KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -이/가 아니다
Korean Grammar “-이/가 아니다”: Meaning and Usage (TOPIK 1)
How to attach it
A particle attaches directly to the noun, and its form depends on the noun’s last sound. Compare the nouns below.
| Korean | Meaning | With the particle | Romanization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 나라 | country | 나라가 아니다 | naraga anida |
| 음식 | food | 음식이 아니다 | eumsigi anida |
| 선물 | gift | 선물이 아니다 | seonmuri anida |
What changes
- Use 가 아니다 after a noun ending in a vowel and 이 아니다 after a noun ending in a consonant (나라가 아니다, 음식이 아니다).
Explanation
이것은 사과가 아니에요. 배예요.
To negate a noun, use “-이/가 아니다” (“is not”): “가” after a vowel and “이” after a consonant. “사과” ends in a vowel, so it becomes “사과가 아니에요,” and the sentences mean “This is not an apple. It’s a pear.” Object particles such as “를” cannot be used before “아니다.”
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 이것은 사과가 아니에요. 배예요.
Said aloud, it sounds like [이거슨 사과가 아니에요 배예요].
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 이것은 | ||
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | i |
| 것 | ㄱ+ㅓ+ㅅ | [거] geo |
| 은 | ㅇ+ㅡ+ㄴ | [슨] seun |
| 사과가 | ||
| 사 | ㅅ+ㅏ | sa |
| 과 | ㄱ+ㅘ | gwa |
| 가 | ㄱ+ㅏ | ga |
| 아니에요 | ||
| 아 | ㅇ+ㅏ | a |
| 니 | ㄴ+ㅣ | ni |
| 에 | ㅇ+ㅔ | e |
| 요 | ㅇ+ㅛ | yo |
| 배예요 | ||
| 배 | ㅂ+ㅐ | bae |
| 예 | ㅇ+ㅖ | ye |
| 요 | ㅇ+ㅛ | yo |
A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.
Sound changes in this phrase
- Linking: when a syllable ending in a consonant (patchim) is followed by a syllable that starts with a vowel, the consonant moves over to the next syllable. 것은 → [거슨]
Politeness level of the example
Ends in -요. The everyday polite style, and a safe choice with shop staff, colleagues, strangers and anyone older than you.
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 이것은 사과____ 아니에요. 배예요.
Show the answer
Answer: 이것은 사과가 아니에요. 배예요.
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