What does 안 돼 mean?

안 돼 (andwae)

'안 돼' is the go-to Korean phrase to say no or express impossibility, used in daily life and business.

Korean phrase 안 돼 meaning no or not allowed

Definition & nuance

Core meaning and shades learners miss.

안 돼(andwae)

'안 돼' is a short form of '안 되다', meaning something is not allowed or impossible.

Nuances

  • Emphasizes refusal or impossibility, not just simple no
  • Casual and direct expression
  • Use polite form '안 됩니다' in formal settings
  • Sometimes conveys strong emotional denial

When to use

Refusing, Expressing impossibility, Casual conversation, Business setting

In context

'안 돼' is mainly used in spoken Korean to express negative commands or refusal. It stands alone without attaching to verbs or adjectives. The polite form is '안 됩니다.'

Real-world examples

  • 이렇게 하면 안 돼.

    i-reoh-ge ha-myeon an dwae., i reoh ge ha myeon an dwae.

    Correct use of '안 돼' to express prohibition.

  • 안 돼, 지금 바빠.

    an dwae, ji-geum ba-ppa., an dwae, ji geum ba ppa.

    Natural sentence expressing refusal or impossibility.

  • 안 돼서 가고 싶어.

    an dwae-seo ga-go sip-eo., an dwae seo ga go sip eo.

    '안 돼서' is awkward and ungrammatical here.

  • 안 돼요, 그건 불가능해요.

    an dwae-yo, geu-geon bul-ga-neung-hae-yo., an dwae yo, geu geon bul ga neung hae yo.

    Correct polite form usage.

  • 안 돼라!

    an dwae-ra!, an dwae ra!

    '안 돼라' is incorrect; command form is '안 돼' or '하지 마'.

Quick quiz

  1. What does '안 돼' mean?

    '안 돼'는 어떤 뜻인가요?('andwae'neuneo-tteontteus-in-ga-yo?, 'andwae'neuneotteontteusingayo?)
  2. What is the polite form of '안 돼'?

    '안 돼'의 존댓말은?('andwae'uijon-daes-mal-eun?, 'andwae'uijondaesmaleun?)
  3. Which sentence is correct?

    다음 중 올바른 문장은?(da-eumjungol-ba-reunmun-jang-eun?, daeumjungolbareunmunjangeun?)

More meaning guides

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