지 말다 (don't, prohibition)

Technically speaking, 지 말다 is a two-part construction. The first part is 지, which acts like a bridge or a connector. You attach it directly to the stem of a verb. The second part is 말다, an auxiliary verb that carries the meaning of "stopping" or "quitting." When they team up, they create a negative command or a prohibition. It is important to remember that 말다 behaves a bit like a chameleon. It changes its shape depending on who you are talking to. If you are being polite, it becomes 마세요. If you are with friends, it shrinks down to 마. If you are suggesting that "we" shouldn't do something, it transforms into 맙시다. It’s like a Swiss Army knife for saying "No." Unlike the simple negative markers 안 or 못 which describe a state or ability, 지 말다 is all about the *action* of stopping. It’s the difference between saying "I don't eat" and "Don't eat!"

1. 1Creating this grammar is as easy as making instant ramen. Just follow these steps:
2. 2Find your verb stem. Take any action verb and strip away the 다. For example, 가다 (to go) becomes 가. 먹다 (to eat) becomes 먹.
3. 3Attach 지. No matter if the stem ends in a vowel or a consonant, just stick 지 right on the end. Now you have 가지 and 먹지.
4. 4Add the conjugated form of 말다. This is where the magic happens.
5. 5For Polite Commands (standard): Add 마세요. Result: 가지 마세요 (Please don't go).
6. 6For Casual Talk (friends): Add 마 or 마라. Result: 먹지 마 (Don't eat).
7. 7For Formal Suggestions (let's not): Add 맙시다. Result: 늦지 맙시다 (Let's not be late).
8. 8For Polite Suggestions: Add 말아요. Result: 사지 말아요 (Don't buy it).
9. 9Wait! There is a little secret. 말다 is an irregular verb. You might expect 말으세요, but that is wrong. The ㄹ drops out when it meets the 시 in 마세요. Think of the ㄹ like a shy guest who leaves the party as soon as ㅅ arrives. Yes, even native speakers sometimes trip over this, but now you know the secret!

Use 지 말다 whenever you want to prevent an action from happening.

• Safety first: If you see someone walking into a "Wet Floor" zone, shout 가지 마세요!
• Social boundaries: If a friend is teasing you too much, a firm 하지 마 (Don't do it) works wonders.
• Ordering food: If you hate cilantro, you can say 고수 넣지 마세요 (Please don't put in cilantro).
• Encouragement: If someone is stressed about a job interview, tell them 걱정하지 마세요 (Don't worry).
• Group decisions: In a meeting, if everyone wants to order pizza but you just had it yesterday, suggest 피자 먹지 맙시다 (Let's not eat pizza).

It works in almost every scenario where an action is involved. It’s the universal "Undo" button for human behavior.

You cannot use 지 말다 with adjectives. This is a common trap! In English, we say "Don't be sad." In Korean, 슬프다 (to be sad) is an adjective. You cannot say 슬프지 마세요. That sounds like you are trying to break the laws of physics.

Instead, you must turn the adjective into a verb first. You do this by adding ~어/아하다. So, 슬프다 becomes 슬퍼하다 (the action of feeling/showing sadness). Now you can say 슬퍼하지 마세요.

Also, do not use it for simple negative facts. If you want to say "I don't drink coffee," use 안 마셔요. If you want to say "Don't drink that coffee!" (because it belongs to the boss), use 마시지 마세요. Use 지 말다 only for commands, requests, and suggestions. It’s about *willpower*, not just *facts*.

The biggest mistake is the "ㄹ-drop" failure. Many learners try to say 말으세요. It sounds logical, but it’s 100% incorrect. It must be 마세요. Think of it like a grammar tax; you have to pay the ㄹ to use the polite form.

Another mistake is using 안 for commands. Saying 안 가세요! instead of 가지 마세요! sounds very strange. It’s like saying "You are not going!" as a statement of fact when you meant to give an order.

Finally, watch out for the 지 마요 form. While people use it in casual conversation, 마세요 is much more standard and safe for polite situations. If you use 지 마요 with your boss, they might give you a funny look. Stick to 마세요 until you are 100% comfortable with the social hierarchy.

How is 지 마세요 different from 안 ~해요?

• 안 먹어요 = I don't eat (A fact about me).
• 먹지 마세요 = Don't eat (A command for you).

How about 못 ~해요?

• 못 먹어요 = I can't eat (I have an allergy or no teeth).
• 먹지 마세요 = Don't eat (I'm stopping you from eating).

How about ~지 않다?

• 가지 않아요 = I don't go (Formal/written negative statement).
• 가지 마세요 = Don't go (Direct prohibition).

Essentially, 지 말다 is the only one that carries the "authority" to stop an action. The others just describe the lack of an action.