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Korean grammar - Verb negation with 지 않다

Verb negation with 지 않다

We previously saw the use of the particle to negate phrases.

But this can be clumsy and can get lost in the middle of complicated sentences.

Negation using the pattern Verb stem + 않다 is more emphatic and much more likely not to be missed.

Present tense: Verb stem + 않아요

Past tense: Verb stem + 않았어요

Examples:
지금 비가 오지 않아요.
Now it is not raining.
김치는 맵지 않아요.
Kimchi is not spicy.
기차가 오지 않아요.
The train does not come.
영미는 숙제하지 않아요.
Youngmi does not do homework.
그는 택시를 타지 않았어요.
He did not ride a taxi.

택시 means 'taxi'

어젯밤에 눈이 오지 않았어요.
It did not snow last night.
우리는 영화를 보지 않았어요.
We did not watch a movie.
바빠요? 아니요, 바쁘지 않아요.
Are (you) busy? No, (I) am not busy.
저는 소고기는 먹지 않아요.
I do not eat beef.

소고기 means 'beef'

지난 어젯밤에 저녁을 먹지 않았어요.
I didn’t eat dinner last night.

어젯밤 means 'last night'

저녁 means 'dinner' or 'evening'