πŸ“˜ Grammar 26: How to Use ~지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš” – Telling Someone Not to Do Something in Korean

πŸ“˜ How to Use ~지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš” – Telling Someone Not to Do Something in Korean

Do you want to politely say “Don’t go,” “Don’t eat,” or “Don’t worry” in Korean?

Then you need to learn the grammar pattern ~지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš”. This is the standard and polite way to tell someone not to do something in Korean. Whether you're asking a friend not to cry, or warning someone not to touch something, this is the structure you’ll need.

This lesson will walk you through how to use ~지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš” correctly, how it compares to other forms like ~지 마 and ~지 λ§ˆμ‹­μ‹œμ˜€, and how to apply it in real conversations.

πŸ“Œ What is ~지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš”?

~지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš” is used to give polite negative commands or requests. It literally means “Please don’t do…”

Structure:
Verb stem + 지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš”

You can also use:
~지 마 (casual)
~지 λ§ˆμ‹­μ‹œμ˜€ (formal)


πŸ“˜ Example Sentences

  • 가지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš” – Don’t go
    ga-ji ma-se-yo
  • 먹지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš” – Don’t eat
    meok-ji ma-se-yo
  • λŠ¦μ§€ λ§ˆμ„Έμš” – Don’t be late
    neut-ji ma-se-yo
  • μšΈμ§€ λ§ˆμ„Έμš” – Don’t cry
    ul-ji ma-se-yo
  • κ±±μ •ν•˜μ§€ λ§ˆμ„Έμš” – Don’t worry
    geok-jeong-ha-ji ma-se-yo

πŸ“Š Grammar Table

English Korean Romanization
Don’t go 가지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš” ga-ji ma-se-yo
Don’t eat 먹지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš” meok-ji ma-se-yo
Don’t cry μšΈμ§€ λ§ˆμ„Έμš” ul-ji ma-se-yo
Don’t worry κ±±μ •ν•˜μ§€ λ§ˆμ„Έμš” geok-jeong-ha-ji ma-se-yo

πŸ“Š Speech Level Comparison

Speech Level Form Example Romanization
Polite ~지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš” μšΈμ§€ λ§ˆμ„Έμš” ul-ji ma-se-yo
Casual ~지 마 μšΈμ§€ 마 ul-ji ma
Formal ~지 λ§ˆμ‹­μ‹œμ˜€ μšΈμ§€ λ§ˆμ‹­μ‹œμ˜€ ul-ji ma-sip-si-o

πŸ’‘ Tip: Use the appropriate level depending on the person and the situation.


❗ Common Mistakes

  • ❌ μ•ˆ κ°€μ„Έμš” → ✅ 가지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš”
  • ❌ μ•ˆ λ¨ΉμœΌμ„Έμš” → ✅ 먹지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš”
  • ❌ 울 λ§ˆμ„Έμš” → ✅ μšΈμ§€ λ§ˆμ„Έμš”

Don’t mix μ•ˆ with polite commands. Use ~지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš” instead.


πŸ§ͺ Mini Quiz – Test Yourself!

  1. How do you say “Don’t be late”?
    a) λŠ¦μ§€ λ§ˆμ„Έμš”
    b) μ•ˆ λŠ¦μœΌμ„Έμš”
    Click to Show Answer

    ✅ a) λŠ¦μ§€ λ§ˆμ„Έμš”

  2. Translate: “Don’t worry.”
    a) κ±±μ •ν•˜μ§€ λ§ˆμ„Έμš”
    b) κ±±μ •ν•˜μ§€ μ•ŠμœΌμ„Έμš”
    Click to Show Answer

    ✅ a) κ±±μ •ν•˜μ§€ λ§ˆμ„Έμš”

  3. Which one is formal?
    a) μšΈμ§€ λ§ˆμ„Έμš”
    b) μšΈμ§€ λ§ˆμ‹­μ‹œμ˜€
    Click to Show Answer

    ✅ b) μšΈμ§€ λ§ˆμ‹­μ‹œμ˜€


✅ Conclusion

Now you can politely tell someone not to do something in Korean using ~지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš”.

  • Attach to verb stem to create negative polite commands
  • Use ~지 마 for casual situations
  • Use ~지 λ§ˆμ‹­μ‹œμ˜€ for very formal contexts

Examples you can try:

  • Don’t speak loudly → 크게 λ§ν•˜μ§€ λ§ˆμ„Έμš”
  • Don’t touch → λ§Œμ§€μ§€ λ§ˆμ„Έμš”
  • Don’t run → 뛰지 λ§ˆμ„Έμš”


πŸ“˜ Coming Up Next

Next lesson: How to Use ~도둝 – Expressing Purpose or Extent in Korean
Learn how to say “So that I can learn,” “Until I win,” and more!

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