01 / READExamples
Highlighted words show the grammar pattern. Reveal the English translation when needed.
我有两张展览票。
I have two exhibition tickets.
张 is the classifier for these flat tickets.
她有一个新想法。
She has a new idea.
有 works for ideas as well as physical objects.
我们有备用钥匙。
We have spare keys.
An exact number is unnecessary when it is not the point of the sentence.
02 / UNDERSTANDHow it works
Sentence pattern
Use 有 to say that someone has something. It works with objects such as a pen, people in a family, and resources such as time. Start with the person, add 有, and then name the thing. The same verb works whether you are talking about one item or several.
When you give an exact number, Chinese usually places a classifier between the number and the noun. You can therefore build the object as “two + classifier + tickets,” then put that whole phrase after 有. You do not need to add a separate word meaning “a” when the context leaves the quantity unspecified.
The standard negative form is 没有, not 不有. This is worth learning as a pair from the beginning: 有 means “have,” and 没有 means “do not have.” You will also encounter 有 after a place to mean “there is” or “there are”; here, keep your attention on the person who has something.
COMMON MISTAKESWhat to watch for
Avoid我不有雨伞。
Use我没有雨伞。
To say “I do not have an umbrella,” negate 有 with 没. The standard possession pattern uses 没有 even when you are describing the present, so 没 is not simply a past-tense marker.
03 / PRACTISECheck your understanding
04 / VOCABULARYLesson vocabulary
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning here |
|---|---|---|
| 展览 | zhǎnlǎn | exhibition |
| 想法 | xiǎngfǎ | idea |
| 钥匙 | yàoshi | key |
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.
