Expressing Contrary Expectations in Korean: Using '지는 않다'

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Written byLee Min-jung (이민정)

Contrasting Expectations with '지는 않다'

When communicating in Korean, one might want to emphasize that a particular observation contrasts with what one might expect. The structure A + 지는 않다, and its often-used shortened form , serves precisely this purpose.

Grammar Rule: By adding to the negating structure A + 지 않다, you can stress that the observation goes against expectations. In informal speech, 지는 is often shortened to .

Examples of Using '지는 않다' and '진'

(You might think it was, but) the test wasn't that difficult.
It won't take a long time (even though it looks like it will).
Actually I'm not good at basketball (even though I'm a tall American wearing a basketball jersey).
It's not that old and it's never broken down (even though it looks worn out).
It's actually not that far from here to the restaurant (although it looks far on a map).
(I thought he was popular but) there weren't that many people at his birthday party.

Conclusion

Understanding the nuances of '지는 않다' and its shortened form '' can add depth to your Korean conversations. It allows you to convey contrary expectations, adding a layer of subtlety and emphasis to your statements.

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Discover how to use '지는 않다' and its colloquial form '진' to stress observations that go against expectations in Korean.
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Lee Min-jung (이민정)
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