Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 아니요 | aniyo | [a̠nijo] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 아뇨 | anyo | [a̠ɲo] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 아니 | ani | [a̠ni] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
In Korean, the forms of 'no' are used to show disagreement or negation. It is important to distinguish between these forms and 없다, which is used to express the non-existence of a person or object.
Which one should you use?
The forms 아니요 and 아니 are used to negate statements or answer questions, whereas 없다 is used to mean 'not any' or to indicate that something does not exist. 아뇨 is a common contraction of the polite form 아니요.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
아니오 is a polite and formal way to say 'no', while 아니요 is a formal way that carries a slightly softer tone. For a polite but direct way to say 'no' when something is not allowed or possible, you can use 안 됩니다. For casual or informal situations, use 아니 or the casual 아니야.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
aniyo
Did you know?
- In a surprising reversal of logic, 아니요 is used to answer 'yes' when responding to a negative question. If asked 'You don't like it?', answering 아니요 means 'No, you are wrong, I actually do like it'.
- When refusing a gift or a compliment, it is traditional to say 아니요 several times. This 'polite refusal' is a social ritual showing humility, and the person often accepts the item only after the third offer.
- In Korea, saying 아니요 is often a conversational filler rather than a literal negation. It is frequently used to start a sentence or a story, similar to how English speakers might say 'Well' or 'Actually'.
Examples in context
- 아니야, 새 남자친구가 아니야.No, he's not my new boyfriend.This sentence uses the form 아니 to negate a statement about a boyfriend.Tatoeba #7965120 by EstasKorea, translation #1427 by LittleBoy
- 천문학은 결코 신생 과학이 아니야.Astronomy is by no means a new science.This sentence uses the form 아니 to negate a claim about astronomy.Tatoeba #8363689 by Eunhee, translation #278982 by CS
- "지난 주에 티비 봤어?" "아니.""Did you watch television last week?" "No."This sentence uses the form 아니 as a short answer to a question.Tatoeba #8533885 by Eunhee, translation #8533313 by sundown
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Seoyeon and Hyunwoo are talking about whether the restaurant is open.
- 서연 Seo-yeon서연seo-yeonSeoyeon
- 현우 Hyeon-woo현우hyeon-uHyunwoo
- 서연 Seo-yeon식당이 지금 열었나요?sik-dang-i ji-geum yeol-eot-na-yo?Is the restaurant open now?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo아니요, 지금은 닫았어요.a-ni-yo, ji-geum-eun dat-at-eo-yo.No, it is closed now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no” translations and entries 아니요, 아뇨, 아니, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
