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-지 않다 vs -지 못하다

Beginner · TOPIK I

-지 않다 (안) is plain negation or 'not doing' by choice; -지 못하다 (못) means 'cannot' — inability or outside circumstances stop you.

-지 않다An expression used to deny the act or state indicated in the preceding statement.-지 못하다An expression used to indicate that the speaker cannot do the act mentioned in the preceding statement, or that things did not work out as the subject intended.

Rules of thumb

  • Not doing because you don't want or need to: -지 않다 / 안 (고기를 먹지 않아요 'I don't eat meat').
  • Wanting to but being unable (busy, ill, lack of skill): -지 못하다 / 못 (바빠서 가지 못했어요).
  • Adjectives almost always take -지 않다 (춥지 않아요). -지 못하다 with adjectives is limited and means 'falls short of what's expected' (넉넉하지 못하다).
  • Negative commands and suggestions use neither — they use -지 말다 (가지 마세요).
  • The short forms 안/못 + verb dominate speech; the long forms sound more formal.

Example sentences

  • -지 않다

    I don't eat meat.

  • -지 못하다

    My stomach hurt, so I couldn't eat anything.

  • -지 않다

    It's not very cold today.

  • -지 못하다

    I was so busy that I couldn't do my homework.

  • 오늘은 날씨가 춥지 못해요.

    Incorrect

    It's not cold today. [Wrong: describing the weather needs -ji anta, not -ji motada]

← All confused pairs