Negation of "you" with "mei"
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Keywords
The verb 有 (yǒu) is negated differently from ordinary verbs. Rather than placing 不 (bù) before it as with other verbs, you must use 没 (méi) to negate the verb 有 (yǒu).
Contents
Structure
Nearly all verbs can be negated with 不 (bù). The verb 有 (yǒu) is an exception, and must be negated with 没 (méi).
Subj. + 没 + 有 + Obj.
Examples
- 我 没 有 问题。 I don't have any questions.
- 我们 现在 没 有 钱。 We now don't have money.
- 他 没 有 工作 吗？ Does he not have a job?
- 他们 没 有 爸爸妈妈。 They don't have parents.
- 我们 在 北京 没 有 房子。 We don't have a house in Beijing.
- 你 爸爸 没 有 手机 吗？ Does your dad not have a cell phone?
- 你们 在 上海 没 有朋友 吗？ Do you not have friends in Shanghai?
- 我 的 老师 现在 没 有 男朋友。 My teacher now doesn't have a boyfriend.
- 他们 都 没 有 电脑 吗？Do they all have no computers?
- 这 个 周末 你们 都 没 有 时间 吗？This weekend do you all have no time?
Remember that trying to negate 有 (yǒu) with 不 (bù) is a classic mistake that many people make in the early stages of studying Chinese:
- 我 不 有 车。Never use 不 with 有!
- 我 没 有 车。Always use 没 with 有.I don't have a car.
Never use 不 (bù) with 有 (yǒu).
The Short Form of 没有 is 没
没有 (méiyǒu) can be shortened to 没 (méi) without altering its meaning.
- 我 没 钱。 I don't have money.
- 你 没 男朋友 吗？ Do you not have a boyfriend ?
- 你们 没 车 吗？ Do you not have a car?
- 老板 现在 没 时间。 Boss doesn't have time right now.
- 我 没 工作，我 老公 也 没 工作。 I don't have a job.Neither does my husband.
See also
- Negation of past actions with "meiyou"
- Standard negation with "bu"
- Inability with "mei banfa"
- Comparing "bu" and "mei"
Sources and further reading
Books
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 51) →buy
- 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 382) →buy
- A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 35) →buy
Videos
- Yoyo Chinese: Negation word 没
