Difference between revisions of "Negation of "you" with "mei""

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* 我 <em>没有</em> 问题 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> wèntí.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have any questions.</span>
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* 他 <em>没 </em> 有 钱 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>méi</em> yǒu qián.</span>  <span class="trans">He doesn't have money. </span>
 
* 我 <em>没有</em> 工作 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have a job.</span>
 
* 我 <em>没有</em> 工作 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have a job.</span>
* 我 <em>没有</em> 朋友 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> péngyǒu.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have friends.</span>
 
* 我 <em>没有</em> 钱 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> qián.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have money.</span>
 
* 我 现在 <em>没有</em> 时间 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiànzài <em>méiyǒu</em> shíjiān.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have time right now.</span>
 
 
* 我 <em>没有</em> 电脑 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> diànnǎo.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have a computer.</span>
 
* 我 <em>没有</em> 电脑 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> diànnǎo.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have a computer.</span>
* <em>没有</em> 手机 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>méiyǒu</em> shǒujī.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have a cell phone.</span>
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* 爸爸 <em></em> 手机 。<span class="pinyin">Bàba <em>méi</em> yǒu shǒujī.</span> <span class="trans">Dad doesn't have a cell phone. </span>
* <em>没有</em> 房子 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>méiyǒu</em> fángzi.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have a house.</span>
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* <em>没有</em> 房子 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>méiyǒu</em> fángzi.</span> <span class="trans">You don't have a house.</span>
 
* 我 <em>没有</em> 车 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> chē.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have a car.</span>
 
* 我 <em>没有</em> 车 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> chē.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have a car.</span>
* 我 <em>没有</em> 女朋友 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> nǚpéngyou.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have a girlfriend.</span>
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* 我 现在 <em>没有</em> 时间 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiànzài <em>méiyǒu</em> shíjiān.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have time right now.</span>
* <em>没 </em> 有 。<span class="pinyin"><em>méi</em> yǒu qián.</span>  <span class="trans">He doesn't have money. </span>
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* 这 个 星期 , 我 <em>没 </em> 有 时间 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè gè xīngqī, wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu shíjiān.</span>  <span class="trans">This week, I have no time. </span>
* 爸爸 <em></em> 有 手机 。<span class="pinyin">Bàba <em>méi</em> yǒu shǒujī.</span> <span class="trans">Dad doesn't have a cell phone. </span>
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* 老师 <em>没有</em> 男朋友 。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎoshī <em>méiyǒu</em> nánpéngyou.</span> <span class="trans">The teacher doesn't have a boyfriend.</span>
* 我 <em>没 </em> 有 狗 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu gǒu.</span>  <span class="trans">I don't have a dog. </span>
 
 
* 在 上海, 我 <em>没 </em> 有 朋友 。<span class="pinyin">Zài Shànghǎi, wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu péngyou.</span>  <span class="trans">In Shanghai, I have no friends. </span>
 
* 在 上海, 我 <em>没 </em> 有 朋友 。<span class="pinyin">Zài Shànghǎi, wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu péngyou.</span>  <span class="trans">In Shanghai, I have no friends. </span>
* 这 个 星期 , 我 <em>没 </em> 有 时间 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè gè xīngqī, wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu shíjiān.</span>  <span class="trans">This week, I have no time. </span>
 
* 我们 <em>没 </em> 有 房子 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>méi</em> yǒu fángzi.</span>  <span class="trans">We don't have a house. </span>
 
 
* 我 太太 现在 <em>没 </em> 有 工作 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ tàitai xiànzài <em>méi</em> yǒu gōngzùo.</span>  <span class="trans">My wife doesn't have a job right now. </span>
 
* 我 太太 现在 <em>没 </em> 有 工作 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ tàitai xiànzài <em>méi</em> yǒu gōngzùo.</span>  <span class="trans">My wife doesn't have a job right now. </span>
 
* 我们 <em>没 </em> 有 孩子 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>méi</em> yǒu háizi.</span>  <span class="trans">We don't have children. </span>
 
* 我们 <em>没 </em> 有 孩子 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>méi</em> yǒu háizi.</span>  <span class="trans">We don't have children. </span>
 
* 我 <em>没 </em> 有 房子 , <em>没 </em> 有 车 ,也 <em>没 </em> 有 女 朋友。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu fángzǐ, <em>méi</em> yǒu chē, yě <em>méi</em> yǒu nǚpéngyou.</span>  <span class="trans">I don't have a house, a car, or a girlfriend. </span>
 
* 我 <em>没 </em> 有 房子 , <em>没 </em> 有 车 ,也 <em>没 </em> 有 女 朋友。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu fángzǐ, <em>méi</em> yǒu chē, yě <em>méi</em> yǒu nǚpéngyou.</span>  <span class="trans">I don't have a house, a car, or a girlfriend. </span>
* 我们 公司 <em>没 </em> 有 电脑 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gōngsī <em>méi</em> yǒu diànnǎo.</span>  <span class="trans">Our company doesn't have computers. </span>
 
  
 
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Revision as of 13:44, 15 July 2015

The verb 有 (yǒu) is negated differently from ordinary verbs. Rather than placing 不 (bù) before it as with other verbs, you must use 没 (méi) to negate the verb 有 (yǒu).

Structure

Nearly all verbs can be negated with 不 (bù). The verb 有 (yǒu) is an exception, and must be negated with 没 (méi).

Subject + 没 + 有 + Object

Examples

  • 没有 问题 。 méiyǒu wèntí. I don't have any questions.
  • 有 钱 。méi yǒu qián. He doesn't have money.
  • 没有 工作 。 méiyǒu gōngzuò. I don't have a job.
  • 没有 电脑 。 méiyǒu diànnǎo. I don't have a computer.
  • 爸爸 有 手机 。Bàba méi yǒu shǒujī. Dad doesn't have a cell phone.
  • 没有 房子 。 méiyǒu fángzi. You don't have a house.
  • 没有 车 。 méiyǒu chē. I don't have a car.
  • 我 现在 没有 时间 。 Wǒ xiànzài méiyǒu shíjiān. I don't have time right now.
  • 这 个 星期 , 我 有 时间 。Zhè gè xīngqī, wǒ méi yǒu shíjiān. This week, I have no time.
  • 老师 没有 男朋友 。 Lǎoshī méiyǒu nánpéngyou. The teacher doesn't have a boyfriend.
  • 在 上海, 我 有 朋友 。Zài Shànghǎi, wǒ méi yǒu péngyou. In Shanghai, I have no friends.
  • 我 太太 现在 有 工作 。Wǒ tàitai xiànzài méi yǒu gōngzùo. My wife doesn't have a job right now.
  • 我们 有 孩子 。Wǒmen méi yǒu háizi. We don't have children.
  • 有 房子 , 有 车 ,也 有 女 朋友。méi yǒu fángzǐ, méi yǒu chē, yě méi yǒu nǚpéngyou. I don't have a house, a car, or a girlfriend.

Remember that trying to negate 有 (yǒu) with 不 (bù) is a classic mistake that many people make in the early stages of studying Chinese:

  • 车。Never use 不 with 有! yǒu chē.
  • 车。Always use 没 with 有.méi yǒu chē.I don't have a car.

Never use 不 (bù) with 有 (yǒu).

The Short Form of 没有 is 没

没有 (méiyǒu) can be shortened to 没 (méi) without altering its meaning.

  • 工作 。 méi gōngzùo. I don't have a job.
  • 朋友 。 méi péngyǒu. I don't have friends.
  • 钱 。 méi qián. I don't have money.
  • 我 现在 时间 。 Wǒ xiànzài méi shíjiān. I don't have time right now.
  • 车 。 méi chē. I don't have a car.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Videos