~지마 or ~지말
Hello everybody i have the question...
Why sometimes i see for example 가지마요 and sometimes 가지말아요??

I know ~지 말다...

Now the question! I guess "-지 마세요" is a very polite, but I often hear "-지 마요" or "-지 말아요" or in 판말 - "-지 마". So the question is does "-지 마요" is a short version of "-지 말아요"?

Thanks :)

Question

~지마 or ~지말
Hello everybody i have the question...
Why sometimes i see for example 가지마요 and sometimes 가지말아요??

I know ~지 말다...

Now the question! I guess "-지 마세요" is a very polite, but I often hear "-지 마요" or "-지 말아요" or in 판말 - "-지 마". So the question is does "-지 마요" is a short version of "-지 말아요"?

Thanks :)

Answer

In terms of grammar, "말아요" is often used in everyday Korean, but it's not standard.:(

The base form of it is "말다", and it conjugates like...
1. 마 e.g. 가지 마! (Don't go/leave)
2. 마요 (polite form) e.g. Please don't leave/go
3. 마라 e.g. 말다 + 아/어 라 > 마라 (I want you not to go/leave)

\^o^/

Answer

I think you are referring to written?  In spoken, normally you would hear 지마세요   or the really plain 하지마!   I don't think I've ever heard 지마요.    지말아요 is technically correct, but again in spoken form mostly you would hear 지마세요 for politeness or 하지마 (usually to kids or to close friends directly).   The spoken form is the most important to understand.