Korean Pattern ~지 마세요: How to Say "don't ~ (prohibition)"

Verb stem + 지 마세요. Polite prohibition. Casual: ~지 마.

The Rule

~지 마세요 = "don't ~ (prohibition)" Verb stem + 지 마세요. Polite prohibition. Casual: ~지 마. This is one of the essential Korean grammar patterns. Mastering it unlocks the ability to express "don't ~ (prohibition)" naturally in conversation — something you'll need almost every day.

Why English Speakers Get It Wrong

In English, "don't ~ (prohibition)" is expressed with separate words (auxiliary verbs, modals). In Korean, ~지 마세요 is a grammatical ENDING attached to the verb stem. You can't just translate word-by-word. The common mistake: trying to combine Korean words the way English does instead of attaching the pattern to the verb stem. Korean grammar works by stacking endings, not by adding separate helper words.

How It Works

Formation: Verb stem + 지 마세요 Verb stem + 지 마세요. Polite prohibition. Casual: ~지 마. Step by step: 1. Take any verb (e.g., 가다 = to go) 2. Remove 다 to get the stem (가) 3. Add the pattern: 가지 마세요 This works with virtually any Korean verb.

Real Examples

• 걱정하지 마세요. (geokjeonghaji maseyo.) — "Don't worry." • 여기서 사진 찍지 마세요. (yeogiseo sajin jjikji maseyo.) — "Don't take photos here."

Common Mistakes

❌ Trying to translate "don't ~ (prohibition)" word-by-word from English ✅ Use the pattern ~지 마세요 attached to the verb stem → Korean expresses "don't ~ (prohibition)" as a single grammatical construction, not separate words. ❌ Forgetting vowel harmony or consonant rules ✅ Check if the verb stem ends in a vowel or consonant — the pattern may change form → Pay attention to the verb stem's final sound when attaching the pattern.

Quick Tip

Practice ~지 마세요 with 5 verbs you already know. Write them out: • 가다 (go) → 가지 마세요 • 먹다 (eat) → 먹지 마세요 Repetition with familiar verbs builds the pattern into muscle memory. Once automatic, you can use it with ANY verb.

~지 마세요 = "don't ~ (prohibition)"

Examples

걱정하지 마세요. — geokjeonghaji maseyo. — Don't worry.

여기서 사진 찍지 마세요. — yeogiseo sajin jjikji maseyo. — Don't take photos here.