Auxiliary verbs and their negation in Mandarin Chinese
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In this chapter we'll take a look at auxiliary verbs and at how to negate them.
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To have: Possession
Although this verb is an auxiliary verb in english, where it is used to form the perfect tenses for example, this is not the case in Chinese.
The verb 有(yǒu) is the chinese equivalent of "to have" and is used to express possession:
- 我有词典 (wǒ yǒu cídiǎn) - Literal: I have dictionary - I have (the/a) dictionary
HoYin Edits: Usually in such contexts the speaker is referring to the fact that he or she possesses dictionaries, meaning the sentence above can be translated also as "I have dictionaries." or "I have a dictionary." Usually it isn't an answer to someone's question, e.g. "Do you have a dictionary?" but rather when talking about it "I have dictionaries, but I'm not a nerd." (not that it actually is very relevant)
The negation of this verb is never formed with 不 (bù), but always with 没 (méi).
- 我没有词典 (wǒ méi yǒu cídiǎn) - Literal: I not have dictionary - I don't have a dictionary
To be able to (can): Capability to do someting
There are several auxiliary verbs for expressing ability to do something. First of all there are 能 (néng) and 可以 (kěyǐ), both expressing a natural ability to do something.
- 我能给你词典 (wǒ néng gěi nǐ cídiǎn) - Literal: I can give you dictionary - I can give you the dictionary
- 我可以给你词典 (wǒ kěyǐ gěi nǐ cídiǎn) - Literal: I can give you dictionary - I can give you the dictionary
The negation of both 能, as well as 可以 is 不能 and NEVER 不可以*.
- 我不能给你词典 (wǒ bú néng gěi nǐ cídiǎn) - Literal: I not can give you dictionary - I can't give you the dictionary
能 and可以 are both often used expressing a quantity related to a natural ability to do something.
The verb 会 (hùi) is used to express an acquired ability to do something:
- 我会用词典 (wǒ huì yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I can use dictionary - I can use a dictionary, I know how to use a dictionary
- 我会说汉语 (wǒ huì shūo hànyǔ) - Literal: I can speak mandarin-chinese - I can speak Mandarin Chinese
- 我会汉语 (wǒ huì hànyǔ) | Literal: I can mandarin-chinese - I can speak Mandarin Chinese / I know Mandarin Chinese
能 and 可以 also have another usage, that of being permitted to do something, this same use is also implicit in the english verb "can".
- 我能给你词典 (wǒ néng gěi nǐ cídiǎn) - Literal: I can give you dictionary - I can give you the dictionary [as in: I have permission to give you the dictionary]
- 我可以给你词典 (wǒ kěyǐ gěi nǐ cídiǎn) - Literal: I can give you dictionary - I can give you the dictionary [as in: I have permission to give you the dictionary]
- 我能给你词典吗? (wǒ néng gěi nǐ cídiǎn ma?) - I can give you dictionary [QP]? - Can I give you the dictionary?
To have to (must): Obligations and forbidding
Expressing a strong obligation in Chinese is done with the verb 必得 (bìděi), 必须 (bìxū) or 必要 (bìyào):
- 我必得用词典 (wǒ bìděi yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I must use dictionary - I must use the dictionary
Note that in the above cases a strong obligation is meant, like the teacher ordered you to use a dictionary, and you will fail the assignment if you don't. A much weaker obligation, like the english "ought to" is also expressable in chinese, with the verb 应该 (yīnggāi) or 应当 (yīnggāi):
- 我应该用词典 (wǒ yīnggāi yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I ought use dictionary - I ought to use the dictionary / I must use the dictionary
When expressing the opposite of of an obligation to do something, i.e. no obligation to do it, then you should use 不必 (bú bì)
- 我不必用词典 (wǒ bú bì yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I not need use dictionary - I needn't use a dictionary / I do not need to use a dictionary [as in: There is not need at all to use the dictionary]
To put it a bit less strongly, but with a moralising emphasis, you can use 不应该 (bù yīnggāi)
- 我不应该用词典 (wǒ bù yīnggāi yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I not ought use dictionary - I mustn't use a dictionary / I can't use a dictionary / I ought not to use a dictionary
If you want to express the obligation not to do something 不能 (bú néng) is the most common way to express that.
- 我不能用词典 (wǒ bú néng yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I not can use dictionary - I cannot use a dictionary / I am not allowed to use a dictionary [as in: I am forbidden to use a dictionary]
We can take again more force out of it using 不用 (bù yòng) or 不须要 (bù xūyào)
- 我不须要用词典 (wǒ bù xū yào yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I not have-to use dictionary - I must not use a dictionary / I don't have to use a dictionary
Another neutral way of expressing this is:
- 我别用词典 (wǒ bié yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I must-not use dictionary - I must not use a dictionary / I don't have to use a dictionary
- 我不要用词典 (wǒ bú yào yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I not must use dictionary - I must not use a dictionary / I don't have to use a dictionary
to want: Desire to do something
A good way of expressing desire to do something at a specific moment is by using 想 (xiǎng):
- 我想用词典 (wǒ xiǎng yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I want use dictionary - I would like to use a dictionary / I want to use a dictionary
- 我不想用词典 (wǒ bù xiǎng yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I not want use dictionary - I wouldn't like to use a dictionary / I don't want to use a dictionary
A strong desire in general, can be expressed using 爱 (ài):
- 我爱用词典 (wǒ ài yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I love use dictionary - I love using dictionaries
- 我不爱用词典 (wǒ bù ài yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I not love use dictionary - I don't like using dictionaries
肯 (kěn) is used to express a wanting or being ready to do something, with less emphasis on desire:
- 我肯用词典j (wǒ kěn yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I willing-to use dictionary - I am willing to use a dictionary
- 我不肯用词典 (wǒ bù kěn yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I not willing-to use dictionary - I am not willing to use a dictionary
要 (yào) expresses also a strong desire (or refusal when negated) to do something, it is also used to express future tense, but more about that in a later chapter:
- 我要用词典 (wǒ yào yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I want use dictionary - I want to use a dictionary
- 我不要用词典 (wǒ bù yào yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I not want use dictionary - I don't want to use a dictionary
to dare: Daring to do something
Expressing having the courage to do something is done with the verb 敢 (gǎn):
- 我敢用词典 (wǒ gǎn yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I dare use dictionary - I dare to use a dictionary
- 我不敢用词典 (wǒ bù gǎn yòng cídiǎn) - Literal: I not dare use dictionary - I don't dare to use a dictionary
might: Possibility/Probability
The construction 会...的 (huì...de) is used to express a possibility or probability in the future.
- 我会用词典的 (wǒ huì yòng cídiǎn de) - I might use a dictionary
- 我不会用词典的 (wǒ bú huì yòng cídiǎn de) - I might not use a dictionary
