Negation with '没'

01

Negating 'To Have'

The verb 有 (yǒuㄧㄡˇyu3), meaning to have, is unique because it can never be negated with 不 (bùㄅㄨˋpu4). It must always be negated with 没 (méiㄇㄟˊmei2). The resulting phrase is 没有 (méi·yǒuㄇㄟˊ·ㄧㄡˇmei2·yu3), meaning not have.

In casual speech, the 有 (yǒuㄧㄡˇyu3) is sometimes dropped, leaving just 没 (méiㄇㄟˊmei2), but the meaning remains the same.

• 我没有钱。

  wǒ méi·yǒu qián.ㄨㄛˇ ㄇㄟˊ·ㄧㄡˇ ㄑㄧㄢˊ.wo3 mei2·yu3 ch'ien2.

  I do not have money.

• 他没时间。

  tā méi shí·jiān.ㄊㄚ ㄇㄟˊ ㄕˊ·ㄐㄧㄢ.t'a1 mei2 shih2·chien1.

  He does not have time.

• 这里没有人。

  zhè·lǐ méi·yǒu rén.ㄓㄜˋ·ㄌㄧˇ ㄇㄟˊ·ㄧㄡˇ ㄖㄣˊ.chê4·li3 mei2·yu3 jên2.

  There are no people here.

02

Negating Past Actions (Did Not)

To indicate that an action did not happen in the past, place 没 (méiㄇㄟˊmei2) (or 没有 (méi·yǒuㄇㄟˊ·ㄧㄡˇmei2·yu3)) before the verb. This corresponds to the English "did not" or "haven't".

When you negate a past action with 没 (méiㄇㄟˊmei2), you generally do not use the particle 了 (le˙ㄌㄜlê). The presence of 没 (méiㄇㄟˊmei2) already indicates the status of the action, making 了 (le˙ㄌㄜlê) unnecessary.

• 昨天我没去工作。

  zuó·tiān wǒ méi qù gōng·zuò.ㄗㄨㄛˊ·ㄊㄧㄢ ㄨㄛˇ ㄇㄟˊ ㄑㄩˋ ㄍㄨㄥ·ㄗㄨㄛˋ.tso2·t'ien1 wo3 mei2 ch'ü4 kung1·tso4.

  I did not go to work yesterday.

• 你没看见吗？

  nǐ méi kàn·jiàn ma?ㄋㄧˇ ㄇㄟˊ ㄎㄢˋ·ㄐㄧㄢˋ ˙ㄇㄚ?ni3 mei2 k'an4·chien4 ma?

  Did you not see it?

• 她没买那个。

  tā méi mǎi nà·ge.ㄊㄚ ㄇㄟˊ ㄇㄞˇ ㄋㄚˋ·˙ㄍㄜ.t'a1 mei2 mai3 na4·ko.

  She did not buy that one.

03

Difference between 没 (méi) and 不 (bù)

Choosing between 没 (méiㄇㄟˊmei2) and 不 (bùㄅㄨˋpu4) depends on the time frame and the nature of the action.

• Time Frame: Use 没 (méiㄇㄟˊmei2) for past actions (what didn't happen). Use 不 (bùㄅㄨˋpu4) for present or future actions (what isn't happening or won't happen).
• Habit vs. One-time: Use 不 (bùㄅㄨˋpu4) for habits or subjective will (e.g., "I don't eat meat"). Use 没 (méiㄇㄟˊmei2) for objective facts about a specific time (e.g., "I didn't eat meat yesterday").

• 我不喝茶。

  wǒ bù hē chá.ㄨㄛˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄏㄜ ㄔㄚˊ.wo3 pu4 ho1 ch'a2.

  I don't drink tea. (I generally don't do it)

• 我没喝茶。

  wǒ méi hē chá.ㄨㄛˇ ㄇㄟˊ ㄏㄜ ㄔㄚˊ.wo3 mei2 ho1 ch'a2.

  I didn't drink tea. (I didn't do it on this occasion)

04

Important Exception: The Verb 'To Be'

While 没 (méiㄇㄟˊmei2) is used for the past tense of most verbs, it is never used with the verb 是 (shìㄕˋshih4), meaning to be. Even if you are talking about the past, you must use 不 (bùㄅㄨˋpu4) to negate 是 (shìㄕˋshih4).

• 他以前不是老师。

  tā yǐ·qián bú shì lǎo·shī.ㄊㄚ ㄧˇ·ㄑㄧㄢˊ ㄅㄨˊ ㄕˋ ㄌㄠˇ·ㄕ.t'a1 yi3·ch'ien2 pu2 shih4 lao3·shih1.

  He was not a teacher before.