What Does -지 않다 Mean? Korean Negation Explained
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
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After this page, you can negate a verb with -지 않다 (-ji anta) or 안, choose between them, and say "can't" with -지 못하다.
10-second answer
What Does -지 않다 Mean?
-지 않다 (-ji anta) is the long-form way to negate a verb — stem + 지 않아요 (ji anayo) means the same as putting 안 (an) in front of the verb. 가지 않아요 (gaji anayo) = 안 가요 (an gayo) = "I'm not going." The two aren't identical in feel: -지 않다 tends to sound slightly more formal or deliberate.
Quick check — did that land?
1. What's the long-form equivalent of 안 먹어요?
오늘은 안 먹어요. 오늘은 먹지 않아요! Both mean I don't eat, but it's a big BUT!
The Pattern
| Verb | Short form (안) | Long form (-지 않다) |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 (go) | 안 가요 | 가지 않아요 |
| 먹다 (eat) | 안 먹어요 | 먹지 않아요 |
| 좋다 (be good) | 안 좋아요 | 좋지 않아요 |
Structure: verb stem + 지 + 않다 (conjugated). 않다 itself conjugates like a regular verb — 않아요 (polite), 않았어요 (past), 않습니다 (formal).
See also: 안 vs 못 — two ways to say 'not'
Quick Examples
이 영화는 재미있지 않아요.
i yeonghwa-neun jaemiitji anayo.
This movie isn't fun.
저는 술을 마시지 않습니다.
jeoneun sureul masiji anseumnida.
I do not drink alcohol.
Formal register — common in writing, self-introductions, professional contexts.
When to Prefer Which
| Situation | Prefer |
|---|---|
| Everyday spoken Korean | 안/못 (short form) — faster, more natural |
| Writing, formal speech, presentations | -지 않다/-지 못하다 — reads as more careful/formal |
| Adjectives (있다-type descriptive verbs) | -지 않다 often sounds more natural than 안 + adjective |
이 방은 안 커요.
This room isn't big.
Both work, but…
이 방은 크지 않아요.
This room isn't big.
…this often sounds a touch more natural for descriptive adjectives.
The 못 Version: -지 못하다
Just like 안 has a long form, so does 못 — following the same logic as the 안 vs 못 comparison:
가지 못해요.
I can't go.
Long form of 못 가요 — inability, not choice.
How -지 않다 Is Spelled: ji anta, jianta, ji anayo
-지 않다 (-ji anta) is often typed without the space as jianta, and 지 않아요 (ji anayo) as jianayo. Korean writes the pattern 지 않다 with a space, but learners search all of these spellings and they all mean the same pattern. Romanization isn't standardized for grammar endings, so ji anhda, ji anta and jianta are the same thing.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Thinking -지 않다 and 안 differ in MEANING
They don't — the choice-vs-inability distinction still comes from which negator (않다 vs 못하다) you use, not from short vs long form.
Mistake #2 — Using long form exclusively in casual chat
가지 않아 to a close friend can sound oddly formal/stiff — 안 가 is the natural casual choice.
Mini Quiz
2 short questions — about 1 minute
2. Which is more natural in a formal written self-introduction?
3. 가지 못해요 corresponds to which short form?
Part of Korean Grammar Basics — Particles, Tense, and Negation
Related Knowledge
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Korean Particles: The Complete Guide
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