안 vs 못
do not (choice) / cannot (inability)
Explanation
안 + verb means you do not do something by choice or habit: 안 가요 (I’m not going).
못 + verb means you cannot — ability, permission, or circumstance: 못 가요 (I can’t go).
English “can’t” is often 못, not 안. Tests love this pair: 매워서 못 먹어요 (I can’t eat it because it’s spicy) vs 안 먹어요 (I’m not eating it).
With adjectives, patterns differ — focus first on action verbs. Pair with 아/어서 reasons once the basic contrast is solid.
안 / 못 is taught here as “do not (choice) / cannot (inability).” Learners often stop at a flashcard gloss; real fluency needs collocations, speech level, and one or two sentences you can actually say today.
Listen to the Hangul, shadow it once slowly, then once at natural speed. If romanization helps the first day, turn it off the second day so your eyes lock onto 안 / 못, not Latin letters.
Connect this page to nearby Chamelingo lessons and tools. Isolated tips do not stick; a graph of vocabulary + grammar + speaking does. Use the related links at the bottom to keep walking the graph.
When you can explain “안 vs 못” in one plain English sentence and produce one new Korean example without looking, you are ready to move on — then review again within 24 hours.
Examples
오늘은 안 바빠요.
I’m not busy today. (state/choice nuance)
한국어를 아직 못 해요.
I still can’t speak Korean (ability).
시간이 없어서 못 갔어요.
I couldn’t go because I had no time.
Common mistakes
- Using 안 when you mean physical inability (use 못).
- Translating every English “can’t” as 안.
How to practice
- Level: beginner–friendly explanation; still re-check formality with a native conversation partner when stakes are high.
- Say every example out loud, then change one slot (place, time, or person) to force production — not only recognition.
- After reading, open Chamelingo and recycle the same pattern in a lesson or speaking practice so it enters long-term memory.
Check yourself
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What does 안 mean?
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