Negation of "you" with "mei"

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.
  • 有 钱 。méi yǒu qián. I don't have money.
  • 没有 工作 。 méiyǒu gōngzuò. He doesn't have a job.
  • 爸爸 有 手机 。Bàba méi yǒu shǒujī. Dad doesn't have a cell phone.
  • 他们 没有 房子 。 Tāmen méiyǒu fángzi. 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 méi yǒu shíjiān. This week, I have no time.
  • 我 的 老师 现在 没有 男朋友 。 Wǒ de lǎoshī méiyǒu nánpéngyou. My teacher doesn't have a boyfriend.
  • 你 在 上海 有 朋友 吗? Nǐ zài Shànghǎi méi yǒu péngyou ma? Do you not have friends in Shanghai?
  • 我们 有 孩子 。Wǒmen méi yǒu háizi. We don't have children.

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

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