말다 + 고: rather than this, than that

안녕하세요 여러분!

Welcome to our Korean language lesson! Today, we are going to focus on two highly practical and frequently used expressions in Korean: “말고” and “-지 말고”. These two expressions may seem simple, but they play an essential role in everyday conversations, enriching our communication by adding a layer of negation and alternatives.

The word “말고” is a combination of the verb “말다” (don’t do), and “고”, which is used to connect sentences or clauses. The phrase “말고” is used to suggest not doing the action mentioned before “말고”, and instead doing the action mentioned after it. In English, this could be loosely translated to “not this, but that” or “rather than this, that”.

On the other hand, “지 말고” is a stronger form of negation. We have previously covered the suffix “지 마세요” in this lesson. It also means “don’t do something” and is used in a similar context to “말고”. However, “지 말고” is typically used when you want to stress not doing a certain action. It’s a more direct and forceful expression of “don’t do something”.

그럼 시작할까요?

Conjugation

NOUN/ADVERB + 말고

1. Take a noun or adverb i.e. 책
2. Add 말고 i.e. 책 말고

Understanding the meaning of 말고

“말고” is a commonly used structure in the Korean language, serving an important role in expressing negation or alternatives. To break it down, “말고” is composed of “말다,” which is a negative form and means “Not”, and “고”, a conjunction used to link clauses or sentences. When used together, “말고” is used to suggest not doing the action mentioned before it, and instead doing the action mentioned after it.

In English, this can be loosely translated as “not this, but that” or “rather than this, than that”. It implies a choice between two options where one is preferred over the other.

Here’s an example:

커피 말고 차를 마실게요. – Rather than coffee, I will drink tea.

In this sentence, the speaker is expressing a preference for tea over coffee. The “말고” serves to negate the first option (coffee) and suggest an alternative (tea).

Another important point to note is that “말고” can only be used with nouns or adverbs. It cannot be used directly with verbs. Further down below, we will introduce how to use it with verbs.

To make the best use of “말고”, practice using it in various contexts and situations, and familiarize yourself with its limitations and rules. Understanding “말고” will surely give your Korean language skills a significant boost.

Examples

• 이거 말고 저거 주세요. – Please give me that instead of this. (Lit. Not this, but give me that please.)
• 오늘 말고 내일 만나요. – Let’s meat tomorrow instead of today. (Lit. Not today, but let’s meet tomorrow.)
• 책 말고 신문을 읽을래요. – I want to read a newspaper instead of a book.
• 택시 말고 지하철로 가는 게 더 빠를 거에요. – It would be faster to take the subway rather than a taxi.
• 사과 말고 바나나 먹을게요. – I will eat banana instead of apple.

Conjugation of VERB + 지 말고

VERB + 지 말고

1. Take a verb i.e. 가다
2. Drop “다” i.e. 가
3. Add 지 말고 i.e. 가지 말고 (Don’t go and/instead of going)

• 먹다 –> 먹 + 지 말고 –> 먹지 말고 (Instead of eating)
• 오다 –> 오 + 지 말고 –> 오지 말고 (Instead of coming)
• 보다 –> 보 + 지 말고 –> 보지 말고 (Instead of looking)
• 하다 –> 하 + 지 말고–> 하지 말고 (Instead of doing)

Understanding the meaning of VERB + 지 말고

“지 말고” is another Korean expression that is used in contexts where negation is needed. The structure of “지 말고” is formed by adding “지 말다” to a verb stem, followed by “고”. “지 말다” is the negative form of a verb and “고” is used to connect sentences or clauses. So, when used together, “지 말고” is a way to say “don’t do something”.

The “지 말고” structure is used to emphasize not doing the action mentioned before it and, instead, to do the action mentioned after it. It is a stronger and more direct form of negation than “말고”, often used to express prohibitions or strong suggestions.

For example, consider the following sentence:

“놀지 말고 공부해요” – Don’t play, study.

In this sentence, the speaker is emphatically instructing not to play (“놀지 말고”) and instead to study (“공부해요”). It is literally translated as “Don’t play and study”.

One important point to note about “지 말고” is that it can be used with verbs. This is in contrast to “말고”, which is typically used with nouns.

In the Korean language, “지 말고” is a very practical structure to use when you want to express a stronger negation, command, or suggestion. It is most effectively used in situations that require more firmness or urgency. Understanding “지 말고” will give your Korean language skills a significant boost and allow you to express a wider range of emotions and directives.

Examples

• 울지 말고 웃어봐요. – Don’t cry, try to smile.
• 걱정하지 말고 행복한 생각을 해요. – Don’t worry, think happy thoughts.
• 늦지 말고 시간에 맞춰 와요. – Don’t be late, come on time.
• 달리지 말고 걸어가요. – Don’t run, walk.
• 말하지 말고 제 말 좀 들어요. – Don’t talk, listen to what I have to say.

Activity 1

Fill in the blanks.

1. _____ ____ 바나나를 주세요. – Instead of apple, give me banana please.
2. _____ ____ 파스타를 먹고 싶어요. – Instead of pizza, I want to eat pasta.
3. _____ ____ 저기에 앉아주세요. – Instead of sitting here, sit over there.
4. _____ ____ 주스를 마셔 보세요. – Instead of coffee, try drinking juice.
5. _____ _____ 야구 좋아해요. – I like baseball, not football.

Activity 2

Translate the following sentences to Korean.

1. Eat vegetables, not meat.
2. Instead of shopping, let’s go to the par
3. Instead of watching a movie, read a book.
4. Instead of playing games, study.
5. Instead of staying at home, go outside.

Activity 1 Answers

1. 사과 말고 바나나를 주세요. – Instead of apple, give me banana please.
2. 피자 말고 파스타를 먹고 싶어요. – Instead of pizza, I want to eat pasta.
3. 여기 말고 저기에 앉아주세요. – Instead of sitting here, sit over there.
4. 커피 말고 주스를 마셔 보세요. – Instead of coffee, try drinking juice.
5. 축구 말고 야구 좋아해요. – I like baseball, not football.

Activity 2 Answers

1. Eat vegetables, not meat. – 고기 말고 야채 먹어요.
2. Instead of shopping, let’s go to the park. – 쇼팽 말고 공원에 가요.
3. Instead of watching a movie, read a book. – 영화 보지 말고 채을 읽어요.
4. Instead of playing games, study. – 게임 하지 말고 공부해요.
5. Instead of staying at home, go outside. 집에 있지 말고 나가요.

Wrap up

We’ve come to the end of our lesson on the Korean grammar structures “말고” and “-지 말고”. These expressions are essential to express preferences, choices, or suggestions in Korean.

“말고” is primarily used with nouns to suggest ‘not this, but that’ or ‘instead of this, that’, while “-지 말고” is used with verbs to emphasize ‘don’t do this, but do that’. Mastering these structures will add depth to your Korean conversation skills and help you express a wide range of emotions and directives more accurately.

It’s important to remember that practice makes perfect! Don’t shy away from using these structures in your daily conversations. Try making sentences with “말고” and “-지 말고”, and use them when you’re speaking or writing in Korean.

We’re interested to see how you’ve incorporated what you’ve learned today. Please leave a comment below with your own sentences using “말고” and “-지 말고”. We would love to check your sentences and provide feedback.

We hope this lesson has been useful for you. Keep practicing and continue improving your Korean language skills. See you in our next lesson! 화이팅! (Fighting – a word of encouragement)