A/V-(으)면 안 되다

In Korean, the A/V-(으)면 안 되다 form is used to express prohibition or limitation of certain actions. This pattern indicates that there will be a problem if something is done. It can be translated as "must not," "should not," "may not," or "you are not allowed to" in English and is the opposite of A/V-아/어도 되다 (permission pattern).

This expression is commonly used to state social conventions, rules, or when an action is not tolerated. You can use this pattern both to inform someone that something is not allowed (as a statement) and to ask if something is not allowed (as a question).

These are the basic rules when conjugating verbs and adjectives to A/V-(으)면 안 되다:

1. Remove '다' from the end of the word.

2. Add (으)면 안 되다.

Use –으면 when the word stem ends with a final consonant (받침).

When the word stem ends with a final consonant, add –으면 안 되다.

먹다 (to eat)

1. 먹다 -> 먹
2. 먹 + 으면 안 되다
3. 먹으면 안 되다/안 돼요

읽다 (to read)

1. 읽다 -> 읽
2. 읽 + 으면 안 되다
3. 읽으면 안 되다/안 돼요

앉다 (to sit)

1. 앉다 -> 앉
2. 앉 + 으면 안 되다
3. 앉으면 안 되다/안 돼요

찍다 (to take a picture)

1. 찍다 -> 찍
2. 찍 + 으면 안 되다
3. 찍으면 안 되다/안 돼요

• 여기서 담배를 피우면 안 돼요 (You must not smoke here.)
• 수업 시간에 핸드폰을 쓰면 안 돼요 (You may not use your phone during class.)
• 도서관에서 큰 소리로 말하면 안 돼요 (You must not speak loudly in the library.)
• 박물관에서 사진을 찍으면 안 돼요 (You may not take pictures in the museum.)

Use –면 when the word stem ends with a vowel (no 받침).

When the word stem ends with a vowel, add –면 안 되다.

가다 (to go)

1. 가다 -> 가
2. 가 + 면 안 되다
3. 가면 안 되다/안 돼요

보다 (to see)

1. 보다 -> 보
2. 보 + 면 안 되다
3. 보면 안 되다/안 돼요

오다 (to come)

1. 오다 -> 오
2. 오 + 면 안 되다
3. 오면 안 되다/안 돼요

자다 (to sleep)

1. 자다 -> 자
2. 자 + 면 안 되다
3. 자면 안 되다/안 돼요

• 혼자 그곳에 가면 안 돼요 (You must not go there alone.)
• 다른 사람의 일기를 보면 안 돼요 (You should not read other people's diaries.)
• 허락 없이 오면 안 돼요 (You may not come without permission.)
• 운전하면서 자면 안 돼요 (You must not sleep while driving.)

When the word stem ends with 'ㄹ' consonant, drop 'ㄹ' and add –면 안 되다.

만들다 (to make)

1. 만들다 -> 만들 -> 만드 (drop ㄹ)
2. 만드 + 면 안 되다
3. 만들면 안 되다/안 돼요

울다 (to cry)

1. 울다 -> 울 -> 우 (drop ㄹ)
2. 우 + 면 안 되다
3. 울면 안 되다/안 돼요

팔다 (to sell)

1. 팔다 -> 팔 -> 파 (drop ㄹ)
2. 파 + 면 안 되다
3. 팔면 안 되다/안 돼요

• 여기서 소음을 만들면 안 돼요 (You must not make noise here.)
• 공공장소에서 울면 안 돼요 (You should not cry in public places.)
• 불법으로 물건을 팔면 안 돼요 (You must not sell things illegally.)

When you change '하다' verbs, add –면 안 되다 to the stem.

공부하다 (to study)

1. 공부하다 -> 공부하
2. 공부하 + 면 안 되다
3. 공부하면 안 되다/안 돼요

전화하다 (to call)

1. 전화하다 -> 전화하
2. 전화하 + 면 안 되다
3. 전화하면 안 되다/안 돼요

운전하다 (to drive)

1. 운전하다 -> 운전하
2. 운전하 + 면 안 되다
3. 운전하면 안 되다/안 돼요

요리하다 (to cook)

1. 요리하다 -> 요리하
2. 요리하 + 면 안 되다
3. 요리하면 안 되다/안 돼요

• 시험 시간에는 공부하면 안 돼요 (You must not study during the exam time.)
• 밤늦게 전화하면 안 돼요 (You should not call late at night.)
• 술을 마시고 운전하면 안 돼요 (You must not drive after drinking alcohol.)
• 기숙사에서 요리하면 안 돼요 (You may not cook in the dormitory.)

Tense Variations

Present Tense:

• Polite: 가면 안 돼요 (You may not go)
• Formal: 가면 안 됩니다 (You may not go)

Past Tense:

• Polite: 가면 안 됐어요 (It was not okay to go)
• Formal: 가면 안 됐습니다 (It was not okay to go)

Future Tense:

• Polite: 가면 안 될 거예요 (It will not be okay to go)
• Formal: 가면 안 될 것입니다 (It will not be okay to go)

Question Form: Asking for Permission

You can use -(으)면 안 되다 in question form to ask if something is not allowed, which is actually a polite way to ask for permission:

• 여기 앉으면 안 돼요? (May I sit here? / Is it not okay to sit here?)
• 창문을 열면 안 될까요? (Would it be okay to open the window?)
• 사진을 찍으면 안 돼요? (Is it not okay to take pictures?)

How to Answer Questions with -(으)면 안 되다

When someone asks "-(으)면 안 돼요?" you can answer:

If NOT allowed:

• 네, (가면) 안 돼요 (Yes, you may not go)
• 네, 안 돼요 (Yes, you can't)

If ALLOWED:

• 아니요, (가도) 돼요 (No, you may go)
• 아니요, 돼요 (No, it's okay)

Double Negative Form: "Must Do"

To emphasize that something MUST be done, you can use the double negative form:

• 지 않으면 안 되다 = "If you don't do it, it's not okay" = "You must do it"

Examples:

• 지금 가지 않으면 안 돼요 (=꼭 가야 돼요) (You must go now)
• 공부하지 않으면 안 돼요 (=꼭 공부해야 돼요) (You must study)
• 약을 먹지 않으면 안 돼요 (=꼭 약을 먹어야 돼요) (You must take medicine)

Negative Form: "Don't have to"

To express "you don't have to" or "it's okay not to," use:

• 안 + verb + (으)면 안 되다 → 안 + verb + 아/어도 되다

Examples:

• 안 가도 돼요 (You don't have to go)
• 안 먹어도 돼요 (You don't have to eat)
• 안 공부해도 돼요 (You don't have to study)

Common Irregular Verbs

Some verbs follow irregular conjugation patterns:

• 듣다 (to listen) → 들으면 안 돼요 (irregular ㄷ → ㄹ change)
• 걷다 (to walk) → 걸으면 안 돼요 (irregular ㄷ → ㄹ change)
• 붓다 (to pour) → 부으면 안 돼요 (irregular ㅅ → drop)

Comparison with Related Grammar

A/V-(으)면 안 되다 vs A/V-아/어도 되다:

• (으)면 안 되다 = prohibition (You must not)
• 아/어도 되다 = permission (You may)

A/V-(으)면 안 되다 vs A/V-지 마세요:

• (으)면 안 되다 = general rule/prohibition (You must not)
• 지 마세요 = direct command (Don't do it)

Important Notes

This pattern is commonly used for:

• Social rules and conventions
• Legal restrictions
• Safety warnings
• Etiquette guidelines
• House rules or institutional policies

Remember: When answering questions with this pattern, the response might seem backwards to English speakers. "네" (yes) means "Yes, you're right that it's not allowed," while "아니요" (no) means "No, it's actually okay."