没有 (méiyǒu): How to Say “Don't Have” in Chinese

Why this trips learners up

By the time you need to say “don't have” in Chinese, you've already met 不 (bù) and learned that it negates verbs: 不去 (not go), 不是 (not be), 不要 (not want). So when you hit the verb 有 (yǒu, to have), the move feels obvious — put 不 in front and say 不有. Every beginner does it.

And every time, it's wrong. 有 is the single verb in Mandarin that flatly refuses 不. It has its own dedicated negator, 没 (méi); together they make 没有 (méiyǒu), “don't have” — or, when 有 means “there is”, “there isn't”. There's no deeper logic to chase here, just one stubborn exception. Lock it in early, because you'll reach for it dozens of times a day.

The structure

没 méi 有 yǒu Object

Colour key

Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.

Pattern Subject Verb Object Time Adverb Question

Examples in context

Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.

Tap a word to see its grammatical role.

wǒ 我 Subject méi 没 Pattern yǒu 有 Verb língqián 零钱 Object

I don't have any change.

jīntiān 今天 Time wǒ 我 Subject méi 没 Pattern yǒu 有 Verb kè 课 Object

I don't have class today.

zhè jiā diàn 这家店 Subject méi 没 Pattern yǒu 有 Verb wǒ de chǐmǎ 我的尺码 Object

This shop doesn't have my size.

wǒ 我 Subject zuìjìn 最近 Time méi 没 Pattern wèikǒu 胃口 Object

I haven't had much of an appetite lately.

nǐ 你 Subject méi 没 Pattern yǒu 有 Verb guòmǐn 过敏 Object ma 吗 Question

You don't have any allergies?

nǐmen 你们 Subject zhōumò 周末 Time dōu 都 Adverb méi 没 Pattern yǒu 有 Verb kòng 空 Object ma 吗 Question

So none of you are free this weekend?

Common mistakes

Avoid: 我不有耳机。 wǒ bù yǒu ěrjī.

Say this: 我没有耳机。 wǒ méiyǒu ěrjī.

Why it happens: 不 negates nearly every verb, so 不有 feels like the logical move — but 有 is the lone exception that blocks it. Swap 不 for 没 and the sentence works: 没有耳机, “don't have earphones.”

Avoid: 这儿不有人。 zhèr bù yǒu rén.

Say this: 这儿没有人。 zhèr méiyǒu rén.

Why it happens: 有 also means “there is / exists”, and that 有 is negated with 没 too. “There's nobody here” is 这儿没有人 — never 不有. Same rule, whether 有 means to have or to be there.

Avoid: 我没喜欢咖啡。 wǒ méi xǐhuan kāfēi.

Say this: 我不喜欢咖啡。 wǒ bù xǐhuan kāfēi.

Why it happens: Watch the over-correction. Once 没有 clicks, learners start negating everything with 没 — but 没 belongs to 有 (and to past actions). Ordinary likes, wants and states keep 不: it's 不喜欢, never 没喜欢.

Compare & contrast

没 — only with 有	不 — every other verb	The difference
我没有空。wǒ méiyǒu kòng.	我不去。wǒ bú qù.	“Have free time” is built on 有, so it's negated with 没 (没有空). “Go” is an ordinary verb, so it takes 不 (不去).
桌上没有筷子。zhuō shàng méiyǒu kuàizi.	桌子不干净。zhuōzi bù gānjìng.	“There are (no) chopsticks” is the existence 有 → 没有. “Clean” is an adjective, so it takes 不 (不干净).

Rule of thumbOnly 有 — “to have” and “there is” — is negated with 没. Everything else, every other verb and adjective (去, 要, 是, 喜欢, 好), takes 不. If you memorise a single exception in Chinese grammar, make it this one.

Try it yourself

Say “I don't have cash today” — tap the words into the right order.

Related patterns

Quick reference card

How to Say “Don't Have” (没有) grammar.merrymandarin.com

A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.

Structure

没 + 有 + Object

Example

我没有零钱

I don't have any change.

Watch out

✗ 我不有耳机。 → ✓ 我没有耳机。