Difference between revisions of "Expressing "double negation""
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| − | + | There are two main methods for double negation. The simpler method is to use a double negative with [[modal verb]]s like 会 or 能. The more complicated method is to negate both the subject and the predicate. | |
| − | == | + | == Negation Before a Negative Word == |
=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
| − | + | This pattern just uses 不是 right before a negated predicate: | |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
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</div> | </div> | ||
| − | + | This pattern uses modal verbs like 会, 能, or 可能, which are negated before a negated predicate: | |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | Subj. + 不 + 会 / 能 + 不 / 没 + Predicate | + | Subj. + 不 + 会 / 能 / 可能 + 不 / 没 + Predicate |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | The [[predicate]] part of | + | The [[predicate]] part of either pattern can be a verb or an adjective. |
=== Examples === | === Examples === | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * | + | *他 <em>不</em> 会 <em>不</em> 来 的 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bù</em> huì <em>bù</em> lái de.</span><span class="trans">There is no way he's not coming.</span> |
| − | * | + | *她 <em>不</em> 可能 <em>不</em> 知道 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bù</em> kěnéng <em>bù</em> zhīdào.</span><span class="trans">There is no way she doesn't know about this.</span> |
| − | * | + | *她 太 害羞 了 ，<em>不是</em> <em>不</em> 礼貌 。<span class="pinyin">Tā tài hàixiū le, <em>bù shì</em> <em>bù</em> lǐmào.</span><span class="trans">She's too shy; It's not that she's not polite.</span> |
| − | *他 | + | *他 <em>不是</em> <em>没有</em> 钱 ，是 不 想 乱 花 钱 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bù shì</em> <em>méiyǒu</em> qián, shì bù xiǎng luàn huā qián.</span><span class="trans">It's not that he doesn't have money; it's just he doesn't want to spend it recklessly.</span> |
*我 知道 你 想 减肥 ，但是 <em>不</em> 能 <em>不</em> 吃 早饭 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhīdào nǐ xiǎng jiǎnféi, dànshì <em>bù</em> néng <em>bù</em> chī zǎofàn.</span><span class="trans">I know you want to lose weight, but you can't not eat breakfast.</span> | *我 知道 你 想 减肥 ，但是 <em>不</em> 能 <em>不</em> 吃 早饭 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhīdào nǐ xiǎng jiǎnféi, dànshì <em>bù</em> néng <em>bù</em> chī zǎofàn.</span><span class="trans">I know you want to lose weight, but you can't not eat breakfast.</span> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | == | + | == Negation Before a Singular Noun == |
| − | + | This structure is used for saying things like "not a single one," often with [[Topic-comment sentences|topic comments]]. 没有一个人 ("not a single person") is equivalent to 没有谁 ("not anyone"). | |
=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | 没有 + [ | + | (Topic +) 没有 + [Singular Noun] + 不 / 没 + Predicate + 的 |
</div> | </div> | ||
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*<em>没有</em> 一 个 人 <em>不</em> 讨厌 他 <strong>的</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Méiyǒu</em> yī gè rén <em>bù</em> tǎoyàn tā <strong>de</strong>.</span><span class="trans">There is not one person who doesn't dislike him.</span> | *<em>没有</em> 一 个 人 <em>不</em> 讨厌 他 <strong>的</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Méiyǒu</em> yī gè rén <em>bù</em> tǎoyàn tā <strong>de</strong>.</span><span class="trans">There is not one person who doesn't dislike him.</span> | ||
| − | *我们 公司 <em>没有</em> 一 个 | + | *这些 菜 <em>没有</em> 一 个 <em>不</em> 辣 <strong>的</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē cài <em>méiyǒu</em> yī gè <em>bù</em> là <strong>de</strong>.</span><span class="trans">There is no single one that is not spicy among these dishes.</span> |
| + | *我们 公司 的 员工 <em>没有</em> 一 个 <em>不</em> 会 说 英语 <strong>的</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gōngsī de yuángōng <em>méiyǒu</em> yī gè <em>bù</em> huì shuō Yīngyǔ <strong>de</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Our company doesn't have a single employee who can't speak English.</span> | ||
*他 的 女朋友 <em>没有</em> 一 个 <em>不</em> 漂亮 <strong>的</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā de nǚpéngyou <em>méiyǒu</em> yī gè <em>bù</em> piàoliang <strong>de</strong>.</span><span class="trans">None of his girlfriends were not beautiful.</span> | *他 的 女朋友 <em>没有</em> 一 个 <em>不</em> 漂亮 <strong>的</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā de nǚpéngyou <em>méiyǒu</em> yī gè <em>bù</em> piàoliang <strong>de</strong>.</span><span class="trans">None of his girlfriends were not beautiful.</span> | ||
| − | *我们 | + | *我们 学校 的 学生 <em>没有</em> 一 个 <em>没</em> 参加 高考 <strong>的</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xuéxiào de xuéshēng <em>méiyǒu</em> yī gè <em>méi</em> cānjiā gāokǎo <strong>de</strong>.</span><span class="trans">In our school there wasn't a single student who didn't take the national college entrance exam.</span> |
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</div> | </div> | ||
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]] | [[Category:B1 grammar points]] | ||
| − | {{Basic Grammar|不|B1|Subj. + 不是 + 不 / 没 + Predicate|我 <em>不</em> 是 <em>不</em> 知道 怎么 | + | {{HSK|HSK0}} |
| + | {{Basic Grammar|不|B1|Subj. + 不是 + 不 / 没 + Predicate|我 <em>不</em> 是 <em>不</em> 知道 怎么 做 。|grammar point|ASGEEA2D}} | ||
{{Rel char|没}} | {{Rel char|没}} | ||
{{Similar|Expressing "all" with "suoyou"}} | {{Similar|Expressing "all" with "suoyou"}} | ||
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{{Used for|Expressing quantity}} | {{Used for|Expressing quantity}} | ||
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}} | {{Structure|Sentence Patterns}} | ||
| + | {{Subprop|Basic/Simple Sentence Patterns}} | ||
Latest revision as of 08:46, 24 April 2019
There are two main methods for double negation. The simpler method is to use a double negative with modal verbs like 会 or 能. The more complicated method is to negate both the subject and the predicate.
Contents
Negation Before a Negative Word
Structure
This pattern just uses 不是 right before a negated predicate:
Subj. + 不是 + 不 / 没 + Predicate
This pattern uses modal verbs like 会, 能, or 可能, which are negated before a negated predicate:
Subj. + 不 + 会 / 能 / 可能 + 不 / 没 + Predicate
The predicate part of either pattern can be a verb or an adjective.
Examples
- 他 不 会 不 来 的 。There is no way he's not coming.
- 她 不 可能 不 知道 。There is no way she doesn't know about this.
- 她 太 害羞 了 ，不是 不 礼貌 。She's too shy; It's not that she's not polite.
- 他 不是 没有 钱 ，是 不 想 乱 花 钱 。It's not that he doesn't have money; it's just he doesn't want to spend it recklessly.
- 我 知道 你 想 减肥 ，但是 不 能 不 吃 早饭 。I know you want to lose weight, but you can't not eat breakfast.
Negation Before a Singular Noun
This structure is used for saying things like "not a single one," often with topic comments. 没有一个人 ("not a single person") is equivalent to 没有谁 ("not anyone").
Structure
(Topic +) 没有 + [Singular Noun] + 不 / 没 + Predicate + 的
Examples
- 没有 一 个 人 不 讨厌 他 的 。 There is not one person who doesn't dislike him.
- 这些 菜 没有 一 个 不 辣 的 。There is no single one that is not spicy among these dishes.
- 我们 公司 的 员工 没有 一 个 不 会 说 英语 的 。Our company doesn't have a single employee who can't speak English.
- 他 的 女朋友 没有 一 个 不 漂亮 的 。None of his girlfriends were not beautiful.
- 我们 学校 的 学生 没有 一 个 没 参加 高考 的 。In our school there wasn't a single student who didn't take the national college entrance exam.
