Difference between revisions of "Negation of past actions with "meiyou""
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{{Grammar Box}}
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{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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A simple introduction to using 没有 to negate past actions.
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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'').
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
  
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Usually verbs can be [[Standard negation with bu|negated with 不]]. If the verb is about an action '''in the past''', though, 没有 should be used:
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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:
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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Subj. + 没有 / 没 + Verb
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</div>
  
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Subject + 没有 + Verb
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Note that you can shorten 没有 (méiyǒu) to just 没 (méi).
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</div>
 
  
 
== Examples ==
 
== Examples ==
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* 他们 <em>没有</em> 说话。<span class="trans">They didn't speak.</span>
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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>
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* 我 <em>没有</em> 喝 你的 啤酒。<span class="trans">I didn't drink your beer.</span>
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*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>
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* 她 <em>没有</em> 看到 你。<span class="trans">I didn't see you.</span>
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*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>
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* 我 <em>没有</em> 吃 早饭。<span class="trans">I didn't eat breakfast.</span>
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*她 <em>没有</em> 看到 你。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>méiyǒu</em> kàndào nǐ.</span><span class="trans">She didn't see you.</span>
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*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>
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*宝宝 <em>没</em> 哭。<span class="expl">有 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Bǎobao <em>méi</em> kū.</span><span class="trans">The baby didn't cry.</span>
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*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>
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*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>
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*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>
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*妈妈 晚上 <em>没</em> 做饭。<span class="pinyin"> Māma wǎnshang <em>méi</em> zuòfàn.</span><span class="trans">Mom didn't cook food this evening.</span>
  
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</div>
  
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</div>
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== Go Easy on the 了 (le) ==
  
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Note that you can shorten 没有 to just 没:
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One thing you need to remember when using 没有 (méiyǒu) is that '''了 (le) is not normally used with 没有 (méiyǒu)'''. [[了|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.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
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<ul>
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* 我 <em>没</em> 去。<span class="trans">I didn't go.</span>
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<li class="x">我 <em>没有</em> 做 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> zuò <strong>le</strong>.</span></li>
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<li class="o">我 <em>没有</em> 做。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> zuò.</span><span class="trans">I didn't do it.</span></li>
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</ul>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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Remember that '''了 is never used with 没有'''. 了 marks completed actions, whilst 没有 is used for actions that didn't happen. These two don't work together.
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==See also==
  
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==See also==
 
 
*[[Negation of "you"]]
 
*[[Negation of "you"]]
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*[[Standard negation with bu]]
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*[[Standard negation with "bu"]]
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
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* [[Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)]] (pp. 32) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001N6R7DI&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001N6R7DI →buy]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|74}}
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* [[现代汉语八百词（增订本）]]  (pp. 383) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]
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{{Source|Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)|32}}
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{{Source|现代汉语八百词（增订本）]] |383}}
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|138-9}}
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===Videos===
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* Yoyo Chinese: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMaE2w7C5qI&list=PL94A5E422FB99CDDD&index=12 Negation with 没]
  
 
[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
 
[[Category:Verbs]]
 
[[Category:Verbs]]
 
[[Category:Adverbs]]
 
[[Category:Adverbs]]
 
{{Used for|Denying and refusing}}
 
{{Used for|Denying and refusing}}
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{{Basic Grammar|没|A1|没 + V / 没有 + V|我 <em>没</em> 去 。|grammar point|ASGAUCXK}}
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{{Used for|Referring to the past}}
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{{Basic Grammar|没|A1|没有 + Verb|我 <em>没有</em> 去 酒吧。|grammar point|ASGAUCXK}}
 
{{Rel char|没有}}
 
{{Rel char|没有}}
 
{{Similar|Negation of "you"}}   
 
{{Similar|Negation of "you"}}   

Latest revision as of 09:20, 20 April 2021

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 kàndào 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 huíjiā 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 wǎnshang méi zuòfàn.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

Sources and further reading

Books

Videos

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