不 or 没: two ways to say 'not'
不 for habits, wishes, the future, 是 and adjectives; 没 for what didn't happen and for 有.
Part of the free A1 Chinese course (about HSK 1–2). Examples are in Simplified characters with pinyin; press the speaker to hear one with your device's Chinese voice.
Two words for "not"
English uses not for everything. Chinese has two words, and choosing between them is about what you are denying.
| 不 (bù) | 没 / 没有 (méi / méiyǒu) |
|---|---|
| habits and facts: I don't drink coffee | something that didn't happen: I didn't go |
| wishes and decisions: I don't want, I won't | something that hasn't happened yet: not yet |
| the future: I'm not going tomorrow | 有: I don't have, there isn't |
| 是, adjectives, 在, and 会, 能, 想… |
不: now, always, and later
- 我不喝咖啡。(Wǒ bù hē kāfēi.)I don't drink coffee.
- 明天我不去上班。(Míngtiān wǒ bú qù shàngbān.)I'm not going to work tomorrow.
- 我不想吃。(Wǒ bù xiǎng chī.)I don't want to eat.
- 她不是老师。(Tā bú shì lǎoshī.)She's not a teacher.
The tone of 不 changes before a fourth tone (Tone changes: 你好, 不 and 一): 不是 bú shì, 不去 bú qù, but 不喝 bù hē.
没: it didn't happen
- 我昨天没喝咖啡。(Wǒ zuótiān méi hē kāfēi.)I didn't drink coffee yesterday.
- 他没去上班。(Tā méi qù shàngbān.)He didn't go to work.
No 了 after 没 (了: a completed action).
没 with 有
有 is always negated with 没 (有: to have, there is):
- 我们没有时间。(Wǒmen méiyǒu shíjiān.)We don't have time.
Same verb, different meaning
- 我不去 = I'm not going / I won't go (a decision or the future).
- 我没去 = I didn't go (it didn't happen).
- 他不结婚 = He won't get married (his choice). 他还没结婚 = He hasn't got married yet.
Common mistakes
我不有车。→ 我没有车。有 always takes 没.我昨天不去。→ 我昨天没去。For something that didn't happen, use 没. (他昨天不去 is only possible in the sense "he refused to go".)我没是学生。→ 我不是学生。是 always takes 不.她明天没去。→ 她明天不去。The future takes 不.我没会游泳。→ 我不会游泳。会, 能 and 想 take 不 (想, 要, 会, 能, 可以: want, can, may).
Practice
- 我_____喜欢喝茶。(Wǒ ___ xǐhuan hē chá.)Options: 不 (bù) · 没 (méi) · 没有 (méiyǒu)
Show the answer
不 (bù) — Likes and habits take 不.
- 上个星期我_____去北京。(Shàng gè xīngqī wǒ ___ qù Běijīng.)Options: 没 (méi) · 不 (bù) · 不是 (bú shì)
Show the answer
没 (méi) — It didn't happen: 没.
- 他_____是中国人。(Tā ___ shì Zhōngguórén.)
Show the answer
不 — 是 always takes 不 (said bú before the fourth tone of 是).
- 我_____有哥哥。(Wǒ ___ yǒu gēge.)
Show the answer
没 — 有 always takes 没.
In the app, this lesson is taught one idea at a time with the examples read aloud, followed by questions you can answer in characters or pinyin. It then comes back for review on later days, until you've answered it correctly on three separate days.