Negation: 無, 毋, 袂 and 免 — Taiwanese Hokkien Grammar

There is no single word for not in Taiwanese. Which negator you reach for depends on what you are denying — a fact, a wish, an ability, or an obligation. Getting this wrong is the most common beginner mistake, and unfortunately English gives you no clue, since it flattens all four into not.

無 (bô) — Denying a Fact

(bôbôbo5) is the workhorse. It denies that something is the case, that something happened, or that you have something. It is also the plain negative of the verb (ūūu7), and the two form the pair you answer questions with.

伊無睏。
i bô khùni bô khùni1 bo5 khun3
She isn't sleeping.
我無破病。
guá bô phuà-pēnngóa bô phòa-pēⁿgua2 bo5 phua3-penn7
I'm not sick.
天氣無熱。
thinn-khì bô jua̍hthiⁿ-khì bô joa̍hthinn1-khi3 bo5 juah8
The weather isn't hot.

With a noun it is not have rather than not be.

阮後生無頭路。
guán hāu-senn bô thâu-lōogoán hāu-seⁿ bô thâu-lō͘guan2 hau7-senn1 bo5 thau5-loo7
Our son doesn't have a job.

毋 (m̄) — Denying the Will or the Identity

(m̄m̄m7) negates what someone wants or intends to do, and it is the negator used with (sīsīsi7). Roughly, (bôbôbo5) says it didn't happen while (m̄m̄m7) says I won't or it isn't the one.

咱哪會毋去餐廳食飯？
lán ná-ē m̄ khì tshan-thiann tsia̍h-pn̄glán ná-ē m̄ khì chhan-thiaⁿ chia̍h-pn̄glan2 na2-e7 m7 khi3 tshan1-thiann1 tsiah8-png7
Why don't we go and eat at a restaurant?
有的人毋信。
ū ê lâng m̄ sìnū ê lâng m̄ sìnu7 e5 lang5 m7 sin3
Some people don't believe it.

It also lives inside several very common fixed words — (m̄-sīm̄-sīm7-si7) is not, (m̄-kohm̄-kohm7-koh4) but, and (m̄-tsaim̄-chaim7-tsai1) not know — where it is best learned as part of the word rather than assembled.

伊毋是老師，伊失業矣。
i m̄ sī lāu-su i sit-gia̍p --ahi m̄ sī lāu-su i sit-gia̍p --ahi1 m7 si7 lau7-su1 i1 sit4-giap8 --ah4
She isn't a teacher, she's unemployed.

袂 (bē) — Denying Ability or Likelihood

(bēbēbe7) is the negative partner of (ēēe7). Use it for what cannot be done, will not happen, or is not likely — never for a plain past fact, which takes (bôbôbo5).

看起來袂䆀。
khuànn --khí-lâi bē báikhoàⁿ --khí-lâi bē báikhuann3 --khi2-lai5 be7 bai2
It doesn't look bad.
有時陣，逐項代誌攏袂順。
ū-sî-tsūn ta̍k hāng tāi-tsì lóng bē sūnū-sî-chūn ta̍k hāng tāi-chì lóng bē sūnu7-si5-tsun7 tak8 hang7 tai7-tsi3 long2 be7 sun7
Sometimes nothing goes right.

免 (bián) — Denying a Need

(biánbiánbian2) means need not, and it removes an obligation rather than denying a fact. It stands on its own in some of the most common set phrases you will hear.

免客氣。
bián kheh-khìbián kheh-khìbian2 kheh4-khi3
You're welcome.
免找矣。
bián tsáu --ahbián cháu --ahbian2 tsau2 --ah4
Keep the change.

Choosing Between Them

A rough guide that will carry you a long way: use (bôbôbo5) for didn't and doesn't have; (m̄m̄m7) for won't, don't want to and before (sīsīsi7); (bēbēbe7) for can't and won't be; and (biánbiánbian2) for needn't. A fifth negator, (buēbōebue7) not yet, exists in the language but does not appear in this course.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Taiwanese Hokkien course

65 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 16. A few of them, with the words “Negation: 無, 毋, 袂 and 免” is about in bold:

伊嘛佇咧睏。伊無睏。
i mā tī-leh khùn. i bô khùn.i mā tī-leh khùn. i bô khùn.i1 ma7 ti7-leh4 khun3. i1 bo5 khun3.
He is also sleeping. She isn't.
Lesson 16
我感覺足好矣！我無破病。我真健康。
guá kám-kak tsiok hó--ah! guá bô phuà-pēnn. guá tsin kiān-khong.góa kám-kak chiok hó--ah! góa bô phòa-pēⁿ. góa chin kiān-khong.gua2 kam2-kak4 tsiok4 ho2--ah4! gua2 bo5 phua3-penn7. gua2 tsin1 kian7-khong1.
I feel great! I am not sick. I am healthy.
Lesson 64
我九年無看著你矣！
guá káu nî bô khuànn --tio̍h lí --ah!góa káu nî bô khoàⁿ --tio̍h lí --ah!gua2 kau2 ni5 bo5 khuann3 --tioh8 li2 --ah4!
I haven't seen you for nine years!
Lesson 175

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