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

Line 53: Line 53:
 
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 51) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
 
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 51) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
 
* [[现代汉语八百词(增订本)]]  (pp. 382) [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]
 
* [[现代汉语八百词(增订本)]]  (pp. 382) [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]
 +
* [[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)]] (pp. 35) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy]
  
 
===Videos===
 
===Videos===

Revision as of 07:53, 18 February 2014

The verb 有 (yǒu) is negated differently from ordinary verbs.

Structure

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

Subject + 没 + 有 + Object

Examples

  • 有 钱。He doesn't have money.
  • 爸爸 有 手机。Dad doesn't have a cell phone.
  • 有 狗。I don't have a dog.
  • 在 上海, 我 有 朋友。In Shanghai, I have no friends.
  • 这 个 星期,我 有 时间。This week, I have no time.
  • 我们 有 房子。We don't have a house.
  • 我 太太 现在 有 工作。My wife doesn't have a job.
  • 我们 有 孩子。We don't have children.
  • 有 房子, 有 车 ,也 有 女 朋友。I don't have a house, a car, or a girlfriend.
  • 我们 公司 有 电脑。Our company doesn't have computers.

Remember that trying to negate 有 with 不 is a classic mistake that many people make in the early stages of studying Chinese:

  • 汽车。Never use 不 with 有!
  • 汽车。Always use 没 with 有.I don't have a car.

Never use 不 with 有.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Videos