N이/가 아니라

How to use it

Denies one noun and gives the correct one: A이/가 아니라 B예요. In speech -아니고 is also common.

Forming it

After a consonant 이 (학생이 아니라), after a vowel 가 (친구가 아니라). For actions use -는 게 아니라, or -지 말고 in commands.

Examples

• 제 생일은 오늘이 아니라 내일이에요.

  My birthday isn't today but tomorrow.

• 이건 커피가 아니라 녹차예요.

  This isn't coffee; it's green tea.

Compared with similar patterns

N이/가 아니에요 is a simple negative sentence; -지 말고 contrasts actions in commands and suggestions; N이/가 아니라서 means 'because it is not N' (cf. N(이)라서).

Related patterns

• N이/가 아니에요 is not N (negative of N이에요/예요)
• -지 말고 don't do A — do B instead
• N(이)라서 because it is N (reason with a noun)