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不 vs 没: Two Ways to Say ‘Not’
不 and 没 both mean ‘not’, but they point to different things. One question tells you which to use.
Quick answer
不 = not (habits, states, plans, choices) · 没 = didn’t or haven’t (an action that did not happen)
我不去。
I’m not going.
我没去。
I didn’t go.
Hear the phrase, then repeat it aloud.
When to use it
Use 不 for habits, plans and choices
, and with 是 and adjectives: 不喝, 不是, 不贵. Use 没 when something did not happen
, and always with 有: 没有.
Common mistake
Saying 不有 for ‘don’t have’. 有 only takes 没. And when a past event simply did not happen
, use 没, not 不.
- Not
我不有时间。- Say
- 我没有时间。
Practise aloud
我不喝咖啡。 I don’t drink coffee.
我今天没喝咖啡。 I didn’t have coffee today.
我没有时间。 I don’t have time.
You’ve got this!
Ask yourself: is this an action that did not happen? Then use 没. States such as 是, 知道 and 喜欢, and past habits, still take 不: 我那时候不知道 (I didn’t know then), 我以前不喝咖啡 (I didn’t drink coffee before).