부정: 못 vs 안
목표 (Mục Tiêu / Learning Objectives)
After this lesson, you will:
- Understand 못 as a negation marker expressing inability or lack of opportunity
- Review 안 as a negation marker for choosing not to do something
- Distinguish 못 and 안 from the context
- Use both forms in simple Korean sentences
Tiếng Việt So Sánh (Vietnamese Comparison)
Vietnamese commonly uses không for different kinds of negation:
- Tôi không đi học. — I don't go to school.
- Tôi không thể đi học. — I cannot go to school.
Korean distinguishes these meanings more clearly:
나는 학교에 안 가요. — I don't go to school. / I choose not to go.
나는 학교에 못 가요. — I cannot go to school. / Something prevents me from going.
The context tells us whether the person chooses not to do something or cannot do it.
Khái Niệm (The Concept)
안 — Not doing something
안 is used when the subject does not do an action.
The reason may be a choice, preference, habit, or simple negative statement.
안 + Verb
안 가요 = don't go
안 먹어요 = don't eat
안 공부해요 = don't study
Example:
나는 오늘 학교에 안 가요.
I am not going to school today.
This sentence does not say that the speaker is unable to go. The speaker simply says that they are not going.
못 — Cannot do something
못 is used when the subject cannot perform an action because of ability, circumstances, conditions, or opportunity.
못 + Verb
못 가요 = cannot go
못 먹어요 = cannot eat
못 공부해요 = cannot study
Example:
나는 아파서 학교에 못 가요.
I cannot go to school because I am sick.
The speaker wants or needs to go, but a circumstance prevents it.
Cấu Trúc (Structure)
Basic pattern
Subject + 안 + Verb
나는 안 가요.
I don't go.
Subject + 못 + Verb
나는 못 가요.
I cannot go.
Both 안 and 못 come before the verb.
Quy Tắc (Rules)
Rule 1: 안 comes before the verb
나는 밥을 안 먹어요.
I don't eat rice.
Rule 2: 못 comes before the verb
나는 밥을 못 먹어요.
I cannot eat rice.
Rule 3: The context determines the meaning
Compare:
나는 오늘 학교에 안 가요.
I am not going to school today.
Possible reason:
- I choose not to go.
- I don't plan to go.
- I simply state that I am not going.
Now compare:
나는 오늘 학교에 못 가요.
I cannot go to school today.
Possible reason:
- I am sick.
- I have no way to get there.
- Another circumstance prevents me from going.
예제 (Examples)
Example 1: Going to school
나는 학교에 안 가요.
I don't go to school.
The sentence expresses not going.
나는 학교에 못 가요.
I cannot go to school.
The sentence expresses inability or circumstances preventing the action.
Example 2: Speaking Korean
나는 한국어를 안 말해요.
I don't speak Korean.
The speaker is simply not speaking Korean.
나는 한국어를 못 말해요.
I cannot speak Korean.
The speaker cannot speak Korean, for example because they have not learned enough Korean.
Example 3: Eating
나는 고기를 안 먹어요.
I don't eat meat.
This can describe a choice, preference, or habit.
나는 고기를 못 먹어요.
I cannot eat meat.
This can mean that the person cannot eat it because of a condition or circumstance.
못 vs 안 비교
| 안 | 못 | |
|---|---|---|
| Basic meaning | not / don't | cannot |
| Main idea | The action does not happen | The action cannot happen |
| Choice | Often possible | Not the main meaning |
| Ability/circumstance | Not emphasized | Important |
| Example | 학교에 안 가요 | 학교에 못 가요 |
기억하기 (Remember)
안 → 안 한다
I don't do it.
못 → 할 수 없다
I cannot do it.
A useful question is:
“Does the person simply not do it, or can the person not do it?”
- Simply not doing → 안
- Unable to do → 못
흔한 실수 (Common Errors)
Mistake 1: Using 못 when you mean a choice
❌ 나는 공부를 못 해요. If you mean “I don't study because I don't want to,” this is not the best choice.
✓ 나는 공부를 안 해요. I don't study.
Mistake 2: Using 안 when something prevents the action
If you mean that you cannot study because you are sick:
✓ 나는 아파서 공부를 못 해요. I cannot study because I am sick.
Mistake 3: Putting the negation after the verb
❌ 나는 가요 못.
✓ 나는 못 가요.
The negation marker comes before the verb.
어휘 (Vocabulary)
| Korean | Romanization | English | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 안 | an | not | negative marker |
| 못 | mot | cannot | inability marker |
| 가다 | gada | go | movement |
| 먹다 | meokda | eat | consumption |
| 공부하다 | gongbuhada | study | learning |
| 말하다 | malhada | speak | communication |
| 학교 | hakgyo | school | place |
| 오늘 | oneul | today | time |
| 아프다 | apeuda | be sick | condition |
연습 (Practice)
Choose 안 or 못 according to the meaning.
Practice 1
The student does not want to eat breakfast.
나는 아침을 ___ 먹어요.
Answer: 안
Practice 2
The student is sick and cannot go to school.
나는 아파서 학교에 ___ 가요.
Answer: 못
Practice 3
A student has not learned Korean and cannot speak it.
저는 한국어를 ___ 말해요.
Answer: 못
Practice 4
A student chooses not to study today.
오늘은 공부를 ___ 해요.
Answer: 안
퀴즈 (Quiz)
요약 (Summary)
The key distinction is:
- 안 = not doing something
- 못 = cannot do something
Both normally appear before the verb:
안 + Verb
못 + Verb
Compare:
나는 학교에 안 가요.
I don't go to school.
나는 학교에 못 가요.
I cannot go to school.
The most important skill is to understand the context.
Next lesson: We'll learn polite commands and requests using -(으)세요.