有 means “to have” or “to possess.” Since Chinese verbs never change form, the same 有 can be translated as “have,” “has,” or “had” depending on context. It also has one big quirk: it’s the one verb that refuses to be negated with 不.
一 Subject + 有 + Object
The simplest use of 有 — saying someone owns or has something.
Subject + 有 + Object
我以前有一隻一只狗
I had a dog before.
姊姊有iPhone手機姐姐有iPhone手机
My sister has an iPhone.
你有500塊錢嗎你有500块钱吗？
Do you have $500?
你有空嗎你有空吗？
Do you have time? (a casual way to ask)
一個星期星期有七天
One week has seven days.
你有病嗎你有病吗？
Are you sick? (also used to mean “are you crazy?”)
Chinese friends will sometimes ask “你有病嗎吗ma” or “你有事嗎吗ma” playfully when you do something a little crazy or unexpected — it’s not a real medical question, just a joking way of saying “are you serious right now?” So if a friend decides to learn Chinese, Japanese, and Korean all at once, don’t be surprised if someone teases them with 你有病嗎吗ma.
二 Place + 有 + Object
This pattern works like “there is” or “there are” in English.
Place + 有 + Object
我家有4個口人
There are 4 members in my family.
桌上有兩本書两本书
There are two books on the table.
你的學校有外國學生嗎你的学校有外国学生吗？
Are there foreign students at your school?
（廁所裡厕所里）有人嗎吗？
Is there anyone in the bathroom?
三 Negation
有 is the one verb that never uses 不. It’s always negated with 沒 instead.
Subject + 沒有 + Object
老師沒有男朋友老师没有男朋友
The teacher doesn’t have a boyfriend.
咖啡店沒有没有人
No one is in the cafe.
我沒有時間没有时间
I don’t have time.
Short Form
沒有 can be shortened to just 沒 without changing the meaning at all, in both speech and writing.
我沒錢没钱、沒没工作、沒男朋友没男朋友、沒未來没未来
I have no money, no job, no boyfriend, no future.
他沒没想法
He has no idea.
四 Common Mistakes
❌ 他不有中文書他不有中文书
✅ 他沒有中文書他没有中文书
有 is never negated with 不 — always use 沒 instead, no exceptions.
❌ 你有不有錢钱？
✅ 你有沒有錢钱？
Same rule applies to the verb-not-verb question form — it’s always 有沒有, never 有不有.
❌ 桌上是兩本書两本书
✅ 桌上有兩本書两本书
“There is/are” uses 有, not 是. 是 would only work for identifying exactly what something is, not for saying something exists somewhere.
五 Practice
Pick the word that correctly completes each sentence.
Question 1 of 10
老師老师____男朋友男朋友。 (The teacher doesn’t have a boyfriend.)
有 is always negated with 沒, so the full form here is 沒有.
你____500塊块錢钱嗎吗？ (Do you have $500?)
Asking if you possess something uses 有.
桌上____兩本書两本书。 (There are two books on the table.)
“There is/are” uses 有, not 是.
你____錢钱？ (Do you have money or not?)
The verb-not-verb form of 有 is always 有沒有.
我____時間时间。 (I don’t have time.)
“I don’t have time” negates 有 with 沒, giving 沒有.
他____想法。 (He has no idea — short form)
沒有 can shrink down to just 沒 — same meaning, shorter form.
你的學校你的学校____外國學生嗎外国学生吗？ (Are there foreign students at your school?)
“Are there…” at a place uses 有.
他____中文書书。 (He doesn’t have Chinese books.)
Again, 有 needs 沒 to be negated, never 不.
咖啡店____人。 (No one is in the cafe.)
Nobody being there is a negated existential sentence — 沒有.
一個星期星期____七天。 (One week has seven days.)
“Has seven days” is expressed with 有, just like any other possession.
