-지 마세요

How to use it

A polite negative request or instruction: 'please don't'. The suggestion form is -지 맙시다 ('let's not').

Forming it

Negative commands and suggestions use 말다, not -지 않다: ✗ 가지 않으세요. Verbs only.

Examples

• 도서관에서 큰 소리로 이야기하지 마세요.

  Please don't talk loudly in the library.

• 너무 걱정하지 마세요. 잘될 거예요.

  Don't worry too much. It'll be fine.

Compared with similar patterns

-(으)면 안 되다 states a rule ('you must not'); -지 말고 links 'don't do A, (do B) instead'.

Related patterns

• -(으)면 안 되다 must not, not allowed to
• -지 말고 don't do A — do B instead