안 vs 못: How to Say “Don’t” and “Can’t” in Korean

Indexé : 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]There are two words in Korean that a lot of students get confused about. It's a common mistake that I see all the time.

[00:00:07]So, in this video, I want to talk about these two so you guys know exactly when to use what. So, let's dive in right away. I'll be using my book called 300 must know verbs in Korean so I can show you examples of when to use an that means don't or not, and when to use m, which means can't or unable to. They are not the same thing. So when you see the examples with actual words with these two, you'll be like, "Okay, now I know when to use what." So this book is part of our vocabulary power pack. So many of you already have it. So bring your book with like this video together so you can take notes. And if you don't have it yet, this is a great resource for expanding your vocabulary because I included 1,300 words all with pictures, all with audio. So, I recorded out each page so you can hear my pronunciation.

[00:01:01]And this one has both nouns and verb books. So, please use both of them because they're both important for making sentences and being fluent in Korean. All right. So, I'll have all of the links here in my on my website and also in the description so you guys can all browse and check it out. Now, let's get started without further ado. So inside it looks something like this where you're going to see list of verbs that are very essential that you must know every day like to buy to sell to rest to give and then you'll have writing pages because writing is important too to play to talk there are levels right so you guys know common ones in the first levels okay so for example let's go to level one and then attach it with these two number one to do. Everybody say your turn.

[00:01:59]Okay. So, this means to do. You're going to see this verb all the time. And if I want to attach it with the first one, that would be I'm going to conjugate that to future tense.

[00:02:15]That means I'm not going to do it. Okay?

[00:02:18]Do you understand? I'm not going to do it.

[00:02:23]I turned into future tense for the had verb. Now if I add it with that means I won't be able to do it. Not that I I'm not I won't be maybe my ability is not there that's why I'm unable to do it or maybe um I don't have time for that. So, right. So, you already hear the difference. Don't and can't. Not the same. And to eat is your turn.

[00:03:04]There you go. Look at you being an active learner. When you write, when you speak, when you move, that's you being an active learner. You taking ownership over that. Very good. So, I turned that into past tense this time.

[00:03:22]I didn't eat it.

[00:03:25]I didn't eat it by my choice. I didn't.

[00:03:29]Now, if I say I couldn't eat it. Maybe it was too pretty. Oh, I couldn't eat it. Or I didn't have time.

[00:03:41]backto back work maybe running two jobs.

[00:03:47]So is by your choice is by outside circumstance like you were limited to do it. Okay. So continue to hear the difference because these two I literally see it all the time getting mixed up. So hopefully this is really helping you to know the difference. To sleep is chada chada chada. your turn.

[00:04:12]There you go. So, now I'm gonna turn this into past tense.

[00:04:19]Um, some of you are asking in the comments, "Hey, AA, how do you really conjugate verbs in past tense, future tense, and present tense, which is an essential skill if you want to make sentences in Korean?" Because you're going to be stuck with this dictionary form if you don't know how to conjugate verbs. And I teach all of that in my course called sentence freedom. As the name says, the course is sentence freedom. So I talk about all rules of conjugation using of course fun tricks.

[00:04:48]I don't like boring ones ever. So I like filmed 50some videos. Yeah. Because it's not going to be just a one video. I did small by bites bite-size visi videos and lessons that you can really digest easily with colors and magnets and tricks to help you understand the concept of present, past, and future.

[00:05:10]Not only that, of course, I included particles because like all these particles, they don't have it in English. So, it's very confusing for foreigners when they first learn Korean.

[00:05:25]And it's very hard to find resources that talk about particles step by step because it's hard to explain. So I literally did a research and I sat down on how to break this down for you guys and I recorded myself talking about all the particles to explaining in an easy way. That's my specialty. So if that's something that you need at this level where you're like, "Okay, I'm stuck after hunger. I don't know how to make sentences because conjugation particles, they are so confusing. This will save you hundreds of hours.

[00:06:01]People finish this course in two weeks.

[00:06:03]They just like binge watch all my videos and they learn to make sentences like this. So, highly recommended if that's something that you're looking for um for your level. All right. So, just wanted to let you know this is also going to be on my website and in the description. Okay. So, now let's continue on. So, is the past tense. If I use the first one right here, by my choice, I didn't sleep. Um, I didn't want to sleep because I'm I have so much energy. But maybe you have insomnia. I couldn't sleep. Um, I have a concert coming up. I have something coming up. So, you're too excited. So, I couldn't I wanted to sleep.

[00:06:54]Two different meanings. Sometimes Korean people say and we ask back, "Are you sure? Is that because these two are not interchangeable because they don't mean the same thing. And we have to just make sure what is your intention. Was it by your choice or was it the outside circumstance really? No excuses, right?

[00:07:21]Um and then to see that's pa your turn.

[00:07:28]Okay. Now attach it with these two and this time um past tense again past tense is which means I saw so I didn't see that's by my choice maybe movie I didn't watch that movie I couldn't see it I wanted too.

[00:07:58]Uh, I have such a busy work schedule.

[00:08:02]Do you really see the difference between these two? So, choose your word really well because they don't mean the same thing. Outside circumstance or is it by your choice? And let's continue to make sentences to by that is your turn.

[00:08:26]I'm going to turn this into past tense.

[00:08:30]No.

[00:08:35]Now, if I attach an by my choice, that means maybe you didn't have money or maybe it was all sold out. You were at the store, but they just didn't have it. So, can we drop the yo? And can you hear the casual too? So, the first one is I didn't buy I couldn't buy. I didn't buy. I couldn't buy. Depending on your situation, you'll choose. Uh, what about to give?

[00:09:19]Chuda, your turn.

[00:09:24]I love it. I love how you're expanding your vocab and really repeating out loud. Thank you so much for that participation. So, let's attach it with these two.

[00:09:36]I'm going to turn it into past tense.

[00:09:39]So, if you already took my course and if you know how to conjugate words, I really want you to see pause my video before I say the tenses and see if you can do it on your own. Okay?

[00:09:54]I didn't give it on purpose. I didn't want to. So, and then maybe I wanted to give her that thing that you prepared, but she didn't come today.

[00:10:10]Oh, I wanted to give I wanted to give you, but you didn't come, so I couldn't give you.

[00:10:23]And casual.

[00:10:27]Wow. Now, can you try it this time without me really telling you everything? So, to come is Uda. Uda. When you say like you have to make your mouth go like this.

[00:10:42]All right. The shape of O alphabet Oda.

[00:10:46]Now turn that into past tense if you can and attach it with these two. I want to hear you. How do you say I didn't come or he? He didn't come. We don't normally specify the subject. We just assume and it's a contextbased language. So just drop the he and but in English we say he didn't come. So can you say it louder now? He couldn't come. He couldn't come.

[00:11:19]He wanted to but he couldn't come. How would you say that?

[00:11:25]Yeah.

[00:11:29]So and two different meanings. And I think after a few examples that we're going through, you have an idea, right? You have an idea. I'll just do one last example just to solidify everything. Um what about we do?

[00:11:51]Let's see.

[00:11:56]Maybe this to send something. That's a very useful verb.

[00:12:04]Your turn.

[00:12:08]Okay. So, I didn't send it conjugate to conjugate that to past.

[00:12:22]I didn't send it.

[00:12:30]Oh yes, that's how you repeat after me.

[00:12:32]Good. Even if you don't know how to conjugate, you're saying it out loud and really familiarizing the sounds in your mouth. Good. And then the second one, I couldn't send it. I couldn't send it.

[00:12:52]Busy schedule or maybe the post office was closed. many reasons couldn't do it although you wanted to.

[00:13:02]Okay. Does that really clarify these two? You guys, we just solved the mystery because many students, believe it or not, get these two confused. And I just wanted to make a quick video so I can let you know the difference between these two. I hope you found it helpful.

[00:13:22]If you did, let me know in the comments.

[00:13:23]And hopefully next time you know exactly when to use what. Amazing job as usual.

[00:13:30]And make sure you can check out make sure you check out other videos because we have plenty of resources on YouTube for free as well. Okay, so I'll see you next time. Teacher loves you. I'm wearing a t-shirt called teacher and it tells me what I'm made of. One of the students sent me this on my birthday.

[00:13:48]It's like made of passion, hardworking, patience, caring, and then there's a part where it goes regret. That's zero.

[00:13:57]Do you see a zero? Zero regret being a teacher. That's what I'm made of. All right. So, thank you for learning with me, and I'll see you in the next video.

[00:14:05]Love you.