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

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* 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>
 
* 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>
 
* 我 <em>没 </em> 有 狗 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu gǒu.</span>  <span class="trans">I don't have a dog. </span>
 
* 我 <em>没 </em> 有 狗 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu gǒu.</span>  <span class="trans">I don't have a dog. </span>
* 在 上海, 我 <em>没 </em> 有 朋友 。<span class="pinyin">Zài Shǎnghǎi, wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu péngyou.</span>  <span class="trans">In Shanghai, I have no friends. </span>
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* 在 上海, 我 <em>没 </em> 有 朋友 。<span class="pinyin">Zài Shànghǎi, wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu péngyou.</span>  <span class="trans">In Shanghai, I have no friends. </span>
 
* 这 个 星期 , 我 <em>没 </em> 有 时间 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè gè xīngqī, wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu shíjiān.</span>  <span class="trans">This week, I have no time. </span>
 
* 这 个 星期 , 我 <em>没 </em> 有 时间 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè gè xīngqī, wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu shíjiān.</span>  <span class="trans">This week, I have no time. </span>
 
* 我们 <em>没 </em> 有 房子 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>méi</em> yǒu fángzi.</span>  <span class="trans">We don't have a house. </span>
 
* 我们 <em>没 </em> 有 房子 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>méi</em> yǒu fángzi.</span>  <span class="trans">We don't have a house. </span>
 
* 我 太太 现在 <em>没 </em> 有 工作 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ tàitai xiànzài <em>méi</em> yǒu gōngzùo.</span>  <span class="trans">My wife doesn't have a job right now. </span>
 
* 我 太太 现在 <em>没 </em> 有 工作 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ tàitai xiànzài <em>méi</em> yǒu gōngzùo.</span>  <span class="trans">My wife doesn't have a job right now. </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>
 
* 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>
* 我 <em>没 </em> 有 房子 , <em>没 </em> 有 车 ,也 <em>没 </em> 有 女 朋友。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu fángzǐ, <em>méi</em> yǒu chē, yě <em>méi</em> yǒu nǚ péngyou.</span>  <span class="trans">I don't have a house, a car, or a girlfriend. </span>
+
* 我 <em>没 </em> 有 房子 , <em>没 </em> 有 车 ,也 <em>没 </em> 有 女 朋友。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méi</em> yǒu fángzǐ, <em>méi</em> yǒu chē, yě <em>méi</em> yǒu nǚpéngyou.</span>  <span class="trans">I don't have a house, a car, or a girlfriend. </span>
 
* 我们 公司 <em>没 </em> 有 电脑 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gōngsī <em>méi</em> yǒu diànnǎo.</span>  <span class="trans">Our company doesn't have computers. </span>
 
* 我们 公司 <em>没 </em> 有 电脑 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gōngsī <em>méi</em> yǒu diànnǎo.</span>  <span class="trans">Our company doesn't have computers. </span>
  

Revision as of 09:36, 23 March 2014

The verb 有 (yǒu) is negated differently from ordinary verbs. Rather than putting 不 (bù) before it, you put 没 (méi) before it.

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

  • 有 钱 。méi yǒu qián. He doesn't have money.
  • 爸爸 有 手机 。Bàba méi yǒu shǒujī. Dad doesn't have a cell phone.
  • 有 狗 。méi yǒu gǒu. I don't have a dog.
  • 在 上海, 我 有 朋友 。Zài Shànghǎi, wǒ méi yǒu péngyou. In Shanghai, I have no friends.
  • 这 个 星期 , 我 有 时间 。Zhè gè xīngqī, wǒ méi yǒu shíjiān. This week, I have no time.
  • 我们 有 房子 。Wǒmen méi yǒu fángzi. We don't have a house.
  • 我 太太 现在 有 工作 。Wǒ tàitai xiànzài méi yǒu gōngzùo. My wife doesn't have a job right now.
  • 我们 有 孩子 。Wǒmen méi yǒu háizi. We don't have children.
  • 有 房子 , 有 车 ,也 有 女 朋友。méi yǒu fángzǐ, méi yǒu chē, yě méi yǒu nǚpéngyou. I don't have a house, a car, or a girlfriend.
  • 我们 公司 有 电脑 。Wǒmen gōngsī méi yǒu diànnǎo. 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