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Unit 22: Don't Do It (-지 마세요)

We learned how to ask someone politely to do something (-(아/어/여) 주세요). Now in Easy Korean, let's learn how to tell someone politely not to do something using -지 마세요.

Structure

Take the verb stem and attach -지 마세요. There are no irregulars for vowels or consonants! - 가다 (to go) -> 가 + 지 마세요 = 가지 마세요 (Please don't go) - 먹다 (to eat) -> 먹 + 지 마세요 = 먹지 마세요 (Please don't eat) - 울다 (to cry) -> 울 + 지 마세요 = 울지 마세요 (Please don't cry)

Where does it come from?

It comes from the negative verb 말다 (to stop/cease) + -(으)세요 (polite command).

Examples

  • 걱정하지 마세요. (Please don't worry.)
  • 늦지 마세요. (Please don't be late.)
  • 사진을 찍지 마세요. (Please don't take pictures.)