Difference between revisions of "Negation of past actions with "meiyou""
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* 我 <em>没有</em> 去 上班。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> qù shàngbān.</span><span class="trans">I didn't go to work.</span> | * 我 <em>没有</em> 去 上班。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> qù shàngbān.</span><span class="trans">I didn't go to work.</span> | ||
* 他们 <em>没有</em> 说话。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>méiyǒu</em> shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">They didn't speak.</span> | * 他们 <em>没有</em> 说话。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>méiyǒu</em> shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">They didn't speak.</span> | ||
| − | * | + | * 我 <em>没有</em> 喝 你 的 啤酒。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> hē nǐ de píjiǔ.</span><span class="trans">I didn't drink your beer.</span> |
* 她 <em>没有</em> 看到 你。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>méiyǒu</em> kàn dào nǐ.</span><span class="trans">She didn't see you.</span> | * 她 <em>没有</em> 看到 你。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>méiyǒu</em> kàn dào nǐ.</span><span class="trans">She didn't see you.</span> | ||
* 我 <em>没有</em> 吃 早饭。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> chī zǎofàn.</span><span class="trans">I didn't eat breakfast.</span> | * 我 <em>没有</em> 吃 早饭。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> chī zǎofàn.</span><span class="trans">I didn't eat breakfast.</span> | ||
* 宝宝 <em>没</em> 哭。<span class="expl">有 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Bǎobǎo <em>méi</em> kū.</span><span class="trans">The baby didn't cry.</span> | * 宝宝 <em>没</em> 哭。<span class="expl">有 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Bǎobǎo <em>méi</em> kū.</span><span class="trans">The baby didn't cry.</span> | ||
* 你 昨天 <em>没</em> 回家 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zuótiān <em>méi</em> huíjiā ma?</span><span class="trans">You didn't go back home yesterday?</span> | * 你 昨天 <em>没</em> 回家 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zuótiān <em>méi</em> huíjiā ma?</span><span class="trans">You didn't go back home yesterday?</span> | ||
| − | * 老板 今天 <em>没</em> 来 | + | * 老板 今天 <em>没</em> 来 吗？<span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn jīntiān <em>méi</em> lái ma?</span><span class="trans">The boss didn't come today?</span> |
| − | * 老师 今天 <em>没</em> | + | * 老师 今天 <em>没</em> 生气 。<span class="pinyin"> Lǎoshī jīntiān <em>méi</em> shēngqì.</span><span class="trans">The teacher didn't get angry today.</span> |
* 妈妈 晚上 <em>没</em> 做 饭。<span class="pinyin"> Māma wǎnshàng <em>méi</em> zuò fàn.</span><span class="trans">Mom didn't cook food this evening.</span> | * 妈妈 晚上 <em>没</em> 做 饭。<span class="pinyin"> Māma wǎnshàng <em>méi</em> zuò fàn.</span><span class="trans">Mom didn't cook food this evening.</span> | ||
Revision as of 15:25, 12 February 2016
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Keywords
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:
Subj. + 没有 / 没 + Verb
Note that you can shorten 没有 (méiyǒu) to just 没 (méi).
Examples
- 我 没有 去 上班。I didn't go to work.
- 他们 没有 说话。They didn't speak.
- 我 没有 喝 你 的 啤酒。I didn't drink your beer.
- 她 没有 看到 你。She didn't see you.
- 我 没有 吃 早饭。I didn't eat breakfast.
- 宝宝 没 哭。有 has been omitted here.The baby didn't cry.
- 你 昨天 没 回家 吗？You didn't go back home yesterday?
- 老板 今天 没 来 吗？The boss didn't come today?
- 老师 今天 没 生气 。The teacher didn't get angry today.
- 妈妈 晚上 没 做 饭。Mom didn't cook food this evening.
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
- Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) (p. 32) →buy
- 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (p. 383) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 138-9) →buy
Videos
- Yoyo Chinese: Negation with 没
