In this lesson, the speakers answer questions in the negative.  

Grammar Point #1 – Making negative statements – anida – 아니다 (anida)

• The negative copula is 아니다 (anida). This means “to not be.” This is not a conjugation of the affirmative copula 이다 (ida), but is an independent word. In this lesson, we are using the negative copula 아니다 (anida).

Construction

• • Just as most Korean verbs are conjugated, -다 (-da) is removed from 아니다 (anida) to get 아니 (ani), which is the verb stem of this word.
    • 아니 + ㅂ니다 = 아닙니다 ani + mnida = animnida (verb stem + formal simple present tense conjugation = “am/is/are not”)
  • Here is an example of a negative statement:
    • “저는 학생이 아닙니다.” (jeon-eun hakseng animnida) “I am not a student.”
  • It is important to remember that to make sentences with the negative copula, you use the following sentence structure:
    • Noun1은/는 Noun2이/가 아닙니다. (Noun1-eun/neun Noun2-i/ga animnida.)

Grammar Point #2 – Using the subject marker – i/ga – “이/가”

• 이/가 (i/ga) has many different uses. In this particular context, these are the two most common reasons to use the subject marker:

• • when introducing the subject for the first time during a conversation or discussion.
  • when using the negative copula 아니다 (anida). 이/가 아니다 (i/ga anida) is a set phrase.

• It is important to know when to use 이 (i) or 가 (ga). Remember these rules:

• • 이 (i) is used following a word ending in a consonant. Look at the previous example one more time: “저는 학생이 아닙니다.” (Jeoneun haksaengi animnida.) The last letter of 학생 (haksaeng) is -ㅇ (-ng), a consonant, so we use 이 (i).
  • 가 (ga) is used following a word ending in a vowel. In the phrase 배우가 아닙니다 (baeuga animnida), the last letter of 배우 (baeu) is -ㅜ (-u), a vowel, so we use 가 (ga).