What Does Verbs-지 마세요 Mean in Korean?

-지 마세요 is used when requesting, persuading, indicating, or ordering the listener not to do something. This is the negative form of -(으)세요， and it corresponds to ‘please do not (do)’ in English.

It is used by adding -지 마세요 to verb stems. The formal polite form is -지 마십시오.

Example:

술을 마시지 마세요. Please don’t drink alcohol.

전화하지 마세요. Please don’t use the phone.

-지 마세요 can only be used with verbs, but not with 이다 or adjectives. Adjectives need to be changed to their verb form.

Example:

변호사이지 마세요. (wrong)

슬프지 마세요. (wrong) -> 슬퍼하지 마세요. (correct) Please don’t feel sad.

기분 나쁘지 마세요. (wrong) -> 기분 나빠하지 마세요. (correct) Please don’t feel hurt.