Difference between revisions of "Negation of past actions with "meiyou""

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Use 没有 (méiyǒu) to negate past actions (to say that someone ''didn't do'' something, or something ''didn't happen'').
 
Use 没有 (méiyǒu) to negate past actions (to say that someone ''didn't do'' something, or something ''didn't happen'').
  
=== Structure ===
+
== Structure ==
  
 
Usually verbs can be [[Standard negation with bu|negated with 不 (bù)]], but that construction is used for habitual or present actions. If the verb is about an action '''in the past''', though, 没有 (méiyǒu) should be used:
 
Usually verbs can be [[Standard negation with bu|negated with 不 (bù)]], but that construction is used for habitual or present actions. If the verb is about an action '''in the past''', though, 没有 (méiyǒu) should be used:
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
Subj. + 没有 / 没 + Verb
 
Subj. + 没有 / 没 + Verb
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
Note that you can shorten 没有 (méiyǒu) to just 没 (méi).
 
Note that you can shorten 没有 (méiyǒu) to just 没 (méi).
  
=== Examples ===
+
== Examples ==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 <em>没有</em> 去 上班。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> qù shàngbān.</span><span class="trans">I didn't go to work.</span>
+
*我 <em>没有</em> 去 上班。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> qù shàngbān.</span><span class="trans">I didn't go to work.</span>
* 他们 <em>没有</em> 说话。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>méiyǒu</em> shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">They didn't speak.</span>
+
*他们 <em>没有</em> 说话。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>méiyǒu</em> shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">They didn't speak.</span>
* <em>没有</em> 喝 你 的 啤酒。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> hē nǐ de píjiǔ.</span><span class="trans">I didn't drink your beer.</span>
+
*<em>没有</em> 喝 你 的 啤酒。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> hē nǐ de píjiǔ.</span><span class="trans">I didn't drink your beer.</span>
* 她 <em>没有</em> 看到 你。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>méiyǒu</em> kàn dào nǐ.</span><span class="trans">She didn't see you.</span>
+
*她 <em>没有</em> 看到 你。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>méiyǒu</em> kàndào nǐ.</span><span class="trans">She didn't see you.</span>
* 我 <em>没有</em> 吃 早饭。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> chī zǎofàn.</span><span class="trans">I didn't eat breakfast.</span>
+
*我 <em>没有</em> 吃 早饭。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> chī zǎofàn.</span><span class="trans">I didn't eat breakfast.</span>
* 宝宝 <em>没</em> 哭。<span class="expl">有 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Bǎobǎo <em>méi</em> kū.</span><span class="trans">The baby didn't cry.</span>
+
*宝宝 <em>没</em> 哭。<span class="expl">有 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Bǎobao <em>méi</em> kū.</span><span class="trans">The baby didn't cry.</span>
* 你 昨天 <em>没</em> 回家 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zuótiān <em>méi</em> huíjiā ma?</span><span class="trans">You didn't go back home yesterday?</span>
+
*你 昨天 <em>没</em> 回家 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zuótiān <em>méi</em> huíjiā ma?</span><span class="trans">You didn't go back home yesterday?</span>
* 老板 今天 <em>没</em> 来 公司 吗?<span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn jīntiān <em>méi​</em> lái gōngsī ma?</span><span class="trans">The boss didn't come to the company today?</span>
+
*老板 今天 <em>没</em> 来 吗?<span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn jīntiān <em>méi​</em> lái ma?</span><span class="trans">The boss didn't come today?</span>
* 老师 今天 <em>没</em> 来 上课。<span class="pinyin"> Lǎoshī jīntiān <em>méi</em> lái shàngkè.</span><span class="trans">The teacher didn't come to the class today.</span>
+
*老师 今天 <em>没</em> 生气 。<span class="pinyin"> Lǎoshī jīntiān <em>méi</em> shēngqì.</span><span class="trans">The teacher didn't get angry today.</span>
* 妈妈 晚上 <em>没</em> 做 饭。<span class="pinyin"> Māma wǎnshàng <em>méi</em> zuò fàn.</span><span class="trans">Mom didn't cook food this evening.</span>
+
*妈妈 晚上 <em>没</em> 做饭。<span class="pinyin"> Māma wǎnshang <em>méi</em> zuòfàn.</span><span class="trans">Mom didn't cook food this evening.</span>
</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Remember that '''了 (le) is not used with 没有 (méiyǒu)'''. [[了|了 (le)]] marks completed actions, while 没有 (méiyǒu) is used for actions that ''didn't happen''. These two don't work together. This is a very common mistake for beginner learners of Chinese.
+
== Go Easy on the 了 (le) ==
 +
 
 +
One thing you need to remember when using 没有 (méiyǒu) is that '''了 (le) is not normally used with 没有 (méiyǒu)'''. [[了|了 (le)]] marks completed actions, while 没有 (méiyǒu) is used for actions that ''didn't happen'' (so of course they're not completed). These two don't work together. This is a very common mistake for beginner learners of Chinese.
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
<ul>
 +
<li class="x">我 <em>没有</em> 做 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> zuò <strong>le</strong>.</span></li>
 +
<li class="o">我 <em>没有</em> 做。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> zuò.</span><span class="trans">I didn't do it.</span></li>
 +
</ul>
 +
</div>
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
 +
 
*[[Negation of "you"]]
 
*[[Negation of "you"]]
 
*[[Standard negation with "bu"]]
 
*[[Standard negation with "bu"]]
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)]] (p. 32) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001N6R7DI&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001N6R7DI →buy]
+
{{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|74}}
* [[现代汉语八百词(增订本)]] (p. 383) [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]
+
{{Source|Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)|32}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 138-9) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
+
{{Source|现代汉语八百词(增订本)]] |383}}
 +
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|138-9}}
  
 
===Videos===
 
===Videos===
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[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
 +
{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
 
[[Category:Verbs]]
 
[[Category:Verbs]]
 
[[Category:Adverbs]]
 
[[Category:Adverbs]]
 
{{Used for|Denying and refusing}}
 
{{Used for|Denying and refusing}}
 
{{Used for|Referring to the past}}
 
{{Used for|Referring to the past}}
{{Basic Grammar|没|A1|没 + V / 没有 + V|我 <em>没有</em> 去 酒吧。|grammar point|ASGAUCXK}}
+
{{Basic Grammar|没|A1|没有 + Verb|我 <em>没有</em> 去 酒吧。|grammar point|ASGAUCXK}}
 
{{Rel char|没有}}
 
{{Rel char|没有}}
 
{{Similar|Negation of "you"}}   
 
{{Similar|Negation of "you"}}   

Latest revision as of 09:20, 20 April 2021

Use 没有 (méiyǒu) to negate past actions (to say that someone didn't do something, or something didn't happen).

Structure

Usually verbs can be negated with 不 (bù), but that construction is used for habitual or present actions. If the verb is about an action in the past, though, 没有 (méiyǒu) should be used:

Subj. + 没有 / 没 + Verb

Note that you can shorten 没有 (méiyǒu) to just 没 (méi).

Examples

  • 没有 去 上班。méiyǒu qù shàngbān.I didn't go to work.
  • 他们 没有 说话。Tāmen méiyǒu shuōhuà.They didn't speak.
  • 没有 喝 你 的 啤酒。méiyǒu hē nǐ de píjiǔ.I didn't drink your beer.
  • 没有 看到 你。méiyǒu kàndào nǐ.She didn't see you.
  • 没有 吃 早饭。méiyǒu chī zǎofàn.I didn't eat breakfast.
  • 宝宝 哭。有 has been omitted here.Bǎobao méi kū.The baby didn't cry.
  • 你 昨天 回家 吗?Nǐ zuótiān méi huíjiā ma?You didn't go back home yesterday?
  • 老板 今天 来 吗? Lǎobǎn jīntiān méi​ lái ma?The boss didn't come today?
  • 老师 今天 生气 。 Lǎoshī jīntiān méi shēngqì.The teacher didn't get angry today.
  • 妈妈 晚上 做饭。 Māma wǎnshang méi zuòfàn.Mom didn't cook food this evening.

Go Easy on the 了 (le)

One thing you need to remember when using 没有 (méiyǒu) is that 了 (le) is not normally used with 没有 (méiyǒu). 了 (le) marks completed actions, while 没有 (méiyǒu) is used for actions that didn't happen (so of course they're not completed). These two don't work together. This is a very common mistake for beginner learners of Chinese.

  • 没有méiyǒu zuò le.
  • 没有 做。méiyǒu zuò.I didn't do it.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Videos