Negation: 안, 못, ~지 않다
Three ways to make negative sentences in Korean.
Korean has three main ways to make negative sentences, and choosing the right one matters because they convey different nuances. 안 placed before the verb is the simple negative ('I don't / am not / won't'). 못 placed before the verb means 'cannot' — it indicates inability rather than choice. The longer pattern -지 않다 attached to the verb is equivalent to 안 but more formal and emphatic.
학교에 안 가요 means 'I'm not going to school' (probably by choice). 학교에 못 가요 means 'I can't go to school' (something is stopping me). 학교에 가지 않아요 means the same as 안 가요 but sounds more deliberate. The 안/못 distinction is essential — saying 못 when you meant 안 implies you wanted to do something but couldn't, which can lead to social misunderstanding. Practice the contrast with concrete situations until it becomes automatic.
안 — Simple Negation (won't / don't)
Place 안 before the verb/adjective. It means you choose not to or it simply isn't. For 하다 verbs, put 안 between the noun and 하다: 공부 안 해요.
못 — Cannot / Unable to
Place 못 before the verb. It means you are unable to due to lack of ability or circumstances. For 하다 verbs: 못 해요 or noun을/를 못 해요.