Negation with '冇'

01

To Not Have / There Isn't

The most common use of 冇 (mou5móuhmou5) is to negate possession or existence. It is the direct opposite of 有 (jau5yáuhjau5) and can be translated as to not have, there isn't, or there aren't.

• 我冇錢。

  ngo5 mou5 cin2.ngóh móuh chín.ngo5 mou5 tsin2.

  I don't have money.

• 佢冇時間。

  keoi5 mou5 si4·gaan3.kéuih móuh sìh·gaan.koey5 mou5 si4·gaan3.

  He/She doesn't have time.

• 張枱上面冇書。

  zoeng1·toi2 soeng6·min6 mou5 syu1.jēung·tói seuhng·mihn móuh syū.dzoeng1·toi2 soeng6·min6 mou5 sy1.

  There are no books on the table.

02

To Negate Past Actions (Didn't)

冇 (mou5móuhmou5) is used to state that an action did not happen in the past. It is placed directly before the verb. This is equivalent to using "didn't" or "haven't" in English.

The structure is: Subject + 冇 (mou5móuhmou5) + Verb

• 我今日冇食早餐。

  ngo5 gam1·jat6 mou5 sik6 zou2·caan1.ngóh gām·yaht móuh sihk jóu·chāan.ngo5 gam1·jat9 mou5 sik9 dzou2·tsaan1.

  I didn't eat breakfast today.

• 佢尋日冇返學。

  keoi5 cam4·jat6 mou5 faan1·hok6.kéuih chàhm·yaht móuh fāan·hohk.koey5 tsam4·jat9 mou5 faan1·hok9.

  He/She didn't go to school yesterday.

• 我哋冇睇嗰套戲。

  ngo5·dei6 mou5 tai2 go2 tou3 hei3.ngóh·deih móuh tái gó tou hei.ngo5·dei6 mou5 tai2 go2 tou3 hei3.

  We didn't watch that movie.

03

Asking Questions with '有冇'

To ask a yes/no question about possession or a past action, the pattern 有冇 (jau5 mou5yáuh móuhjau5 mou5) is used. This literally means "have or not have?" or "did or didn't?".

To ask about possession:

• 你有冇兄弟姊妹？

  nei5 jau5·mou5 hing1·dai6 zi2·mui2?néih yáuh·móuh hīng·daih jí·múi?nei5 jau5·mou5 hing1·dai6 dzi2·mui2?

  Do you have any siblings?

• 呢度有冇洗手間？

  ni1·dou6 jau5·mou5 sai2 sau2·gaan1?nī·douh yáuh·móuh sái sáu·gāan?ni1·dou6 jau5·mou5 sai2 sau2·gaan1?

  Is there a restroom here?

To ask about past actions:

• 你有冇做功課？

  nei5 jau5·mou5 zou6 gung1·fo3?néih yáuh·móuh jouh gūng·fo?nei5 jau5·mou5 dzou6 gung1·fo3?

  Did you do your homework?

• 你尋日有冇見到佢？

  nei5 cam4·jat6 jau5·mou5 gin3·dou2 keoi5?néih chàhm·yaht yáuh·móuh gin·dóu kéuih?nei5 tsam4·jat9 jau5·mou5 gin3·dou2 koey5?

  Did you see him/her yesterday?

04

Key Contrast: '冇' vs. '唔'

Learners often confuse 冇 (mou5móuhmou5) with 唔 (m4m̀hm4). They are not interchangeable.

Use 冇 (mou5) for

• Negating 有 (jau5yáuhjau5) (possession/existence).
• Negating actions that happened (or didn't happen) in the past.

Use 唔 (m4) for

• Negating verbs in the present or future.
• Negating adjectives and adverbs.
• Expressing unwillingness or refusal.

Compare the following:

• 我冇去。

  ngo5 mou5·heoi3.ngóh móuh·heui.ngo5 mou5·hoey3.

  I didn't go. (Past action)

• 我唔去。

  ngo5 m4 heoi3.ngóh m̀h heui.ngo5 m4 hoey3.

  I am not going. / I will not go. (Present/future action or refusal)

• 呢間餐廳唔好食。

  ni1 gaan1 caan1·teng1 m4·hou2 sik6.nī gāan chāan·tēng m̀h·hóu sihk.ni1 gaan1 tsaan1·teu1 m4·hou2 sik9.

  This restaurant is not tasty. (Negating an adjective)

• 我唔鍾意食菜。

  ngo5 m4 zung1·ji3 sik6·coi3.ngóh m̀h jūng·yi sihk·choi.ngo5 m4 dzung1·ji3 sik9·tsoi3.

  I don't like to eat vegetables. (Negating a present tense verb of preference)

05

Common Expressions

冇 (mou5móuhmou5) is also part of several common, fixed expressions.

冇問題 (mou5 man6 tai4móuh mahn tàihmou5 man6 tai4) - No problem.

• 唔該你幫我。冇問題！

  m4·goi1 nei5 bong1 ngo5. mou5 man6·tai4!m̀h·gōi néih bōng ngóh. móuh mahn·tàih!m4·goi1 nei5 bong1 ngo5. mou5 man6·tai4!

  Please help me. No problem!

冇所謂 (mou5 so2 wai6móuh só waihmou5 so2 wai6) - It doesn't matter / I don't mind.

• 我哋食飯定食麵？冇所謂。

  ngo5·dei6 sik6·faan6 ding6·sik6 min6? mou5 so2·wai6.ngóh·deih sihk·faahn dihng·sihk mihn? móuh só·waih.ngo5·dei6 sik9·faan6 ding6·sik9 min6? mou5 so2·wai6.

  Should we eat rice or noodles? It doesn't matter.

冇辦法 (mou5 baan6 faat3móuh baahn faatmou5 baan6 faat8) - There's nothing that can be done / It can't be helped.

• 今日落好大雨，我哋冇辦法去行山。

  gam1·jat6·lok6 hou2·daai6·jyu5, ngo5·dei6 mou5 baan6·faat3 heoi3 haang4·saan1.gām·yaht·lohk hóu·daaih·yúh, ngóh·deih móuh baahn·faat heui hàahng·sāan.gam1·jat9·lok9 hou2·daai6·jy5, ngo5·dei6 mou5 baan6·faat8 hoey3 haang4·saan1.

  It's raining heavily today, we can't go hiking.