Korean for English speakers School · Lesson 3

Negative sentences

Negative sentences in Korean with 안 — 카일은 오늘 학교에 안 왔어요? (Kyle didn't come to school today?).

Conversation

  1. Yennifer Yennifer

    카일은 오늘 학교에 안 왔어요?

    Kaireun oneul hakgyoe an wasseoyo?

    Kyle didn't come to school today?

    Tip: <오늘> = today <-에> = particle of location where something exists or not, or for direction that the subject is going toward (like 'to go/come') [Note] Contrary to -에, -에서 is used for location where an action is happening <학교> = school <안 + Verb> = not to V (안 왔어요 = didn't came)

  2. Meera Meera

     음... 저는 잘 모르겠어요.

    Eum... jeoneun jal moreugesseoyo.

    Um... I'm not sure.

    Tip: <잘 모르겠어요> = formal way to say "I'm not sure"/"I don't know" for an information that we are not sure about

  3. Cassian Cassian

    어제도 안 왔어요.

    Eojedo an wasseoyo.

    He didn't come yesterday either.

    Tip: <어제> = yesterday <-도> = suffix used to express "too/either/neither/also"

  4. Yennifer Yennifer

    어제도요? 알겠어요.

    Eojedoyo? Algesseoyo.

    Even yesterday? Got it.

    Tip: <알겠어요> = formal way to say "Ok"/"Got it"

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

How does 안 work for negation?

Place 안 before the verb: 안 가요 = 'don't go', 안 먹어요 = 'don't eat'. Universal negative.

What is the alternative to 안?

-지 않다: 가지 않아요 = 'don't go'. More formal/literary.

What does 잘 모르겠어요 mean?

'I'm not sure / I don't know well'. From 모르다 (not know) + -겠 (probability).

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Korean lessons.

4 quick questions on what you just heard.

Next lesson in School Being late at school →