V. Negative sentences

Negative sentences are formed by placing méi or méi yǒu 没有 in front of the main verb and dropping the le 了.


Nèi gè wèntí wǒ méi huídáduì.
那个问题我没回答对。
I did not answer that question correctly.

The negative form may also use instead of méi yǒu 没有, but this commonly occurs only in conditional clauses describing actions that have not been carried out. Compare the highlighted parts in the following sentences. One uses while the other uses méi .

Negative form using implying a condition.


Wǒ bú zuòwán zuòyè jiù bú shuìjiào.
我不做完作业就不睡觉。
If I don't finish doing my homework, I will not go to bed.

Comparison with méi or méiyǒu 没有, which does not imply a condition.


Wǒ méi zuòwán zuòyè.
我没做完作业。
I did not finish doing my homework.