冇+V
Negated Perfective
To say you "didn't" do something in Cantonese, place 冇 (mou5) directly before the verb. Crucially, when you add 冇, you must drop the perfective particle 咗 (zo2).
How It Works
1. Structure and Usage
The pattern 冇 + Verb negates the completion or realization of an action in the past.
• Positive: 佢食咗飯。 (keoi5 sik6 zo2 faan6) = He ate.
• Negative: 佢冇食飯。 (keoi5 mou5 sik6 faan6) = He didn't eat.
2. The "Drop 咗" Rule
A very common learner error is keeping 咗 (zo2) when negating with 冇 (mou5). Because 冇 inherently marks negative past aspect, adding 咗 creates redundant aspect marking. Saying *冇食咗 is strictly ungrammatical.
3. Distinguishing 冇 (mou5) vs. 唔 (m4)
• Use 冇 for past action non-occurrence: 我尋日冇去 (ngo5 cam4 jat6 mou5 heoi3, I didn't go yesterday).
• Use 唔 for present habits, future intentions, or for negating stative, modal, and copular verbs, even in past contexts (e.g., 我尋日唔舒服 ngo5 cam4 jat6 m4 syu1 fuk6 = I wasn't feeling well yesterday). To express explicit refusal, use verbs like 唔肯 (m4 hang2) or 唔想 (m4 soeng2).
4. Combining with Other Particles
Although 冇 cannot co-occur with 咗, it can easily combine with experiential 過 (gwo3, "have never") or resultative particles like 到 (dou2, "manage to").
Examples (4)
- 我冇食飯。
I didn't eat.
Word by Word: I didn't eat rice.
Notice that the positive particle 咗 (zo2) is omitted after 食 (sik6).
- 佢尋日冇去睇戲。
He didn't go to watch a movie yesterday.
Word by Word: He yesterday didn't go watch movie.
尋日 (cam4 jat6, yesterday) provides the past time context, negated by 冇 (mou5).
- 我哋冇買到飛。
We didn't manage to buy tickets.
Word by Word: We didn't buy-attain tickets.
冇 (mou5) combines with resultative 到 (dou2) to express failure to complete an outcome.
- 佢冇聽我講。
She didn't listen to what I said.
Word by Word: She didn't listen me speak.
A straightforward past negation using 冇 (mou5) before the verb 聽 (teng1, listen).
Common Mistakes
Keeping the perfective marker 咗 (zo2) when negating with 冇 (mou5).
我冇食咗飯。我冇食飯。冇 (mou5) already incorporates completed aspect negation. Combining it with 咗 (zo2) is ungrammatical.
Using 冇 (mou5) to negate cognitive or modal verbs like 識 (sik1, know how to).
佢冇識講廣東話。佢唔識講廣東話。Modal and stative verbs expressing knowledge or ability take 唔 (m4) for negation, not 冇 (mou5).
Using 唔 (m4) when you mean 'did not' go.
Different Meaning我尋日唔去學校。我尋日冇去學校。我尋日唔去學校 is a fine sentence, but it says you chose not to go or were not going (a plan or refusal). To say you did not go, a plain past fact, use 冇 (mou5): 我尋日冇去學校. 唔 (m4) is also used for habits, future plans and willingness.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To negate a completed action in Cantonese, you need to understand the relationship between the perfective aspect marker '咗' and its negative form '冇'. This requires a basic understanding of how Cantonese handles verb aspects.
Related Patterns
- 唔/冇/未Choosing the Right Negator
Overview contrasting the three key Cantonese negators: habit/will (唔), past non-occurrence (冇), and not yet (未).
Level 2 - 未+VNot Yet
Negates an action with the expectation that it will happen later ("not yet"), whereas 冇 simply asserts non-occurrence.
Level 1 - 有冇 + VDid You …? (Past Question)
The past question form asking whether an action took place ("Did you...?").
Level 2 - 冇/未+V+過Negated Experiential
Combines 冇 with 過 (gwo3) to negate experiential aspect ("have never done").
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice 冇+V in Bubblegum
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