Use 没有 (méiyǒu) to negate past actions (to say that someone *didn't
do* something, or something *didn't happen*).

Structure
---------

Usually verbs can be [negated with 不
(bù)](Standard_negation_with_bu "wikilink"), but that construction is
used for habitual or present actions. If the verb is about an action
**in the past**, though, 没有 (méiyǒu) should be used:

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 没有 / 没 + Verb

</div>
Note that you can shorten 没有 (méiyǒu) to just 没 (méi).

Examples
--------

<div class="liju">
-   我 <em>没有</em> 去 上班。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em> qù
    shàngbān.</span><span class="trans">I didn't go to work.</span>
-   他们 <em>没有</em> 说话。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>méiyǒu</em>
    shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">They didn't speak.</span>
-   我 <em>没有</em> 喝 你 的 啤酒。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ
    <em>méiyǒu</em> hē nǐ de píjiǔ.</span><span class="trans">I didn't
    drink your beer.</span>
-   她 <em>没有</em> 看到 你。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>méiyǒu</em>
    kàndào nǐ.</span><span class="trans">She didn't see you.</span>
-   我 <em>没有</em> 吃 早饭。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em>
    chī zǎofàn.</span><span class="trans">I didn't eat breakfast.</span>
-   宝宝 <em>没</em> 哭。<span class="expl">有 has been omitted
    here.</span><span class="pinyin">Bǎobao <em>méi</em>
    kū.</span><span class="trans">The baby didn't cry.</span>
-   你 昨天 <em>没</em> 回家 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zuótiān
    <em>méi</em> huíjiā ma?</span><span class="trans">You didn't go back
    home yesterday?</span>
-   老板 今天 <em>没</em> 来 吗？<span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn jīntiān
    <em>méi​</em> lái ma?</span><span class="trans">The boss didn't come
    today?</span>
-   老师 今天 <em>没</em> 生气 。<span class="pinyin"> Lǎoshī jīntiān
    <em>méi</em> shēngqì.</span><span class="trans">The teacher didn't
    get angry today.</span>
-   妈妈 晚上 <em>没</em> 做饭。<span class="pinyin"> Māma wǎnshang
    <em>méi</em> zuòfàn.</span><span class="trans">Mom didn't cook food
    this evening.</span>

</div>
Go Easy on the 了 (le)
----------------------

One thing you need to remember when using 没有 (méiyǒu) is that **了
(le) is not normally used with 没有 (méiyǒu)**. [了 (le)](了 "wikilink")
marks completed actions, while 没有 (méiyǒu) is used for actions that
*didn't happen* (so of course they're not completed). These two don't
work together. This is a very common mistake for beginner learners of
Chinese.

<div class="liju">
-   我 <em>没有</em> 做 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ
    <em>méiyǒu</em> zuò <strong>le</strong>.</span>
-   我 <em>没有</em> 做。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em>
    zuò.</span><span class="trans">I didn't do it.</span>

</div>
See also
--------

-   [Negation of "you"](Negation_of_"you" "wikilink")
-   [Standard negation with
    "bu"](Standard_negation_with_"bu" "wikilink")

Sources and further reading
---------------------------

### Books

-   [Practicing HSK
    Grammar (语法精讲精炼)](Practicing_HSK_Grammar_(语法精讲精炼) "wikilink") (p.
    32)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001N6R7DI&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001N6R7DI)
-   [现代汉语八百词（增订本）](现代汉语八百词（增订本） "wikilink") (p.
    383)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1
    (3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (pp.
    138-9)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385)

### Videos

-   Yoyo Chinese: [Negation with
    没](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMaE2w7C5qI&list=PL94A5E422FB99CDDD&index=12)

[Category:A1 grammar points](Category:A1_grammar_points "wikilink")
<Category:Verbs> <Category:Adverbs>