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아니에요 (anieyo) is the present tense, polite form of the Korean verb 아니다, which means “to be not.” It’s used in formal or polite conversations to negate something, essentially saying “It is not,” “I am not,” or “You are not.”
Breakdown:
- Verb: 아니다 (to be not)
- Polite Present Tense: 아니에요
In Korean, the verb 아니다 (to be not) works differently than in English, where we might use “is not,” “are not,” or “am not” depending on the subject. 아니에요 is a simple phrase that can be used in many contexts. Since Korean often drops the subject when it’s understood from context, 아니에요 can take on different meanings, such as:
- It’s not.
- I’m not.
- You’re not.
- He/She/They are not.
Structure
[Noun] + 아니에요 -The subject can be a person, thing, or situation, and you don’t always have to explicitly say it if it’s clear from the conversation.
Usage Examples:
- 그거 아니에요. (“It’s not that.”)
- 저 아니에요. (“It’s not me.” / “I’m not the one.”)
- 그 사람 아니에요. (“It’s not that person.” / “He/She isn’t the one.”)
- 저 선생님 아니에요. (“I am not a teacher.”)
In conversation, 아니에요 is often used to politely correct or refute something that was said. It’s important to note that it’s polite, so it’s appropriate for everyday conversations.
