Difference between revisions of "Negation of past actions with "meiyou""

Revision as of 03:38, 18 June 2013

Level

A1 / HSK1
Level

A1
Level

HSK1
Similar to
- Negation of "you" with "mei" (A1)
- Standard negation with "bu" (A1)
- Comparing "bu" and "mei" (A2)
Similar to
- Comparing "bu" and "mei" (HSK1)
- Negation of "you" with "mei" (HSK1)
- Standard negation with "bu" (HSK1)
Used for

Denying and refusing, Referring to the past
Keywords

没有, 没

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, but that construction is used for habitual or present actions. If the verb is about an action in the past, though, 没有 should be used:

Subject + 没有 + Verb

Examples

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。I didn't see you.
我没有吃早饭。I didn't eat breakfast.

Note that you can shorten 没有 to just 没:

我没去。I didn't go.

Remember that 了 is not 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. This is a very common mistake for Chinese beginners, so be sure to be attentive to it.

Sources and further reading

Books

Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) (pp. 32) →buy
现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 383) →buy

Videos

Yoyo Chinese: Negation with 没

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 * [[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]
 * [[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]
+===Videos===
+* Yoyo Chinese: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMaE2w7C5qI&list=PL94A5E422FB99CDDD&index=12 Negation with 没]
 [[Category:A1 grammar points]]