Language/Yue-chinese/Grammar/Negation

Yue Chinese Grammar - Negation

Hi Yue Chinese learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about negation in Yue Chinese. This is an important aspect of language learning, as it allows us to express negative opinions, ideas, and thoughts in our conversations.

Basic Negation with 冇

In Yue Chinese, one of the most common ways to express negation is by using the word "冇" (mou). This word is equivalent to the English word "no" or "not". We use it in conjunction with verbs or adjectives to create negative sentences. To make a negative statement, follow this pattern:

Verb / adjective + 冇

For example:

Yue Chinese	Pronunciation	English
冇食	mou5 sik6	Not eating
冇錢	mou5 cin2	No money
冇講粗口	mou5 gong2 cou1 hau2	Not speaking profanity

Here's a dialogue between two people. Notice how the verb "食" (to eat) is negated using "冇".

• Person 1: 你食咗冇？ (nei5 sik6 zo2 mou5?) (Have you eaten?)
• Person 2: 冇，我冇食。 (mou5, ngo5 mou5 sik6.) (No, I haven't eaten.)

Negating with 唔

Another common way to express negation in Yue Chinese is by using the character "唔" (m4). This particle functions as a basic negator for verbs, indicating the negative tense, similar to the word "do not" in English. The structure of negation with 唔 is:

唔 + Verb

For example:

Yue Chinese	Pronunciation	English
唔喊	m4 haam3	Not crying
唔食	m4 sik6	Not eating
唔去	m4 heoi3	Not going

Here's another dialogue between two people, this time using "唔" to negate the verb "食" (to eat).

• Person 1: 你食咗冇？ (nei5 sik6 zo2 mou5?) (Have you eaten?)
• Person 2: 唔，我冇食。 (m4, ngo5 mou5 sik6.) (No, I haven't eaten.)

Negation with 冇得

"冇得" (mou5 dak1) is another common way to negate something in Yue Chinese. This phrase expresses the idea of "cannot" or "not able to". It is often used with verbs to indicate that someone is not able to do something. The structure of negation with 冇得 is:

Verb + 冇得

For example:

Yue Chinese	Pronunciation	English
揾唔到	wan2 m4 dou2	Cannot find
冇得食	mou5 dak1 sik6	Cannot eat
玩唔到	waan2 m4 dou2	Cannot play

Here's a dialogue between two people. Notice how "冇得" is used to express that someone cannot eat.

• Person 1: 你食唔食啊？ (nei5 sik6 m4 sik6 aa3?) (Are you going to eat?)
• Person 2: 冇得，我食唔到。 (mou5 dak1, ngo5 sik6 m4 dou2.) (I can't eat, I cannot find anything to eat.)

Negation with 冇乜

"冇乜" (mou5 mat1) is another way Yue Chinese speakers use to negate. It is equivalent to "nothing" or "not at all" in English. The structure of negation with 冇乜 is:

Verb + 冇乜

For example:

Yue Chinese	Pronunciation	English
冇乜野	mou5 mat1 je5	Nothing
冇乜用	mou5 mat1 jung6	Useless
冇乜經驗	mou5 mat1 ging1 jim6	No experience

Here's another dialogue between two people, this time using "冇乜" to negate the idea of having no money.

• Person 1: 今日去唔去食飯？(gam1 jat6 heoi3 m4 heoi3 sik6 faan6?) (Are you going to have dinner today?)
• Person 2: 冇乜錢，唔去。 (mou5 mat1 cin2, m4 heoi3.) (I don't have any money, I won't go.)

Review and practice

Now that we have learned the different ways to express negation in Yue Chinese, it's time to practice. Here's a short exercise:

Translate the following sentences into Yue Chinese:

1. I don't want to go. 2. There's nothing to see here. 3. She cannot speak Cantonese. 4. He's not singing. 5. We don't have time.

Cultural Tips

In Cantonese culture, using negative language can be considered impolite or even offensive. When communicating with others, try to frame your thoughts in a positive light or use indirect language. Showing politeness is valued in Cantonese culture and can help build better relationships with others.

If you're interested in learning more about Yue Chinese grammar, check out the Grammar section on the Yue Chinese page. To improve your Yue Chinese grammar, you can also use Polyglot Club. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Sources

• Cantonese grammar
• Cantonese language page