Meaning and Usage
The adverb '절대' means 'absolutely' or 'never' and is used to emphasize that something must not or will not happen under any circumstances. It is a strong negation often paired with negative verbs.
Common Collocations
- 절대 + negative verb (e.g., 절대 안 돼요): used to forbid or strongly prohibit something.
- 절대 + verb ending in -지 마세요 (e.g., 절대 거짓말하지 마세요): a polite but firm command to never do something.
Register and Politeness
'절대' is neutral in formality but is often used in polite commands or warnings. It is common in both spoken and written Korean.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes use '절대' with positive verbs, which is incorrect because '절대' is typically used with negation to express 'never'. For example, saying '절대 가요' (I absolutely go) is unnatural. Instead, use it with negative forms like '절대 가지 않아요' (I never go).