Amoy dialect/Negative particles/simplified

= Negative particles =

Negative particle syntax is parallel to Standard Mandarin about 70% of the time. Here is a fairly complete description (parallel usage to Mandarin is bolded):

# 不 - is not + noun (Mandarin: 不)
#: 伊不是阮老母 "She is not my mother."
# 不 - does not + verb/will not + verb (Mandarin: 不)
#: 伊不来 "He does not come."/"He will not come."
# verb + 未 + particle - is not able to (Mandarin: 不)
#: 我看未着 "I am not able to see it."
# 未 + helping verb - can not (opposite of ē "is able to"/Mandarin: 不)
#: 伊未晓讲英语 "He can't speak English."
#* helping verbs that go with 未
#*:未使 - is not permitted to (Mandarin: 不可以)
#*:未晓 - does not know how to (Mandarin: 不会)
#*:未当 - not able to (Mandarin: 不能)
# 莫 - do not (imperative) (Mandarin: 别)
#: 莫讲! "Don't speak!"
# 无 - do not + helping verb (Mandarin: 不)
#: 伊无侎来 "He is not going to come."
#* helping verbs that go with 无:
#*:侎 - want to + verb; will + verb
#*:爱 - must + verb
#*:应该 - should + verb
#*:合意 - like to + verb
# 无 - does not have (Mandarin: 没有)
#: 伊无钱 "He does not have any money."
# 无 - did not (Mandarin: 没有)
#: 伊无来 "He did not come."
# 无 - is not + adjective (Mandarin: 不)
#: 伊无婎 "She is not beautiful."
#*An exception can be made for 好 (good), 不好 = 无好 - "not good".
*back to main article
*view negative particles in traditional Chinese script