Learn Korean from Your Bias
No.477

Korean expression

이거 안 돼

안 돼

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What does 안 돼 mean?

안 돼 means "to be impossible; not to work" in Korean.

How it works here

안 negates 돼 and indicates that the thing cannot work or cannot be allowed.

Key expression

안 되다

To be impossible or not work

안 돼 expresses impossibility, failure, or lack of permission rather than simply choosing not to do something.

When it's used

Used when something cannot work or a condition cannot be met, so the speaker considers another option.

The line

일단 이거 안 돼... 이것부터 안 될 거 같은데?

For now, this doesn’t work... I don’t think this part will work first.

The speaker checks one thing first and then considers whether another method might work.

Scene from “Run BTS! 2022 Special Episode - Fly BTS Fly Part 1” · Channel: BANGTANTV Watch on YouTube

More examples

  1. 지금은 전화를 받으면 안 돼. 회의 중이야.

    You mustn’t answer the phone right now. I’m in a meeting.

  2. 이 서류는 오늘 안에 제출하면 안 됩니다.

    This document must not be submitted today.

Quick check

When would you use this expression?

안 돼

일단 이거 안 돼... 이것부터 안 될 거 같은데?

For now, this doesn’t work... I don’t think this part will work first.

  • Suggesting that a friend watch a movie together.
  • Checking whether a machine works first, then looking for another method if it does not.
  • Asking someone to write down today’s schedule.
Show the answer

Checking whether a machine works first, then looking for another method if it does not.

to be impossible or not work. 안 돼 expresses impossibility, failure, or lack of permission rather than simply choosing not to do something.

Other words in this line

일단
For now; first
이거
This
안
Not
되다
To work; to be possible
이것
This
같다
To seem

Same expression in other scenes

More BTS scenes

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