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)](Standard_negation_with_bu "wikilink"). The verb 有 (yǒu) is an
important exception to this rule, and must be negated with 没 (méi).

<div class="jiegou">
没 + 有 (+ Obj.)

</div>
Note: because of the special relationship between 没 (méi) and 有 (yǒu),
the pinyin for 没有 is normally written without a space: "méiyǒu."

Examples
--------

<div class="liju">
-   我 <em>没有</em> 问题。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méiyǒu</em>
    wèntí.</span><span class="trans">I don't have any questions.</span>
-   我们 现在 <em>没有</em> 钱。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xiànzài
    <em>méiyǒu</em> qián.</span> <span class="trans">We don't have money
    now.</span>
-   他 <em>没有</em> 工作 吗？ <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>méiyǒu</em>
    gōngzuò ma? </span><span class="trans">Does he not have a job?
    </span>
-   他们 <em>没有</em> 爸爸 妈妈 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen
    <em>méiyǒu</em> bàba māma.</span><span class="trans">They don't have
    parents.</span>
-   我们 在 北京 <em>没有</em> 房子。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zài
    Běijīng <em>méiyǒu</em> fángzi.</span> <span class="trans"> We don't
    have a house in Beijing.</span>
-   你 爸爸 <em>没有</em> 手机 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bàba
    <em>méiyǒu</em> shǒujī ma? </span> <span class="trans">Does your dad
    not have a cell phone? </span>
-   你们 在 上海 <em>没有</em> 朋友 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen zài
    Shànghǎi <em>méiyǒu</em> péngyou ma?</span><span class="trans">Do
    you not have friends in Shanghai?</span>
-   我 的 老师 现在 <em>没有</em> 男朋友。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ de
    lǎoshī xiànzài <em>méiyǒu</em>
    nánpéngyou.</span><span class="trans">My teacher doesn't have a
    boyfriend now.</span>
-   他们 都 <em>没有</em> 电脑 吗？<span class="pinyin">Tāmen dōu
    <em>méiyǒu</em> diànnǎo ma?</span><span class="trans">Do they all
    not have computers? </span>
-   这 个 周末 你们 都 <em>没有</em> 时间 吗？<span class="pinyin">Zhège
    zhōumò nǐmen dōu <em>méiyǒu</em> shíjiān
    ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you all not have time this
    weekend?</span>

</div>
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:

<div class="liju">
-   我 <strong>不</strong> <em>有</em> 车。<span class="expl">Never use
    不 with 有!</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>bù</strong>
    <em>yǒu</em> chē.</span>
-   我 <strong>没</strong><em>有</em> 车。<span class="expl">Always use
    没 with 有.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ
    <strong>méi</strong><em>yǒu</em> chē.</span><span class="trans">I
    don't have a car.</span>

</div>
**Never use 不 (bù) with 有 (yǒu).**

The Short Form of 没有 (méiyǒu) Is 没 (méi)
-------------------------------------------

没有 (méiyǒu) can be shortened to 没 (méi) without altering its meaning.

<div class="liju">
-   我 <em>没</em> 钱。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méi</em>
    qián.</span><span class="trans">I don't have money.</span>
-   你 <em>没</em> 男朋友 吗？ <span class="pinyin"> Nǐ <em>méi</em>
    nánpéngyou ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you not have a
    boyfriend?</span>
-   你们 <em>没</em> 车 吗？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>méi</em> chē
    ma?</span><span class="trans">You don't have a car?</span>
-   老板 现在 <em>没</em> 时间。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn xiànzài
    <em>méi</em> shíjiān.</span><span class="trans">The boss doesn't
    have time right now.</span>
-   我 <em>没</em> 工作，我 老公 也 <em>没</em> 工作。
    <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méi</em> gōngzuò, wǒ lǎogōng yě
    <em>méi</em> gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">I don't have a job.
    My husband doesn't have a job either.</span>

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

-   [Negation of past actions with
    "meiyou"](Negation_of_past_actions_with_"meiyou" "wikilink")
-   [Standard negation with
    "bu"](Standard_negation_with_"bu" "wikilink")
-   [Inability with "mei banfa"](Inability_with_"mei_banfa" "wikilink")
-   [Comparing "bu" and "mei"](Comparing_"bu"_and_"mei" "wikilink")

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

### Books

-   [Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second
    Edition](Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition "wikilink") (pp.
    51)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615)
-   [现代汉语八百词（增订本）](现代汉语八百词（增订本） "wikilink") (pp.
    382)
    [→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)
-   [A Practical Chinese Grammar For
    Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)](A_Practical_Chinese_Grammar_For_Foreigners_(外国人实用汉语语法) "wikilink") (pp.
    35)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA)

### Videos

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

[Category:A1 grammar points](Category:A1_grammar_points "wikilink")