Negation of past actions with "meiyou"

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。Wǒ méiyǒu qù shàngbān.I didn't go to work.
• 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.
• 宝宝 没 哭。有 has been omitted here.Bǎobao méi kū.The baby didn't cry.
• 你 昨天 没 回 家 吗？Nǐ zuótiān méi huí jiā ma?You didn't go back home yesterday?
• 老板 今天 没 来 吗？ Lǎobǎn jīntiān méi​ lái ma?The boss didn't come today?
• 老师 今天 没 生气 。 Lǎoshī jīntiān méi shēngqì.The teacher didn't get angry today.
• 妈妈 晚上 没 做 饭。 Māma wǎnshàng méi zuò fàn.Mom didn't cook food this evening.

Go Easy on the 了 (le)

One thing you need to remember when using 没有 (méiyǒu) is that 了 (le) is not normally used with 没有 (méiyǒu). 了 (le) marks completed actions, while 没有 (méiyǒu) is used for actions that didn't happen (so of course they're not completed). These two don't work together. This is a very common mistake for beginner learners of Chinese.

• 我 没有 做 了 。Wǒ méiyǒu zuò le.
• 我 没有 做。Wǒ méiyǒu zuò.I didn't do it.

See also

• Negation of "you"
• Standard negation with "bu"

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