How to Say "Not Yet" in Korean: 아직 안 vs. 아직 못
Learn five practical Korean phrases for saying "not yet," including 아직 안 했어요 and 아직 못 했어요. Understand when to use 안 for simple not-done and 못 for couldn't or haven't managed, with a natural dialogue.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In Korean, "not yet" is usually expressed with the adverb 아직 plus a negative verb. But the choice between 안 and 못 changes the meaning: 안 했어요 means you simply haven't done it (no obstacle implied), while 못 했어요 means you couldn't or haven't managed to do it. This lesson teaches five ready-to-use phrases for everyday situations: replying to a message, talking about a meal, checking on a task, and politely saying you don't know yet. You'll also see how 아직 can mean "still" with a positive verb. All examples use Hangul and Revised Romanization.
By the end, you can…
- say "not yet" in Korean using 아직 with 안 and 못.
- distinguish between simple not-done (안) and couldn't/haven't managed (못) in polite speech.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
아직 안 했어요.
I haven't done it yet.
a-jik an hae-sseo-yo
A neutral statement that you have not done something yet. It does not itself specify why; you can add a reason afterward.
아직 못 했어요.
I couldn't do it yet. / I haven't managed to do it yet.
a-jik mot hae-sseo-yo
Use when something prevented you or you lacked the chance. 못 implies inability or external obstacle, not just choice.
아직이에요.
It's not yet. / Not yet.
a-ji-gi-e-yo
A short reply when someone asks if something has happened. It means the expected event hasn't occurred yet.
아직 안 먹었어요.
I haven't eaten yet.
a-jik an meo-geo-sseo-yo
Use for meals. 안 먹었어요 is neutral; if you couldn't eat because you were busy, say 아직 못 먹었어요.
아직 잘 모르겠어요.
I don't know yet. / I'm not sure yet.
a-jik jal mo-reu-ge-sseo-yo
A polite way to say you don't have an answer yet. 잘 softens the statement; 모르겠어요 is more tentative than 몰라요.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 아직 + negative verb. For simple not-done, put 안 before the verb: 아직 안 했어요 (I haven't done it yet). For couldn't or haven't managed, put 못 before the verb: 아직 못 했어요 (I couldn't do it yet). The verb stem is the same; only the negative marker changes. With a positive verb, 아직 means "still": 아직 있어요 (I'm still here), 아직 먹고 있어요 (I'm still eating). So 아직 itself does not mean "not"; the negative comes from 안 or 못.
When to use it
Use 안 when you are reporting a simple fact: you haven't sent the message, eaten, or finished. Use 못 when there is a reason you couldn't: you were busy, didn't have time, or lacked the ability. For example, if a friend asks why you didn't reply, 아직 못 봤어요 (I haven't been able to see it yet) is more accurate than 아직 안 봤어요 if you were swamped. 아직이에요 is a quick reply to a yes/no question like "Did you finish?" It is neutral and polite. 아직 잘 모르겠어요 is useful when you need more time to decide or check.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
밥 먹었어요?
Did you eat?bap meo-geo-sseo-yo?아직 안 먹었어요. 바빠서 못 먹었어요.
I haven't eaten yet. I couldn't eat because I was busy.a-jik an meo-geo-sseo-yo. ba-ppa-seo mot meo-geo-sseo-yo.그럼 지금 먹을래요?
Then do you want to eat now?geu-reom ji-geum meo-geul-lae-yo?아직 잘 모르겠어요. 이따가 연락할게요.
I'm not sure yet. I'll contact you later.a-jik jal mo-reu-ge-sseo-yo. i-tta-ga yeol-la-kal-ge-yo.A little context goes a long way
In Korean, 아직 with a negative verb is the standard way to say "not yet." Using 안 vs. 못 can affect how responsible you sound: 못 often implies circumstances beyond your control, so it can soften a late reply. 아직 잘 모르겠어요 is polite and common when you need time to decide. Avoid saying 몰라요 alone to a superior; it can sound blunt. The short form 아직이에요 is fine with friends and colleagues you know well.
One thing to watch for
Assuming 안 always means a deliberate refusal and 못 is required whenever there is any reason for a delay.
Try this instead: 아직 안 했어요 can neutrally say that a task is not done. 아직 못 했어요 emphasizes that you have not been able to do it. If illness prevented you from finishing, 못 makes that obstacle clearer, while 안 can still state the basic fact.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Your friend asks if you sent the message. You haven't sent it, but you were busy. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
아직 못 보냈어요.
This uses 못 because being busy prevented you. 아직 안 보냈어요 is also possible if you just haven't done it, but 못 better explains the obstacle.
2Someone asks "Did you eat?" You haven't eaten, but there is no special reason. What is a natural reply?
Show a sample answer
아직 안 먹었어요.
안 is correct for a simple not-done statement. If you couldn't eat because of a reason, 아직 못 먹었어요 would be better.
3You need more time to decide. What polite phrase can you use?
Show a sample answer
아직 잘 모르겠어요.
This means "I don't know yet" and is polite. 아직이에요 could also work if the question is simply whether something has happened.
Use 아직 with 안 for simple not-done and with 못 for couldn't or haven't managed. Remember 아직이에요 for quick replies and 아직 잘 모르겠어요 when you need more time.
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