有 (yǒu): How to Say “Have” in Chinese
In Chinese, the verb for “to have” is 有 (yǒu). The good news for English speakers: it never changes form. I have, she has, and they have are all just 有 — no has, no had, no conjugation at all. When you don’t have something, you negate it with 没(有) méi(yǒu) — never with 不 (bù). Master those two facts and you can talk about almost anything you own — and much of what exists around you.
有 (yǒu) means “to have” or “there is/are.” Pattern for possession: Subject + 有 + noun (我有书 Wǒ yǒu shū — I have a book). Pattern for existence: Place + 有 + noun (桌子上有书 Zhuōzi shang yǒu shū — There is a book on the table). The verb never conjugates. Negation is always 没(有) méi(yǒu) — never 不. Questions use 吗 (ma) or the 有没有 (yǒu méiyǒu) “have-not-have” form.
- Character
- 有
- Pinyin
- yǒu (third tone)
- Meaning
- to have / to possess; also “there is / there are”
- Level
- Beginner — HSK 1
- Pattern
- Subject + 有 + noun | Place + 有 + noun
- Negation
- 没(有) méi(yǒu) — not 不
- Question
- …吗 (ma) or 有没有 (yǒu méiyǒu)
What is the basic pattern for 有?
To say someone has something, name the owner, add 有, then name the thing. The verb sits in the same place an English verb would — and looks identical no matter who the subject is.
Māma yǒu yì zhī māo.
Mom has a cat.
Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè jiějie.
I have two older sisters.
Tā yǒu yí liàng chē.
He has a car.
有 never conjugates. Whether the subject is 我 (wǒ), 你 (nǐ), 他 (tā), or 妈妈 (māma), the verb stays exactly 有. Pets, family, money, time, a phone — if English uses “have,” Chinese uses 有.
When in doubt, ask: “Am I saying someone possesses something?” Yes → 有. No → you probably need 是 (shì) or 在 (zài) instead.
How do you say “don’t have” in Chinese?
To make 有 negative, swap it for 没(有) méi(yǒu). Nothing else in the sentence changes.
Wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān.
I don’t have time.
Here is the single most important rule for this word: 有 is the one common verb in Chinese that is never negated with 不 (bù). Every other beginner verb takes 不 in the present; 有 takes 没. Treat 没有 as one locked unit. For the full negation system, see our guide on the difference between 没 and 不.
In everyday speech, native speakers often drop the 有 and just say 没:
Wǒ méi qián. ＝ Wǒ méiyǒu qián.
I don’t have (any) money.
Both are correct and natural. At the beginner stage, 没有 is always the safe choice in writing.
The three forms of a 有 sentence
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subject + 有 + Noun | 我有时间 Wǒ yǒu shíjiān — I have time. |
| Negative | Subject + 没(有) + Noun | 我没有时间 Wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān — I don’t have time. |
| Question | Subject + 有 + Noun + 吗？ | 你有时间吗？ Nǐ yǒu shíjiān ma? — Do you have time? |
Two rules. That’s the whole system: 有 never conjugates, and its only negative is 没(有).
How do you ask “do you have…?”
There are two everyday ways to turn a 有 statement into a yes/no question.
1. Add 吗 (ma) to the end
Nǐ yǒu xiōngdì jiěmèi ma?
Do you have any siblings?
2. Use the “have-not-have” form: 有没有
Chinese loves an A-not-A question, and 有没有 (yǒu méiyǒu) — literally have-not-have — is one of the most natural ways to ask. It means the same thing as the 吗 version. Do not add 吗 when you use 有没有.
Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu xiōngdì jiěmèi?
Do you have any siblings?
What’s the difference between 有, 是, and 在?
Because English leans on “to be” for so many things, beginners often reach for the wrong Chinese verb. These three each do one job:
| Verb | Job | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 有 yǒu | have / possess; there is (new info) | Subj. + 有 + Obj. | Place + 有 + Obj. | 我有一只狗 Wǒ yǒu yì zhī gǒu — I have a dog. |
| 是 shì | be (identity — X is Y) | Subj. + 是 + Noun | 我是学生 Wǒ shì xuésheng — I am a student. |
| 在 zài | be located / be at (known thing) | Subj. + 在 + Place | 我在家 Wǒ zài jiā — I’m at home. |
Quick test: Can you replace the verb with “possess” or “there exists”? → 有. Does it define what something is? → 是. Does it say where a known thing is? → 在.
Deep dive on 是: how to use 是 (shì) in Chinese. For sentence order with location phrases, see Chinese sentence structure.
How does 有 mean “there is” or “there are”?
Besides possession, 有 expresses existence — the Chinese equivalent of “there is” or “there are.” The pattern flips: the place becomes the subject, and 有 introduces something new or indefinite at that location.
Structure: Place + 有 + Object
Zhuōzi shang yǒu yì běn shū.
There is a book on the table.
Fángjiān lǐ yǒu rén ma?
Is there anyone in the room?
Rìběn yǒu hěn duō Zhōngguó rén.
There are many Chinese people in Japan.
Chāoshì pángbiān méiyǒu xuéxiào.
There is no school next to the supermarket.
Think of it literally: the place “has” the thing. That is why negation still uses 没(有), even for existence sentences.
有 vs 在 for location: Use 有 to introduce something new or unknown (桌子上有一本书 — “a book,” indefinite). Use 在 to locate something already known (那本书在桌子上 — “that book,” definite). This distinction matters once you move beyond HSK 1 — but the pattern Place + 有 + Object is essential from day one.
How do Chinese speakers use 有 for traits and experiences?
有 also frames abstract qualities the way English uses “be” — but Chinese treats the trait as something you possess rather than something you are.
Tā hěn yǒu nàixīn.
She has a lot of patience. / She is very patient.
Zhège jìhuà yǒu fēngxiǎn.
This plan has risks. / This plan is risky.
Tā hěn yǒu jīngyàn.
He has a lot of experience. / He is very experienced.
This mindset — framing traits as possessions — is key to thinking in Chinese. You are not saying she “is patience”; you are saying she “has” patience as a quality.
Exception — age: Chinese does not use 有 for stating your age. Say 我二十五岁 (Wǒ èrshíwǔ suì), not *我有二十五岁 — even though Spanish and French use “have” for age. See mistake #3 below.
Common mistakes with 有
These are the three errors our beginner students make most often. Knowing them in advance saves months of self-correction.
1. Using 不 to negate 有
有 has its own dedicated negator. It simply does not accept 不. Every time you negate 有, its opposite is 没(有).
2. Adding 了 to mean “used to have”
有 doesn’t change for past time. Add a time word like 以前 (yǐqián, “before / in the past”) and leave 有 alone. The time word does the work.
3. Using 有 for your age
If your first language is Spanish, French, or Portuguese, “to have years” feels right — but Chinese uses number + 岁 (suì) with no verb: 我二十五岁 or 我今年二十五岁 (jīnnián, “this year”).
When will you actually use 有?
有 is one of the most-used words in the whole language. Here are five moments you will hit almost immediately:
| Situation | What you say | Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting someone new | 你有兄弟姐妹吗？ Nǐ yǒu xiōngdì jiěmèi ma? Do you have siblings? |
Possession |
| Shopping | 你们有大号吗？ Nǐmen yǒu dà hào ma? Do you have it in large? |
Possession |
| Making plans | 你周末有空吗？ Nǐ zhōumò yǒu kòng ma? Are you free this weekend? (有空 = have free time) |
Possession |
| Describing your home | 我有一只狗。 Wǒ yǒu yì zhī gǒu. I have a dog. |
Possession |
| At a restaurant | 有没有不辣的菜？ Yǒu méiyǒu bú là de cài? Are there any non-spicy dishes? |
Existence |
Why is 有没有 so common in conversation?
You will hear 有没有 constantly — and it can feel strikingly direct to a new learner. 你有没有男朋友？ Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu nán péngyou? (“Do you have a boyfriend?”) or 你有没有孩子？ Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu háizi? (“Do you have kids?”) may land sooner in a conversation than you would expect in English.
In Chinese this kind of question usually signals friendly interest rather than prying. Asking about your life — relationships, work, family — is often how Chinese speakers show they care. The easy, natural move is to answer briefly and ask something back. 有 is your way in.
When receiving a compliment, you may also hear 没有没有 méiyǒu méiyǒu — literally “don’t have, don’t have” — waved off with a hand. It means “not at all!” or “you’re too kind.” Learning how to say no gracefully matters almost as much as the grammar itself.
Key takeaways
- 有 (yǒu) means “to have” and “there is/are” — two jobs, one verb, zero conjugation.
- Possession: Subject + 有 + Noun. Existence: Place + 有 + Noun.
- Negation is always 没(有) — never 不. Link: 不 vs 没 guide.
- Questions: add 吗 or use 有没有 — not both together.
- 有 ≠ 是 ≠ 在: possess/exist → 有; identity → 是; location of known thing → 在.
Frequently asked questions
Does 有 change for he, she, or they?
No. 有 never conjugates. 我有 (I have), 她有 (she has), and 他们有 (they have) all use the identical verb 有. Chinese verbs don’t change for person, number, or tense.
How do you say “don’t have” in Chinese?
Use 没(有) méi(yǒu). For example, 我没有时间 (Wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān) means “I don’t have time.” In casual speech you can drop the 有 and just say 没时间 (méi shíjiān).
Can you say 不有 (bù yǒu)?
No — 不有 is ungrammatical. 有 is the one common Chinese verb that is never negated with 不. Its only negative is 没(有).
What’s the difference between 有 and 是?
有 (yǒu) means “to have / to possess” or introduces existence: 我有一只猫 (I have a cat). 是 (shì) means “to be” and defines identity: 我是老师 (I am a teacher). They are not interchangeable.
Does 有 also mean “there is” or “there are”?
Yes. Use Place + 有 + Object: 桌子上有一本书 (Zhuōzi shang yǒu yì běn shū) means “There is a book on the table.” For a definite, already-known object, use 在 instead: 那本书在桌子上 (Nà běn shū zài zhuōzi shang).
What is the difference between 有 and 在 for location?
有 introduces new, indefinite information (“there is a book somewhere on the table”). 在 locates a specific, known thing (“that book is on the table”). 有 = existence; 在 = position of something identified.
Should I use 吗 or 有没有 to ask questions?
Both are correct and mean the same thing. 你有时间吗？ and 你有没有时间？ both ask “Do you have time?” Use 有没有 in casual speech; use 吗 in writing or formal contexts. Never combine them (*有没有…吗).
Is 有 tested on the HSK exam?
Yes — 有 is core HSK 1 grammar, tested in fill-in-the-blank, sentence correction, and listening tasks. Expect questions on negation with 没, the 有没有 question form, and distinguishing 有 from 是. See our HSK levels guide and 2026 HSK test dates.
Test yourself
Q1. 她 ___ 两个哥哥。 (She has two older brothers.)
A) 是 shì B) 有 yǒu C) 没有 méiyǒu D) 不有 bù yǒu
Answer: B — 有 yǒu. Possession sentence: 她有两个哥哥 (Tā yǒu liǎng gè gēge).
Q2. 我 ___ 时间。 (I don’t have time.)
A) 不有 bù yǒu B) 不 bù C) 没有 méiyǒu D) 有了 yǒu le
Answer: C — 没有 méiyǒu. 有 is negated by 没(有), never by 不: 我没有时间 (Wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān).
Q3. ___ 有一本书。 (There is a book on the table.)
A) 书是桌子 B) 桌子上 C) 在桌子 D) 桌子是
Answer: B — 桌子上有一本书 (Zhuōzi shang yǒu yì běn shū). Place + 有 + Object for existence.
Keep going
有 is one of three “state” verbs every beginner needs. Once it feels automatic, line it up next to its neighbours:
- Before this: 是 (shì) — your first linking verb
- You’re here: 有 (yǒu) — possession and existence
- Next up: 在 (zài) and location sentences
- Related: 不 (bù) vs 没 (méi) · All about Chinese grammar
Drill 有 into muscle memory
Reading the rule is step one. In a free 25-minute trial class, a GoEast teacher gets you using 有 and 没有 out loud — and corrects you in real time.
