Kilo Lingo

Mandarin · Chapter 12 · Lesson 9 · Common mistake

不 or 没, again

You met this in chapter 2. It is worth proving you still have it.

The rule

不 (bu4) negates the present, the future, habits and adjectives. 没 (mei2) negates COMPLETED actions and it is the only one that can negate 有. Ten chapters on from the lesson, this is still the error that appears most in learner Mandarin.

Pick the right one

0/6

Pick the right one: 不 or 没.

  1. 我去。 (I am not going)

    wǒ ___ qù 。 (I am not going)

  2. 我昨天去。 (I did not go yesterday)

    wǒ zuó tiān ___ qù 。 (I did not go yesterday)

  3. 我有钱。 (I have no money)

    wǒ ___ yǒu qián 。 (I have no money)

  4. 他是我朋友。 (he is not my friend)

    tā ___ shì wǒ péng yǒu 。 (he is not my friend)

  5. 她说什么。 (she did not say anything)

    tā ___ shuō shén me 。 (she did not say anything)

  6. 这个好。 (this is not good)

    zhè gè ___ hǎo 。 (this is not good)

You met this in chapter 2. Worth a second look if the drill caught you out.

Back to the full lesson