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

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* 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 </em> 有 钱 。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ xiànzài<em>méi</em> yǒu qián.</span>  <span class="trans">I don't have money. </span>
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* 我 现在 <em>没 </em> 有 钱 。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ xiànzài<em>méi yǒu</em> qián.</span>  <span class="trans">I don't have money. </span>
* 他 <em>没有</em> 工作 。 <span class="pinyin"> Tā <em>méiyǒu</em> gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">He doesn't have a job.</span>
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* 你们 <em>没 </em> 有 孩子 吗?<span class="pinyin"> Nǐmen <em>méiyǒu</em> háizi ma?</span>  <span class="trans">Do you not have children?</span>
* 爸爸 <em>没</em> 有 手机 。<span class="pinyin">Bàba <em>méi</em> yǒu shǒujī.</span>  <span class="trans">Dad doesn't have a cell phone. </span>
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* 他 <em>没有</em> 工作 。 <span class="pinyin"> Tā <em>méi yǒu</em> gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">He doesn't have a job.</span>
* 他们 <em>没有</em> 房子 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>méiyǒu</em> fángzi.</span> <span class="trans">They don't have a house.</span>
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* 我爸爸 <em>没</em> 有 手机 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒbàba <em>méiyǒu</em> shǒujī.</span>  <span class="trans">Dad doesn't have a cell phone. </span>
 +
* 他们 <em>没有</em> 房子。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>méiyǒu</em>fángzi.</span> <span class="trans">They don't have a house.</span>
 
* 你们 家 <em>没有</em> 车 吗? <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen jiā <em>méiyǒu</em> chē ma?</span> <span class="trans">Does your family not have a car? </span>
 
* 你们 家 <em>没有</em> 车 吗? <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen jiā <em>méiyǒu</em> chē ma?</span> <span class="trans">Does your family not have a car? </span>
* 这 个 星期 我 <em>没 </em> 有 时间 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge xīngqī wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu shíjiān.</span>  <span class="trans">This week, I have no time. </span>
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* 这 个 星期 我 <em>没 </em> 有 时间 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge xīngqī wǒ <em>méiyǒu </em>shíjiān.</span>  <span class="trans">This week I have no time. </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>
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* 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>
* 你 在 上海 <em>没 </em> 有 朋友 吗?<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ zài Shànghǎi <em>méi yǒu</em> péngyou ma?</span>  <span class="trans"> Do you not have friends in Shanghai? </span>
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* 你 在 上海 <em>没 </em> 有 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>
* 我们 <em>没 </em> 有 孩子 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>méi</em> yǒu háizi.</span>  <span class="trans">We don't have children. </span>
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Revision as of 02:56, 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 有 钱 。 Wǒ xiànzàiméi yǒu qián. I don't have money.
  • 你们 有 孩子 吗? Nǐmen méiyǒu háizi ma? Do you not have children?
  • 没有 工作 。 méi yǒu gōngzuò. He doesn't have a job.
  • 我爸爸 有 手机 。Wǒbàba méiyǒu shǒujī. Dad doesn't have a cell phone.
  • 他们 没有 房子。 Tāmen méiyǒufángzi. They don't have a house.
  • 你们 家 没有 车 吗? Nǐmen jiā méiyǒu chē ma? Does your family not have a car?
  • 这 个 星期 我 有 时间 。Zhè ge xīngqī wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān. This week I have no time.
  • 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.
  • 你 在 上海 有 朋友 吗? Nǐ zài Shànghǎi méiyǒu péngyou ma? Do you not have friends in Shanghai?


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