没有

méi yǒu

Negation of "you" with "mei"

有 is the one verb that can never take 不 — it is always 没有.

没 + 有

How it works

To say you don't have something, it's 没有: 我没有钱, 我没有时间. 不有 does not exist in Mandarin.

In speech 有 is often dropped, leaving just 没: 我没钱. Both are fine.

Examples

  • wǒ méi yǒu qián

    我没有钱。

    I don't have money.

  • tā méi yǒu nǚ péng yǒu

    他没有女朋友。

    He doesn't have a girlfriend.

  • jīn tiān wǒ méi shí jiān

    今天我没时间。

    I don't have time today.

Common mistakes

  • 不有 is always wrong.