]