-지 않아도 되다 - Don't have to | Korean Grammar Documentation

-지 않아도 되다 expresses lack of necessity or obligation. It means "don't have to," "don't need to," or "it's okay not to."

Structure

Verb stem + -지 않아도 되다

Breakdown:

-지 않다: Negative form
-아/어도: Even if
되다: To be okay/acceptable

Literal meaning: "Even if (you) don't... it's okay"

Conjugation

Present Tense

Polite (해요체):

가다 → 가지 않아도 돼요 (don't have to go)
먹다 → 먹지 않아도 돼요 (don't have to eat)
하다 → 하지 않아도 돼요 (don't have to do)
오다 → 오지 않아도 돼요 (don't have to come)
사다 → 사지 않아도 돼요 (don't have to buy)

Formal (합니다체):

가지 않아도 됩니다
먹지 않아도 됩니다
하지 않아도 됩니다

Casual (반말):

가지 않아도 돼
먹지 않아도 돼
하지 않아도 돼

Past Tense

Didn't have to (past):

가지 않아도 됐어요 (didn't have to go)
먹지 않아도 됐어요 (didn't have to eat)
하지 않아도 됐어요 (didn't have to do)

Future Tense

Won't have to (future):

가지 않아도 될 거예요 (won't have to go)
먹지 않아도 될 거예요 (won't have to eat)
하지 않아도 될 거예요 (won't have to do)

Shortened Form: 안 -아/어도 되다

More commonly used shortened version:

Pattern: 안 + verb stem + -아/어도 되다

Examples:

가지 않아도 돼요 → 안 가도 돼요 (don't have to go)
먹지 않아도 돼요 → 안 먹어도 돼요 (don't have to eat)
하지 않아도 돼요 → 안 해도 돼요 (don't have to do)
오지 않아도 돼요 → 안 와도 돼요 (don't have to come)
사지 않아도 돼요 → 안 사도 돼요 (don't have to buy)

Note: The shortened form is much more natural in everyday speech.

Common Usage

Permission Not to Do Something

Giving permission to skip:

숙제 안 해도 돼요 (You don't have to do homework)
오늘 안 와도 돼요 (You don't have to come today)
걱정 안 해도 돼요 (You don't have to worry)
사진 안 찍어도 돼요 (You don't have to take pictures)

Reassuring Someone

Comforting/Relieving pressure:

괜찮아요, 안 먹어도 돼요 (It's okay, you don't have to eat)
지금 안 결정해도 돼요 (You don't have to decide now)
안 급해도 돼요 (You don't have to hurry)
완벽하지 않아도 돼요 (It doesn't have to be perfect)

Optional Actions

Expressing optionality:

답장 안 해도 돼요 (You don't need to reply)
선물 안 사도 돼요 (You don't need to buy a gift)
정장 안 입어도 돼요 (You don't need to wear a suit)
예약 안 해도 돼요 (You don't need to make a reservation)

With Question Form

Asking if Something is Necessary

Pattern: -지 않아도 돼요? / 안 -아/어도 돼요?

Examples:

지금 안 가도 돼요? (Do I not have to go now?)
이거 안 먹어도 돼요? (Do I not have to eat this?)
숙제 안 해도 돼요? (Do I not have to do homework?)
오늘 안 와도 돼요? (Do I not have to come today?)

Usage: Asking for permission to skip or checking if something is optional

Common Expressions

Daily Life

신발 안 벗어도 돼요 (You don't have to take off shoes)
팁 안 줘도 돼요 (You don't have to tip)
말 안 해도 돼요 (You don't have to say anything)
미안해하지 않아도 돼요 (You don't have to be sorry)

Work/Study

회의 안 참석해도 돼요 (You don't have to attend the meeting)
보고서 안 써도 돼요 (You don't have to write the report)
시험 안 봐도 돼요 (You don't have to take the test)
발표 안 해도 돼요 (You don't have to present)

억지로 안 웃어도 돼요 (You don't have to force a smile)
다 안 먹어도 돼요 (You don't have to eat everything)
안 기다려도 돼요 (You don't have to wait)
사양 안 해도 돼요 (You don't have to decline/be modest)

Contrast with Similar Expressions

-지 않아도 되다 vs -(으)면 안 되다

-지 않아도 되다: Don't have to (lack of obligation)

안 가도 돼요 (You don't have to go)
→ Going is optional

-(으)면 안 되다: Must not (prohibition)

가면 안 돼요 (You must not go)
→ Going is forbidden

-지 않아도 되다 vs -아/어야 하다

-지 않아도 되다: Don't have to (not necessary)

안 해도 돼요 (You don't have to do it)

-아/어야 하다: Must/Have to (necessary)

해야 돼요 (You have to do it)

They are opposites:

가야 돼요 ↔ 안 가도 돼요
먹어야 돼요 ↔ 안 먹어도 돼요

Politeness Levels

Formal

가지 않아도 됩니다
안 가도 됩니다

Polite

가지 않아도 돼요
안 가도 돼요

Casual

가지 않아도 돼
안 가도 돼

Negative Questions

Double Negative for Confirmation

Pattern: 안 -지 않아도 돼요? (More complex, less common)

Usually simplified to:

가야 돼요? (Do I have to go?)
해야 돼요? (Do I have to do it?)

Rather than:

안 가지 않아도 돼요? (Too complex)

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: At a Party

A: 파티에 선물 가져가야 돼요?
(Do I have to bring a gift to the party?)

B: 아니요, 안 가져가도 돼요.
(No, you don't have to bring one.)

Dialogue 2: At Work

A: 이 이메일 오늘 보내야 돼요?
(Do I have to send this email today?)

B: 아니요, 내일 보내도 돼요.
(No, you can send it tomorrow.)

Dialogue 3: At Restaurant

A: 다 먹어야 돼요?
(Do I have to eat everything?)

B: 아니요, 안 먹어도 돼요. 배부르면 그만 드세요.
(No, you don't have to. If you're full, you can stop.)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 안 하도 돼요

Missing -아/어

✅ Correct: 안 해도 돼요

Proper vowel harmony

❌ Incorrect: 하지 말아도 돼요

Using prohibition form -지 말다

✅ Correct: 하지 않아도 돼요 / 안 해도 돼요

Using negative form -지 않다

Summary Table

Form	Polite	Casual	Meaning
Long	가지 않아도 돼요	가지 않아도 돼	Don't have to go
Short	안 가도 돼요	안 가도 돼	Don't have to go
Past	안 가도 됐어요	안 가도 됐어	Didn't have to go
Future	안 가도 될 거예요	안 가도 될 거야	Won't have to go

Key Takeaways

✅ Expresses lack of necessity: "You don't have to"
✅ Gives permission not to do: "It's okay not to"
✅ Shortened form more natural: 안 -아/어도 되다
✅ Opposite of -아/어야 하다: Must vs Don't have to
✅ Different from -(으)면 안 되다: Optional vs Forbidden

-지 않아도 되다 is essential for expressing that something is optional or not required, commonly used to relieve pressure or give permission to skip actions.