7.6: Lesson 6 Grammar - Negative commands with 别 (bié)
- Page ID
- 66619
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Instead of saying "do not" with 不要 (bùyào), we can say "don't" a little more quickly and forcefully by using 别 (bié).
Structure
Besides using 不要 (bùyào), negative commands can also be formed with 别 (bié). You could think of 别 (bié) as a contraction of 不要 (bùyào), as the structure is the same for both:
别 + Verb (+ Obj.)
Examples
- 别走。
Bié zǒu.
Don't leave.
- 别说话！
Bié shuōhuà!
Don't speak!
- 别笑！
Bié xiào!
Don't laugh!
- 别动！
Bié dòng!
Don't move!
- 别过来！
Bié guòlái!
Don't come over here!
- 别打孩子！
Bié dǎ háizi!
Don't hit the child!
- 别喝太多。
Bié hē tài duō.
Don't drink too much.
- 喝酒以后别开车。
Hējiǔ yǐhòu bié kāichē.
After drinking alcohol, don't drive.
- 吃饭的时候别玩手机。
Chīfàn de shíhou bié wán shǒujī.
When eating, don't play with your cell phone.
- 上课的时候别说英文。
Shàngkè de shíhou bié shuō Yīngwén.
Don't speak English in class.
[adapted from AllSet Learning Chinese Grammar Wiki, Creative Commons License BY-NC-SA 3.0]
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