to-not در مقابل not-to: تفاوت چیست؟
Not to is formal and safe; to not is modern and common. Both are correct.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'not to' for formal writing and 'to not' for emphasis or to avoid sounding like a robot.
- Standard: Put 'not' before 'to' for most situations. Example: 'I decided not to go.'
- Emphasis: Put 'not' after 'to' to stress the negative action. Example: 'I want you to NOT touch that.'
- Clarity: Use 'to not' if 'not to' makes the sentence sound confusing or awkward.
مرور کلی
not to do و to not do میتواند گیجکننده باشد. ممکن است در کلاسهای درس سنتی شنیده باشید که یکی از این دو شکل «غلط» است و دیگری «درست». اما واقعیت این است که در انگلیسی مدرن، هر دو ساختار از نظر دستور زبان (Grammar) کاملاً صحیح هستند.not استفاده میکنیم. ساختار not to + verb شکل سنتی و رسمیتر است که در محیطهای آکادمیک و اداری (مثلاً در مکاتبات دانشگاهی یا قراردادهای کاری) پیشنهاد میشود.to not + verb که به آن «مصدر شکسته» (Split Infinitive) میگویند، در انگلیسی محاورهای بسیار رایج است. در فارسی، ما ساختار منعطفتری داریم، اما در انگلیسی، انتخاب بین این دو، نشاندهنده تسلط شما بر ظرافتهای زبانی است. درک این موضوع به شما کمک میکند تا در محیطهایی مثل کافههای تهران یا جلسات کاری، دقیقاً همانطور که میخواهید صحبت کنید.to شروع میشود (مانند to go یا to eat). برای منفی کردن این عبارت، ما از قید not استفاده میکنیم. نکته کلیدی در جایگاه این قید است.- 1ساختار سنتی (
not to + verb): در اینجاnotکل عبارت مصدری را منفی میکند. این حالت خنثی و رسمی است. مثلاً جملهHe decided not to leaveبه این معناست که او تصمیم گرفت که «نرود». در اینجاnotمانند یک چتر، کل مفهومِ «رفتن» را پوشش میدهد.
- 1ساختار شکسته (
to not + verb): وقتیnotرا بینtoو فعل قرار میدهیم، تأکید روی خودِ «عملِ منفی» بیشتر میشود. در فارسی، وقتی میخواهیم روی یک تصمیم منفی تأکید کنیم، گاهی با لحن خاصی میگوییم «تصمیم گرفتم که *نـروم*». در انگلیسی،to not goدقیقاً همین حسِ تأکید بر عدم انجام کار را منتقل میکند. این ساختار در انگلیسیِ امروزی بهویژه در شبکههای اجتماعی یا مکالمات دوستانه بسیار پرکاربرد است.
not to + verb | رسمی و استاندارد | خنثی، رسمی، گزارشگونه |to not + verb | محاورهای و تأکیدی | شخصی، تأکیدی، صریح |decide, want, promise) یا صفات (مانند important, hard) میآید.[Verb/Adj] + not to + [Base Verb] | She asked me not to wait. |[Verb/Adj] + to not + [Base Verb] | She asked me to not wait. |not to ایمنتر است.not to استفاده کنید. برای مثال: It is important not to ignore the deadline (مهم است که ددلاین را نادیده نگیریم).I'm trying to not make a mistake. این ساختار به جمله شما حسِ طبیعیتر و انسانیتری میدهد. در واقع، هرچه جملات شما به زبانِ مردمِ کوچه و بازار نزدیکتر باشد، استفاده از to not رایجتر است.not to استفاده کنید تا هیچ ابهامی باقی نماند.- 1استفاده از
don'tبه جایnot: بسیاری از فارسیزبانان به دلیل ساختار «نـ» در فارسی، فکر میکنند باید از فعل کمکی استفاده کنند. مثلاً میگویند:*I decided to don't go. این کاملاً غلط است چون مصدر زمان ندارد و نباید باdo/doesمنفی شود. همیشه ازnotاستفاده کنید.
- 1جایگذاری اشتباه
notبعد از فعل: برخی به اشتباه میگویند*I want to go not. این با ساختار انگلیسی که در آن قید پیش از فعل میآید، در تضاد است. همیشهnotرا قبل از فعل اصلی قرار دهید.
- 1ترس از ساختار شکسته: برخی از زبانآموزان فکر میکنند که
to notهمیشه غلط است. این یک باور قدیمی است که از دستور زبان لاتین وارد انگلیسی شده بود. امروزه استفاده از آن در انگلیسیِ مدرن کاملاً پذیرفته شده است. نترسید و از آن برای تأکید استفاده کنید.
not در انگلیسی یک «قید» است و باید قبل از کلمهای که آن را توصیف میکند قرار بگیرد. برخلاف فارسی که «نـ» به ابتدای فعل میچسبد، در انگلیسی not یک کلمه مستقل است.not to | to not |not | قبل از to | بعد از to |- 1آیا در امتحان آیلتس استفاده از
to notنمره منفی دارد؟ خیر، اما پیشنهاد میشود در بخش Writing آکادمیک ازnot toاستفاده کنید تا سبکِ رسمیِ متن حفظ شود.
- 1آیا همیشه میتوانم از هر دو استفاده کنم؟ در اکثر موارد بله، اما اگر فعل اصلی جمله منفی است (مثلاً
I didn't want to go)، دیگر نیازی به منفی کردن مصدر ندارید و نباید از هر دو استفاده کنید.
- 1چرا برخی میگویند
to notغلط است؟ این به دلیل دستور زبانِ سنتیِ قرن نوزدهم است که میخواست انگلیسی را شبیه لاتین کند. در لاتین، مصدر یک کلمه واحد است و نمیتوان آن را شکافت، اما انگلیسی متفاوت است.
Negating the Infinitive
| Type | Structure | Example | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Standard
|
Not + to + verb
|
I decided not to go.
|
Formal/Neutral
|
|
Split (Emphatic)
|
To + not + verb
|
I decided to not go.
|
Informal/Strong
|
|
With Adverb
|
To + adverb + not + verb
|
I try to really not care.
|
Very Informal
|
|
Perfect Infinitive
|
Not + to + have + past participle
|
I'm sorry not to have called.
|
Formal
|
|
Passive Infinitive
|
Not + to + be + past participle
|
He asked not to be disturbed.
|
Neutral
|
Meanings
The placement of the negative particle 'not' in relation to an infinitive verb (to + base form).
Standard Negation
The traditional way to negate an infinitive by placing 'not' before the entire infinitive phrase.
“I prefer not to say.”
“He was told not to enter.”
Emphatic Split
Placing 'not' between 'to' and the verb to strongly emphasize the negative state.
“It's important to not fail.”
“I need you to not scream.”
Ambiguity Avoidance
Using 'to not' to ensure the 'not' applies only to the infinitive and not the preceding verb.
“He agreed to not go (He agreed to stay).”
“He didn't agree to go (He refused).”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
To + Verb
|
I want to go.
|
|
Standard Negative
|
Not + To + Verb
|
I want not to go.
|
|
Emphatic Negative
|
To + Not + Verb
|
I want to not go.
|
|
Question Negative
|
Is it better + not + to + Verb?
|
Is it better not to go?
|
|
Short Answer
|
Subject + Verb + not to
|
I'd prefer not to.
|
|
With 'Never'
|
Never + to + Verb
|
I hope never to see him again.
|
|
Emphatic 'Never'
|
To + never + Verb
|
I want to never see him again.
|
طیف رسمیت
I decided not to comment on the matter. (Legal/Social)
I decided not to say anything. (Legal/Social)
I decided to not say a word. (Legal/Social)
I chose to just not. (Legal/Social)
Negating the Infinitive
Standard
- Not to go Formal/Safe
Split
- To not go Emphatic/Modern
Mistakes
- No to go Incorrect
- To don't go Incorrect
Formal vs. Informal Negation
Which one should I use?
Is it for a formal essay?
Do you want to emphasize the 'NOT'?
Common Verbs using 'Not To'
Decisions
- • Decide
- • Choose
- • Agree
Promises
- • Promise
- • Swear
- • Vow
Efforts
- • Try
- • Strive
- • Attempt
مثالها بر اساس سطح
I try not to be late.
Trato de no llegar tarde.
Please tell him not to go.
Por favor, dile que no vaya.
It is good not to smoke.
Es bueno no fumar.
I want not to eat meat.
Quiero no comer carne.
We decided not to buy the car.
Decidimos no comprar el coche.
She promised not to tell anyone.
Ella prometió no decírselo a nadie.
Try not to make a noise.
Intenta no hacer ruido.
It's hard not to like him.
Es difícil que no te caiga bien.
I'd prefer to not discuss this right now.
Preferiría no discutir esto ahora mismo.
He was careful not to wake the baby.
Tuvo cuidado de no despertar al bebé.
It is important to not overthink the problem.
Es importante no pensar demasiado en el problema.
They agreed not to sign the contract yet.
Acordaron no firmar el contrato todavía.
The challenge is to not lose focus during the exam.
El desafío es no perder la concentración durante el examen.
He was advised not to respond to the provocative comments.
Se le aconsejó no responder a los comentarios provocativos.
To not have invited her would have been rude.
No haberla invitado habría sido grosero.
She struggled not to show her disappointment.
Luchó por no mostrar su decepción.
The goal of the policy is to not only reduce costs but also improve quality.
El objetivo de la política es no solo reducir costos sino también mejorar la calidad.
One must learn to not be swayed by public opinion.
Uno debe aprender a no dejarse influir por la opinión pública.
He chose to not explicitly deny the allegations.
Eligió no negar explícitamente las acusaciones.
The directive was to not under any circumstances open the vault.
La directiva era no abrir la bóveda bajo ninguna circunstancia.
To not so much as acknowledge his presence was a calculated insult.
Ni siquiera reconocer su presencia fue un insulto calculado.
The actor's ability to not overplay the role was praised by critics.
La capacidad del actor para no sobreactuar el papel fue elogiada por la crítica.
In his quest to not be forgotten, he built monuments across the city.
En su búsqueda por no ser olvidado, construyó monumentos por toda la ciudad.
The difficulty lies in learning to not merely survive, but thrive.
La dificultad radica en aprender a no simplemente sobrevivir, sino a prosperar.
بهراحتی اشتباه گرفته میشود
Learners use 'don't' for both.
Negating these changes the meaning drastically.
The position of 'not' changes whether you forgot the action or remembered to avoid it.
اشتباهات رایج
I want to no go.
I want not to go.
He said me not go.
He told me not to go.
I try to don't cry.
I try not to cry.
Not go is bad.
Not to go is bad.
I decided to not.
I decided not to.
She told me to not eat.
She told me not to eat.
It's important no to forget.
It's important not to forget.
I remembered to not call.
I remembered not to call.
He asked me to not be late.
He asked me not to be late.
I prefer to not.
I prefer not to.
To not really have tried is a shame.
Not to have really tried is a shame.
الگوهای جملهسازی
It is important not to ___.
I've decided to not ___ anymore.
She was warned not to ___.
The best way to not ___ is to ___.
Real World Usage
I try not to let stress affect my performance.
Try to not be late pls!
The party agrees not to disclose confidential information.
How to not care what people think.
Try not to move your arm.
Be careful to not overcook the pasta.
The 'Star Trek' Test
Avoid 'No'
Formal Default
Emphasis
Smart Tips
Always place 'not' before 'to'. It makes you sound more educated and respectful of traditional grammar.
Split the infinitive and put extra stress on the word 'NOT'.
Don't be afraid to split it. Clarity is more important than old rules.
Treat 'never' just like 'not'. 'Never to' is formal; 'to never' is emphatic.
تلفظ
Emphasis on 'Not'
In 'to not', the word 'not' is usually stressed and has a higher pitch.
Schwa in 'To'
In 'not to', the 'to' is often reduced to a schwa /tə/.
Emphatic Split
I need you to ↗NOT↘ do that.
Strong warning or correction.
حفظ کنید
روش یادسپاری
Put 'Not' before 'To' to be a pro. Put 'Not' in the middle to solve the riddle (of emphasis).
تداعی تصویری
Imagine a 'No Entry' sign standing right in front of a door labeled 'TO'. That's 'Not To'. Now imagine the sign is inside the room. That's 'To Not'.
Rhyme
If you want to be polite, 'not to' is usually right.
Story
A student named Tim always tried 'not to' fail his exams. But one day, his teacher said, 'Tim, I need you to NOT fail this time!' The teacher split the infinitive because the situation was urgent.
شبکه واژگان
چالش
Write three things you are trying 'not to' do this week, and one thing you are determined 'to NOT' do ever again.
نکات فرهنگی
Traditionally more resistant to split infinitives in formal education, though this is changing.
More flexible with 'to not' in journalism and media to sound more direct.
Some old-fashioned professors still consider 'to not' a mistake. When in doubt, use 'not to'.
The 'rule' against splitting infinitives was popularized by Henry Alford and other 19th-century grammarians who idolized Latin.
شروعکنندههای مکالمه
What is one thing you try not to do on the weekend?
If you could choose to not have one chore, what would it be?
Have you ever been told not to do something, but you did it anyway?
In your opinion, is it better to not know the future?
موضوعات نگارش
اشتباهات رایج
Test Yourself
He decided ___ the job.
Find and fix the mistake:
I try to don't eat sugar.
I need you to ___ (not / forget) the milk!
Don't be late. (He told me...)
'To not know is better than to lie.'
A: Are you coming to the party? B: I'd prefer ___.
1. Not to smoke. 2. To not smoke.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
تمرینهای عملی
8 exercisesHe decided ___ the job.
Find and fix the mistake:
I try to don't eat sugar.
I need you to ___ (not / forget) the milk!
Don't be late. (He told me...)
'To not know is better than to lie.'
A: Are you coming to the party? B: I'd prefer ___.
1. Not to smoke. 2. To not smoke.
1. I remembered not to call. 2. I didn't remember to call.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe first rule of book club is ___ talk about book club. Wait, that's not right.
My personal goal this year is ___ worry so much about small things.
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose the correct sentence:
She reminded me to forget not the keys.
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved not at all.
Translate into English: 'El médico me dijo que no comiera azúcar.' (The doctor told me not to eat sugar.)
Translate into English: 'Decidí no ir a la fiesta.' (I decided not to go to the party.)
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the sentence halves based on formal or informal style:
Match the verb with its negative infinitive phrase:
Score: /12
سوالات متداول (8)
No, not in modern English. It was a rule made up in the 1800s to make English more like Latin. Today, it's perfectly fine, especially for clarity.
In very formal academic writing or legal documents, it's safer to use `not to` to avoid looking 'unprofessional' to traditionalists.
Sometimes. It can shift the focus. `He agreed not to go` means he said yes to staying. `He didn't agree to go` means he refused to go.
Yes! `To never see you again` is a common split infinitive used for strong emotion.
It's a historical preference. Some people were taught that 'to + verb' is a single unit that should never be broken.
Shakespeare said `To be, or not to be`. This is the standard. `To not be` sounds very modern and emphatic.
No, 'should' is a modal verb. You say `should not go`, not `should not to go`.
Using `no` instead of `not` (e.g., `I want to no go`). Always use `not`!
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
no + infinitivo
English requires 'not' instead of 'no'.
ne pas + infinitif
French negation is two words, English is one.
nicht zu + Infinitiv
German word order is more rigid about the 'zu' placement.
verb-nai + koto
Japanese negation is part of the verb, not a separate word before it.
an + la + verb
The order is fixed in Arabic, unlike the flexible English split.
bu + verb
Chinese speakers often forget the 'to' in English.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
ویدیوهای مرتبط
Related Grammar Rules
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