Difference between revisions of "Negation of "you" with "mei""

Line 19: Line 19:
 
* 我们 <em>没有</em> 问题 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>méiyǒu</em> wèntí.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have any questions.</span>
 
* 我们 <em>没有</em> 问题 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>méiyǒu</em> wèntí.</span> <span class="trans">I don't have any questions.</span>
 
* 我 现在 <em>没有</em> 钱 。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ xiànzài<em>méi yǒu</em> qián.</span>  <span class="trans">I don't have money. </span>
 
* 我 现在 <em>没有</em> 钱 。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ xiànzài<em>méi yǒu</em> qián.</span>  <span class="trans">I don't have money. </span>
* 你 在 上海 <em>没有</em>朋友 吗?<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ zài Shànghǎi <em>méiyǒu</em> péngyou ma?</span> <span class="trans"> Do you not have friends in Shanghai? </span>
+
* <em>没有</em> 工作 吗? <span class="pinyin"> <em>méi yǒu</em> gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">He doesn't have a job.</span>
 
* 他们 <em>没有</em> 爸爸妈妈。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>méiyǒu</em> bàba māma.</span> <span class="trans">They don't have parents.</span>
 
* 他们 <em>没有</em> 爸爸妈妈。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>méiyǒu</em> bàba māma.</span> <span class="trans">They don't have parents.</span>
 
* 我们 在 北京 <em>没有</em> 房子。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒmen zài Běijīng<em>méiyǒu</em> fángzi .</span>  <span class="trans"> We don't have a house in Beijing.</span>
 
* 我们 在 北京 <em>没有</em> 房子。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒmen zài Běijīng<em>méiyǒu</em> fángzi .</span>  <span class="trans"> We don't have a house in Beijing.</span>
* 他 <em>没有</em> 工作 吗? <span class="pinyin"> Tā <em>méi yǒu</em> gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">He doesn't have a job.</span>
 
 
* 我爸爸 <em>没有</em>手机 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒbàba <em>méiyǒu</em> shǒujī.</span>  <span class="trans">Dad doesn't have a cell phone. </span>
 
* 我爸爸 <em>没有</em>手机 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒbàba <em>méiyǒu</em> shǒujī.</span>  <span class="trans">Dad doesn't have a cell phone. </span>
* 你们 家 <em>没有</em> 吗? <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen jiā <em>méiyǒu</em> chē ma?</span> <span class="trans">Does your family not have a car? </span>
+
* 你 在 上海 <em>没有</em>朋友 吗?<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ zài Shànghǎi <em>méiyǒu</em> péngyou ma?</span> <span class="trans"> Do you not have friends in Shanghai? </span>
 
* 我 的 老师 现在 <em>没有</em> 男朋友 。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ de lǎoshī xiànzài <em>méiyǒu</em> nánpéngyou.</span> <span class="trans">My teacher now doesn't have a boyfriend.</span>
 
* 我 的 老师 现在 <em>没有</em> 男朋友 。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ de lǎoshī xiànzài <em>méiyǒu</em> nánpéngyou.</span> <span class="trans">My teacher now doesn't have a boyfriend.</span>
 
* 这 个 周末 你们 都 <em>没有</em> 时间 吗?<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge zhōumò nǐmen dōu <em>méiyǒu </em>shíjiān ma?</span>  <span class="trans">This weekend you all have no time? </span>
 
* 这 个 周末 你们 都 <em>没有</em> 时间 吗?<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge zhōumò nǐmen dōu <em>méiyǒu </em>shíjiān ma?</span>  <span class="trans">This weekend you all have no time? </span>

Revision as of 03:12, 15 September 2015

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).

Structure

Nearly all verbs can be negated with 不 (bù). The verb 有 (yǒu) is an exception, and must be negated with 没 (méi).

Subject + 没 + 有 + Object

Examples

  • 我们 没有 问题 。 Wǒmen méiyǒu wèntí. I don't have any questions.
  • 我 现在 没有 钱 。 Wǒ xiànzàiméi yǒu qián. I don't have money.
  • 没有 工作 吗? méi yǒu gōngzuò. He doesn't have a job.
  • 他们 没有 爸爸妈妈。 Tāmen méiyǒu bàba māma. They don't have parents.
  • 我们 在 北京 没有 房子。 Wǒmen zài Běijīngméiyǒu fángzi . We don't have a house in Beijing.
  • 我爸爸 没有手机 。Wǒbàba méiyǒu shǒujī. Dad doesn't have a cell phone.
  • 你 在 上海 没有朋友 吗? Nǐ zài Shànghǎi méiyǒu péngyou ma? Do you not have friends in Shanghai?
  • 我 的 老师 现在 没有 男朋友 。 Wǒ de lǎoshī xiànzài méiyǒu nánpéngyou. My teacher now doesn't have a boyfriend.
  • 这 个 周末 你们 都 没有 时间 吗?Zhè ge zhōumò nǐmen dōu méiyǒu shíjiān ma? This weekend 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:

  • 车。Never use 不 with 有! yǒu chē.
  • 车。Always use 没 with 有.méi yǒu chē.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.

  • 工作 。 méi gōngzùo. I don't have a job.
  • 朋友 。 méi péngyou. I don't have friends.
  • 钱 。 méi qián. I don't have money.
  • 我 现在 时间 。 Wǒ xiànzài méi shíjiān. I don't have time right now.
  • 车 。 méi chē. I don't have a car.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Videos