Ch 26 · Lesson 10Mandarin · Chapter 26 · Lesson 10 · Common mistake
不 or 没, in the past?
Talking about the past does not by itself make it .
The rule
(méi) says an EVENT did not happen, or has never happened (with ): . But a past habit, a state, a liking, an ability or still takes (bù): , , . Ask whether something failed to happen, or whether you are describing how things were.
Pick the right one
0/6Pick the right one: 不 or 没.
我昨天去上班。 (I did not go to work yesterday)
wǒ zuó tiān ___ qù shàng bān 。 (I did not go to work yesterday)
我小时候喜欢吃鱼。 (as a child I did not like fish)
wǒ xiǎo shí hou ___ xǐ huan chī yú 。 (as a child I did not like fish)
他以前是老师。 (he was not a teacher before)
tā yǐ qián ___ shì lǎo shī 。 (he was not a teacher before)
上个星期我看见他。 (I did not see him last week)
shàng gè xīng qī wǒ ___ kàn jiàn tā 。 (I did not see him last week)
那时候我会说中文。 (back then I could not speak Chinese)
nà shí hou wǒ ___ huì shuō zhōng wén 。 (back then I could not speak Chinese)
我去过北京。 (I have never been to Beijing)
wǒ ___ qù guò běi jīng 。 (I have never been to Beijing)
You met this in chapter 2. Worth a second look if the drill caught you out.
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