Amoy (linguistics)/Negative particles/simplified
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[edit] 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.
