Chinese Language Learning Program Lesson 140 – How to use bù and méi to answer questions?

Chinese Language Learning Program

Lesson 140 – How to use bù and méi to answer questions?

Hello, everyone. Welcome back. This is Baixue’s Chinese Language Learning Program. Last time we talked about prepositions in Chinese. Today, we will talk about how to use bù and méi to answer questions?

Ok, in our previous lesson129, we talk about what is the difference between bù and méi you. I think that I did not address that point very clearly. One of our friends asked me about how to use bù and méi to answer questions? So, I will not repeat the difference between bù and méi you, please watch lesson 129 if you did not watch this lesson. Then we will have additional examples to explain how to use bù and méi to answer questions.

nǐ máng ma? / nǐ máng bù máng?

你    忙    吗？/  你    忙   不      忙？

(Are you busy?)

shì de, wǒ hěn máng.

 是的，我 很   忙。(Yes, I am busy.)

bù, wǒ bù máng.

不，我 不  忙。(No, I am not busy.)

The verb is ---- to be busy

nǐ zài dú shū ma?

你  在 读   书   吗？(Are you reading a book?)

shì de,  wǒ zài dú shū;

 是   的,  我  在  读   书。(Yes, I am reading a book.)

méi, wǒ méi yǒu dú shū.

  没,  我    没   有   读   书。 (No, I am not reading.)

The verb is ---- to read

tā hěn piào liang ma?

她  很    漂     亮    吗？(Is she pretty?)

shì de, tā hěn piào liang.

 是  的, 她  很    漂     亮。(Yes, she is very pretty.)

bù, tā bù piào liang.

不,  她 不   漂     亮。(No, she is not pretty.)

The verb is ---- to be pretty.

nǐ qù tú shū guǎn le ma?

你 去 图   书     馆  了   吗？(Did you go to the library?)

shì de, wǒ qù le。

 是  的,  我  去 了。(Yes, I did.)

méi yǒu, wǒ méi qù.

  没   有，我    没  去。(No, I didn’t.)

The verb---- to go.

zhè duì bù duì?

  这   对  不  对？(Is this right?)

duì.  / bù duì.

 对。/  不  对。(Yes. / No.)

wǒ duì bù duì?

 我   对  不  对？ (Am I right?)

The verb----to be right.

shì de, nǐ hěn duì. / bù, nǐ bù duì.

 是  的, 你  很    对。 不,  你 不  对。

(Yes, you are right. / No, you are not right.)

The verb--- to be right. (link verb)

nǐ yóu yǒng le ma?

你  游     泳   了  吗？(Did you swim?)

shì de, wǒ yóu yǒng le.

 是  的,  我   游     泳   了。(Yes, I swam.)

méi yǒu, wǒ méi yǒu yóu yǒng.

  没   有，我    没   有    游     泳。

(No, I did not swim.)

The verb--- to swim

nǐ gāo xìng ma?

你  高    兴    吗？(Are you happy?)

shì de, wǒ hěn gāo xìng.

 是  的,  我   很    高   兴。(Yes, I am happy.)

bù, wǒ bù gāo xìng.

不,  我  不   高    兴。(No, I am not happy.)

The verb----to be happy.

nǐ suǒ mén le ma?

你   锁    门  了  吗？(Did you lock the door?)

shì de, wǒ suǒ le.

 是  的,  我   锁  了。(Yes, I did.)

méi yǒu, wǒ méi suǒ.

  没   有，我    没   锁。(No, I did not.)

The verb---- to lock

So, from the above examples, we can see that when the verb in the sentence is  “to be + adj”,  You use bù to answer the question. When the verb is “to verb”, you use méi yǒu/ méi to answer.

But,  there are some examples that do not follow the rule.

For example:

nǐ zhī dào zhè ge dá'àn ma?

你  知  道    这  个  答 案   吗？

(Do you know the answer?)

shì de, wǒ zhī dào.

 是  的,  我   知   道。(Yes, I know.)

bù, wǒ bù zhī dào.

不,  我  不   知   道。(No, I do not.)

The verb----to know

nǐ zhī dào zěn me zuò zhè ge ma?

你  知  道    怎   么   做    这  个  吗？

shì de, wǒ zhī dào.

 是  的,  我   知  道。(Yes, I know.)

bù, wǒ bù zhī dào.

不,   我 不   知  道。(No, I do not know.)

The verb ---- to know.

There is also other verb which is similar to "know". "think, 我认为 (wǒ rèn wéi)

Ok, that is all for today. Next time we will talk about the grammatical features and functions of the prepositions.

xiè  xiè!

 谢   谢 ! (Thanks!)

xià  cì  jiàn

 下  次  见!  (See you next time!)