Korean has two main negation markers: 안 (an) and 못 (mot). Understanding the difference is crucial—안 expresses choice or unwillingness, while 못 expresses inability.
Basic Difference
안 (Choice/Will)
Meaning: Don't / not (by choice) Implies: You choose not to do it English: "don't," "won't," "not"
못 (Inability)
Meaning: Can't / unable to Implies: You're unable to do it (lack of ability or external circumstances) English: "can't," "unable to," "couldn't"
안 (Choice Negation)
Pattern: 안 + Verb
Place 안 directly before verb:
- 안 가요 (don't go)
- 안 먹어요 (don't eat)
- 안 봐요 (don't watch)
- 안 해요 (don't do)
Meaning: Voluntary Negation
I choose not to:
- 밥을 안 먹어요 (I don't eat rice - by choice)
- 학교에 안 가요 (I don't go to school - by choice)
- 일을 안 해요 (I don't work - by choice)
Usage Examples
Preferences:
- 커피를 안 좋아해요 (I don't like coffee)
- 매운 음식을 안 먹어요 (I don't eat spicy food)
Habits:
- 아침을 안 먹어요 (I don't eat breakfast)
- 담배를 안 피워요 (I don't smoke)
Refusals:
- 안 갈 거예요 (I won't go)
- 안 할 거예요 (I won't do it)
못 (Inability Negation)
Pattern: 못 + Verb
Place 못 directly before verb:
- 못 가요 (can't go)
- 못 먹어요 (can't eat)
- 못 봐요 (can't see)
- 못 해요 (can't do)
Meaning: Inability
I'm unable to / circumstances prevent me:
- 시간이 없어서 못 가요 (I can't go because I have no time)
- 배가 아파서 못 먹어요 (I can't eat because my stomach hurts)
- 한국어를 못 해요 (I can't speak Korean - lack of ability)
Usage Examples
Physical inability:
- 너무 무거워서 못 들어요 (I can't lift it because it's too heavy)
- 아파서 못 일해요 (I can't work because I'm sick)
Lack of skill:
- 수영을 못 해요 (I can't swim)
- 운전을 못 해요 (I can't drive)
Circumstances prevent:
- 바쁘서 못 가요 (I can't go because I'm busy)
- 돈이 없어서 못 사요 (I can't buy it because I have no money)
Key Distinction
Compare Same Verb
안 먹어요 (don't eat):
- "I'm not eating" - I choose not to
- Maybe not hungry, don't like it, dieting
못 먹어요 (can't eat):
- "I can't eat" - I'm unable to
- Stomach ache, allergies, circumstances
안 가요 (don't go):
- "I'm not going" - I choose not to go
- Don't want to, not interested
못 가요 (can't go):
- "I can't go" - Unable to go
- Too busy, no transportation, sick
With Different Tenses
Present Tense
안 + Present:
- 안 가요 (don't go)
- 안 먹어요 (don't eat)
- 안 좋아해요 (don't like)
못 + Present:
- 못 가요 (can't go)
- 못 먹어요 (can't eat)
- 못 해요 (can't do)
Past Tense
안 + Past:
- 안 갔어요 (didn't go)
- 안 먹었어요 (didn't eat)
- 안 했어요 (didn't do)
못 + Past:
- 못 갔어요 (couldn't go)
- 못 먹었어요 (couldn't eat)
- 못 했어요 (couldn't do)
Future Tense
안 + Future:
- 안 갈 거예요 (won't go)
- 안 먹을 거예요 (won't eat)
- 안 할 거예요 (won't do)
못 + Future:
- 못 갈 거예요 (won't be able to go)
- 못 먹을 거예요 (won't be able to eat)
- 못 할 거예요 (won't be able to do)
Placement Rules
Before Main Verb
Both 안 and 못 come right before the main verb:
- 저는 안 가요 (I don't go)
- 저는 못 가요 (I can't go)
With Compound Verbs
Before the main action verb:
- 밥을 안 먹어요 (don't eat rice)
- 영화를 못 봐요 (can't watch movie)
With 하다 Verbs
Before 하다:
- 공부 안 해요 (don't study)
- 운동 못 해요 (can't exercise)
Or between noun and 하다:
- 공부를 안 해요 (don't study)
- 운동을 못 해요 (can't exercise)
With Adjectives
안 with Adjectives
Can use 안 (choice to describe):
- 안 좋아요 (not good)
- 안 커요 (not big)
- 안 예뻐요 (not pretty)
Common and natural
못 with Adjectives
Generally NOT used with pure adjectives:
- Wrong: 못 좋아요
- Wrong: 못 커요
Exception: Adjectives that imply ability
- 못생겼어요 (ugly - literally "couldn't be made well")
Questions
안 Questions
Asking if they don't:
- 안 가요? (Don't you go? / Aren't you going?)
- 안 먹어요? (Don't you eat?)
- 왜 안 와요? (Why don't you come?)
못 Questions
Asking if they can't:
- 못 가요? (Can't you go?)
- 못 먹어요? (Can't you eat?)
- 왜 못 와요? (Why can't you come?)
Answer Patterns
Question: 왜 안 가요? (Why don't you go?) Answer: 가기 싫어요 (I don't want to go)
Question: 왜 못 가요? (Why can't you go?) Answer: 바빠서요 (Because I'm busy)
Common Expressions
With 안
안 돼요 (Can't do / That won't work):
- Refusing permission or stating impossibility
안 괜찮아요 (Not okay):
- Something's wrong
안 좋아요 (Not good):
- Condition or quality is poor
With 못
못 믿겠어요 (Can't believe it):
- Expressing disbelief
못 참겠어요 (Can't stand it):
- Unable to endure
못 잊어요 (Can't forget):
- Unable to forget
Alternative Long Form
-지 않다 (안 Alternative)
More formal/emphatic than 안:
- 가지 않아요 (don't go)
- 먹지 않아요 (don't eat)
- 좋지 않아요 (not good)
See separate article for full coverage
-지 못하다 (못 Alternative)
More formal/emphatic than 못:
- 가지 못해요 (can't go)
- 먹지 못해요 (can't eat)
- 하지 못해요 (can't do)
Emphasizes inability
Special Cases
못하다 as Verb
못하다 (be poor at, can't do well):
- 한국어를 못해요 (I'm poor at Korean)
- 요리를 못해요 (I'm bad at cooking)
- 운동을 못해요 (I'm bad at sports)
Different from: 한국어를 안 해요 (I don't speak Korean - by choice)
Verbs That Prefer One Form
Usually with 못:
- 잊다 (forget) → 못 잊어요 (can't forget)
- 참다 (endure) → 못 참아요 (can't stand)
Usually with 안:
- 좋아하다 (like) → 안 좋아해요 (don't like)
- 싫어하다 (dislike) → 안 싫어해요 (don't dislike - rare)
Context Clues
Reasons Given
안 (choice):
- 싫어서 (because I don't like it)
- 하기 싫어서 (because I don't want to)
- 재미없어서 (because it's not fun)
못 (inability):
- 바빠서 (because I'm busy)
- 아파서 (because I'm sick)
- 시간이 없어서 (because I have no time)
- 돈이 없어서 (because I have no money)
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using 못 for Choice
Wrong: 야채를 못 먹어요 (when you just don't like vegetables) Right: 야채를 안 먹어요 (I don't eat vegetables - by choice)
Use 못 only if there's a real inability (allergy, physical reason)
Mistake 2: Using 안 for Inability
Wrong: 한국어를 안 해요 (when you mean you can't speak it) Right: 한국어를 못 해요 (I can't speak Korean - lack of ability)
Mistake 3: With Adjectives
Wrong: 못 좋아요 Right: 안 좋아요 (not good)
못 doesn't work with most adjectives
Mistake 4: Confusing Meaning
Remember:
- 안 = choice/will (I won't)
- 못 = ability/circumstance (I can't)
Practice Scenarios
Scenario 1: Food
Don't like it: 매운 음식을 안 먹어요 Allergic: 땅콩을 못 먹어요
Scenario 2: Going Out
Don't want to: 오늘은 안 나갈 거예요 Too busy: 바빠서 못 나가요
Scenario 3: Skills
Choose not to: 운동을 안 해요 (I don't exercise) Can't/bad at: 운동을 못 해요 (I'm bad at sports)
Scenario 4: Work
Quitting: 그 일을 안 할 거예요 (I won't do that job) Unable due to circumstance: 아파서 못 일해요 (I can't work because I'm sick)
Summary Table
| Situation | Use 안 | Use 못 |
|---|---|---|
| Choice/preference | ✅ | ❌ |
| Lack of ability | ❌ | ✅ |
| External circumstances | ❌ | ✅ |
| Refusal/unwillingness | ✅ | ❌ |
| Physical inability | ❌ | ✅ |
| Habits (don't do) | ✅ | ❌ |
| Skills (can't do) | ❌ | ✅ |
Key Points
- ✅ 안: Choice, won't, don't (voluntary negation)
- ✅ 못: Can't, unable to (inability)
- ✅ Placement: Directly before verb
- ✅ With adjectives: 안 works, 못 usually doesn't
- ✅ Context: Reasons help determine which to use
- ✅ Questions: 안 = don't you?, 못 = can't you?
- ✅ Past: 안 갔어요 (didn't) vs 못 갔어요 (couldn't)
- ✅ Future: 안 갈 거예요 (won't) vs 못 갈 거예요 (won't be able to)
The choice between 안 and 못 changes the entire meaning. Always ask yourself: "Is this about choice/will or about ability/circumstances?" This distinction is fundamental to Korean negation.