Difference between revisions of "Negation of past actions with "meiyou""
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Use 没有 (méiyǒu) to negate past actions (to say that someone ''didn't do'' something, or something ''didn't happen'').
 
Use 没有 (méiyǒu) to negate past actions (to say that someone ''didn't do'' something, or something ''didn't happen'').
  
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== Structure ==
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=== Structure ===
  
 
Usually verbs can be [[Standard negation with bu|negated with 不 (bù)]], but that construction is used for habitual or present actions. If the verb is about an action '''in the past''', though, 没有 (méiyǒu) should be used:
 
Usually verbs can be [[Standard negation with bu|negated with 不 (bù)]], but that construction is used for habitual or present actions. If the verb is about an action '''in the past''', though, 没有 (méiyǒu) should be used:
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== Examples ==
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=== Examples ===
  
 
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Revision as of 06:35, 23 June 2015

Use 没有 (méiyǒu) to negate past actions (to say that someone didn't do something, or something didn't happen).

Structure

Usually verbs can be negated with 不 (bù), but that construction is used for habitual or present actions. If the verb is about an action in the past, though, 没有 (méiyǒu) should be used:

Subject + 没有 + Verb

Examples

  • 我 没有 去 酒吧。Wǒ méiyǒu qù jiǔbā.I didn't go to a bar.
  • 他们 没有 说话。Tāmen méiyǒu shuōhuà.They didn't speak.
  • 我 没有 喝 你 的 啤酒。Wǒ méiyǒu hē nǐ de píjiǔ.I didn't drink your beer.
  • 她 没有 看到 你。Tā méiyǒu kàn dào nǐ.She didn't see you.
  • 我 没有 吃 早饭。Wǒ méiyǒu chī zǎofàn.I didn't eat breakfast.
  • 昨天 我 没有 睡觉。Zuótiān wǒ méiyǒu shuìjiào.Yesterday I didn't sleep.
  • 我 没有 买 水果。Wǒ méiyǒu mǎi shuǐguǒ.I didn't buy fruit.
  • 我 太太 没有 做 饭。Wǒ tàitài méiyǒu zuò fàn.My wife didn't cook.
  • 宝宝 没有 哭。Bǎobǎo méiyǒu kū.The baby didn't cry.
  • 你 没有 生病。Nǐ méiyǒu shēngbìng.You didn't get sick.
  • 我 没有 学习 中文。Wǒ méiyǒu xuéxí Zhōngwén.I didn't study Chinese.

Note that you can shorten 没有 (méiyǒu) to just 没 (méi):

  • 我 没 去 酒吧。Wǒ méi qù jiǔbā.I didn't go to bar.
  • 他们 没 说话。Tāmen méi shuōhuà.They didn't speak.
  • 我 没 喝 你 的 啤酒。Wǒ méi hē nǐ de píjiǔ.I didn't drink your beer.
  • 她 没 看到 你。Tā méi kàn dào nǐ.She didn't see you.
  • 我 没 吃 早饭。Wǒ méi chī zǎofàn.I didn't eat breakfast.
  • 昨天 我 没 睡觉。Zuótiān wǒ méi shuìjiào.Yesterday I didn't sleep.
  • 我 没 买 水果。Wǒ méi mǎi shuǐguǒ.I didn't buy fruit.
  • 我 太太 没 做 饭。Wǒ tàitài méi zuò fàn.My wife didn't cook.
  • 宝宝 没 哭。Bǎobǎo méi kū.The baby didn't cry.
  • 你 没 生病。Nǐ méi shēngbìng.You didn't get sick.
  • 我 没 学习 中文。Wǒ méi xuéxí Zhōngwén.I didn't study Chinese.

Remember that 了 (le) is not used with 没有 (méiyǒu). 了 (le) marks completed actions, while 没有 (méiyǒu) is used for actions that didn't happen. These two don't work together. This is a very common mistake for beginner learners of Chinese.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Videos

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