Korean grammar · Level 4 · 4급
V-(으)ㄹ 게 아니라
Instead of …, (you should)
-(으)ㄹ 게 아니라 turns down one course of action and points to a better one: “don't just…, …instead”. The second half usually gives advice or a suggestion: -(으)세요, -아/어 봐요, -는 게 좋겠어요. In writing it is -(으)ㄹ 것이 아니라.
Examples
걱정만 할 게 아니라 준비를 하세요.
Don't just worry — get ready.
혼자 고민할 게 아니라 선생님께 물어보는 게 좋겠어요.
Rather than struggling alone, you'd better ask the teacher.
여기서 기다릴 게 아니라 직접 가 봐요.
Let's not wait here — let's go and see for ourselves.
Practise it in context · Level 4, Unit 7
Work and the future
A dialogue with audio, practice that checks itself, Hoya’s mistakes, a reading and a writing task.
Open the unit →