intermediate
말고 (malgo) means "not A but B".
Used to exclude one option and choose another.
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- From 말다 malda, "to stop". Same after a consonant or a vowel.
Build it
When to use it
Choosing again
Not this one, that one.
Besides
In a question: "other than …".
Don't do it
After a verb: 지 말고 ji malgo.
Watch out
Write it with a space.
A "don't" request uses 지 마세요 ji maseyo, never 지 않다 ji anta.
In context
8 examples- 1
오늘 말고 내일 만나요.
Oneul malgo naeil mannayo.
Let's meet tomorrow, not today.
- 2
커피 말고 물 주세요.
Keopi malgo mul juseyo.
Water, not coffee, please.
- 3
주말 말고 평일에 가는 게 어때요?
Jumal malgo pyeongire ganeun ge eottaeyo?
How about going on a weekday instead of the weekend?
- 4
이 색 말고 다른 색 있어요?
I saek malgo dareun saek isseoyo?
Do you have this in another color?
- 5
너 말고 누가 또 왔어?
Neo malgo nuga tto wasseo?
Who else came besides you?
- 6
울지 말고 천천히 말해 봐.
Ulji malgo cheoncheonhi malhae bwa.
Stop crying and tell me slowly.
- 7
저 말고 민수한테 물어보세요.
Jeo malgo minsuhante mureoboseyo.
Ask Minsu, not me.
- 8
택시 말고 지하철 타자.
Taeksi malgo jihacheol taja.
Let's take the subway, not a taxi.
Practice
8 questions이건 커피 말고 차예요.
Igeon keopi malgo chayeyo.
This isn't coffee. It's tea.
말고 vs 아니라
Both translate as "not A but B", but they do different jobs. 말고 is for choosing, asking and telling. To say what something is, use 아니라 anira, "it isn't … but":
- 커피 말고 차 마실래요. keopi malgo cha masillaeyo "I'll have tea, not coffee."
- 이건 커피가 아니라 차예요. igeon keopiga anira chayeyo "This isn't coffee. It's tea."
- ✗이건 커피 말고 차예요. igeon keopi malgo chayeyo
말고도: "besides … also"
Add 도 do and it means "on top of", not "instead of":
- 한국어 말고도 일본어를 해요. hangugeo malgodo ilboneoreul haeyo "Besides Korean, I also speak Japanese."
Without 도, the sentence would sound like you speak Japanese instead of Korean.
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 말고 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.
