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).
没 + 有 (+ Obj.)
Examples
我 没 有 问题。
Wǒ méi
yǒu wènti.
I don't have any questions.
我们 现在 没 有 钱。
Wǒmen xiànzài méi yǒu qián.
We
don't have money now.
他 没 有 工作 吗？
Tā méi yǒu gōngzuò ma?
Does he not have a job?
他们 没 有 爸爸妈妈。
Tāmen méi
yǒu bàba māma.
They don't have parents.
我们 在 北京 没 有 房子。
Wǒmen
zài Běijīng méi yǒu fángzi.
We don't have a house in Beijing.
你 爸爸 没 有 手机 吗？
Nǐ
bàba méi yǒu shǒujī ma?
Does your dad not have a cell phone?
你们 在 上海 没 有朋友 吗？
Nǐmen zài Shànghǎi méi yǒu péngyou ma?
Do you
not have friends in Shanghai?
我 的 老师 现在 没 有 男朋友。
Wǒ de lǎoshī xiànzài méi yǒu nánpéngyou.
My
teacher doesn't have a boyfriend now.
他们 都 没 有 电脑 吗？
Tāmen
dōu méi yǒu diànnǎo ma?
Do they all not have computers?
这 个 周末 你们 都 没 有 时间 吗？
Zhè ge zhōumò nǐmen dōu méi yǒu shíjiān ma?
Do
you all not have time this weekend?
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:
Wǒ bù yǒu chē.
✔ 我 没 有 车。Always
use 没
with 有.
Wǒ 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.
我 没 钱。
Wǒ méi qián.
I
don't have money.
你 没 男朋友 吗？
Nǐ méi nánpéngyou ma?
Do you not have a
boyfriend?
你们 没 车 吗？
Nǐmen méi chē ma?
Do you not have a car?
老板 现在 没 时间。
Lǎobǎn
xiànzài méi shíjiān.
The boss doesn't have time right now.
我 没 工作，我 老公 也 没 工作。
Wǒ méi gōngzuò,
wǒ lǎogōng yě méi gōngzuò.
I don't have a job. Neither does my
husband.
