Chinese Grammar: Standard negation with 没

We have already learned the most common form of negation in Chinese: 不. However, as you learned in that lesson, 不 is a pretty cool word, but it can't do everything. It can only be used in the present and the future and doesn't sit well with actions in the past. What didn't happen in the past doesn't concern it, ok? Also, 不 has a major feud with one verb in Chinese: 有(yǒu).

So, instead, another negation word valiantly steps in to offer negation when 不 can't: 没 (méi). As you guessed, 没 likes talking about what didn't happen to verbs in the past and it's a big fan of 有. Let's start by seeing how 没 works to negate the past.

Negating the past with 没

To talk about things that didn't happen in the past, 没 is your go-to negation word. Here's how it works:

Structure

S + 没 + V + Object.

As you see, 没 is also easy to use. Just place it before the verb to say something didn't happen in the past.

Examples

他 昨天没来。
He didn't come yesterday.

我 昨天没去 学校。
I didn't go to school yesterday.

我没看见 你。你 在 哪里？
I didn't see you. Where are you?

Negating the verb 有, to have, with 没

The only negation word which works with the verb 有 (yǒu), is 没. As you saw before, 不 can't be used with 有。

So it's important to remember this rule: 有 is always negated by 没.

Structure

S + 没有+ Object.

Example

我没有钱。
I don't have money.

你 有没有电 脑？
Do you have a computer?

不， 我没有。
No, I don't.

Past negation and the negation word you use with 有 both happen to be 没. Convenient, no?