01 / READExamples
Highlighted words show the grammar pattern. Reveal the English translation when needed.
我不喝加糖的咖啡。
I do not drink coffee with added sugar.
This describes a preference or habit, rather than one missed drink.
这双鞋不重。
These shoes are not heavy.
不 changes to a rising tone before the fourth tone in 重.
她明天不坐地铁。
She is not taking the metro tomorrow.
不 can express a negative plan; it does not only describe the present.
02 / UNDERSTANDHow it works
Sentence pattern
Put 不 directly before a verb or adjective to make many everyday statements negative. It is useful for preferences, habits, intentions, and descriptions: someone does not like a drink, does not take a certain bus, or is not tired. Other sentence details keep their usual order.
Pay attention to what you are denying. A general habit such as “I do not drink sweet tea” usually uses 不. Reporting that a particular action did not happen usually calls for 没 or 没有 instead. A time word alone does not make the choice for you; the meaning of the statement matters.
The written character remains 不, but its spoken tone changes before a fourth tone. In 不去, for example, you hear bú qù. Before a third-tone word such as 想, it stays bù xiǎng. One important exception to the ordinary negative pattern is possession: “do not have” is 没有, not 不有.
COMMON MISTAKESWhat to watch for
Avoid我喝不咖啡。
Use我不喝咖啡。
In this basic statement, 不 belongs before 喝: “I do not drink coffee.” Some advanced complement patterns place 不 after a verb, but that is a different structure from simply negating the action.
03 / PRACTISECheck your understanding
04 / VOCABULARYLesson vocabulary
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning here |
|---|---|---|
| 加糖 | jiā táng | add sugar |
| 重 | zhòng | heavy |
| 地铁 | dìtiě | metro |
Longer phrases are practised through their component words.
Choose a Chinese word for dictionary definitions, examples and stroke order. The meanings above are specific to this lesson.
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Written for this website. Levels indicate difficulty, not official HSK placement. The app covers this topic with different wording and exercises.
