TOPIK I · LEVEL 1
-지 않다
Add -지 않다 to a verb or adjective stem to say that something does not happen or is not true, like 'do not' or 'is not'.
능력·허락·의무Can, may & mustHan: The past tense must be put on 않다 (않았어요); the verb before -지 stays as a bare stem.
Examples
이 가방은 비싸지 않아요.This bag isn't expensive.
저는 고기를 먹지 않아요.I don't eat meat.
오늘은 날씨가 춥지 않아요.The weather isn't cold today.
어제는 학교에 가지 않았어요.I didn't go to school yesterday.
Don’t mix up
-지 않다vs안 + V/ASame meaning but shorter and more conversational; -지 않다 sounds a bit more formal or written. 안 가요 = 가지 않아요.
-지 않다vs-지 못하다Means 'cannot' (inability or outside reasons), not 'do not': 바빠서 가지 못했어요.-지 않다vs-지 마세요Used to tell someone not to do something; -지 않다 only describes: 여기에서 사진을 찍지 마세요.How to build it
V/A (stem)+지 않다
가다 → 가 + 지 않다 → 가지 않아요 (I don't go)
- Tense and politeness endings go on 않다, never on the main stem: 먹지 않았어요, not 먹었지 않아요.
- Do not use it with 이다 (noun + is); use 이/가 아니다 instead. For 있다 and 알다, 없다 and 모르다 are far more natural.
- It cannot make negative commands or suggestions; use -지 마세요 / -지 맙시다 for 'don't do'.
- It shows choice or simple fact, not inability; for 'cannot' use 못 or -지 못하다.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 어제 숙제를 했지 않아요.
Right: 어제 숙제를 하지 않았어요.
The past tense must be put on 않다 (않았어요); the verb before -지 stays as a bare stem.
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All TOPIK grammar- 못 VPut 못 before a verb to say you cannot do it because of lack of ability or outside circumstances, not because you don't want to.
- 안 VPut 안 right before a verb or adjective to say that something does not happen or is not the case, often by choice.
- -(으)로-(으)로 marks the direction you head toward, the means or tool you use, or what something is made of.
- -(이)나(이)나 links two nouns as alternatives ("A or B"), and after a number it shows an approximate amount in questions or a surprisingly large amount in statements.
- -(으)ㄹ 거예요Use -(으)ㄹ 거예요 to say what you plan to do in the future, or to make a guess about something you are not sure of.
- -(으)시--(으)시- goes inside a verb or adjective to show respect to the person doing the action (the subject).
- -(으)려고Links an intention to the action taken to achieve it: 'in order to, so as to'. Neutral, everyday register.
- -(으)세요-(으)세요 is the polite honorific ending: it shows respect to the subject in statements and questions (선생님은 책을 읽으세요), and with action verbs it politely tells or asks the listener to do something (앉으세요).
- -(으)ㅂ시다-(으)ㅂ시다 suggests doing something together: 'let's …' in a formal, polite style.