en
cs
da
de
it
plCommon errors
1. Incorrect position
1.1 Learners might place the adjective denoting the feature compared before 有 and 没有/沒有.
*弟弟高有哥哥吗?
弟弟有哥哥高吗?
*弟弟高有哥哥嗎?
弟弟有哥哥高嗎?
*弟弟没高有哥哥。
*弟弟高没有哥哥。
弟弟没有哥哥高。
*弟弟沒高有哥哥。
*弟弟高沒有哥哥。
弟弟沒有哥哥高。
1.2 Learners might place the negation adverb in the wrong position.
*弟弟有哥哥没高。
*弟弟没有哥哥没高。
弟弟没有哥哥高。
*弟弟有哥哥沒高。
*弟弟沒有哥哥沒高。
弟弟沒有哥哥高。
2. Using the affirmative-negative structure to form a yes-no question
Learners might use the affirmative-negative structure to form a yes-no question with 没有/沒有.
弟弟有没有哥哥高?
弟弟有沒有哥哥高?
However, this structure is rarely used, since a comparison with 没有/沒有 is already negative. Instead a yes-no question is formed by placing the question particle 吗/嗎 at the end of the sentence.
弟弟没有哥哥高吗?
弟弟沒有哥哥高嗎?
3. Using an adverb of degree
Learners might use an adverb of degree such as 很, 非常, or 太. None of the comparison patterns with yǒu 有 can be used with these.
*弟弟很有哥哥高吗?
*弟弟有哥哥很高吗?
*弟弟非常没有哥哥高。
*弟弟没有哥哥非常高。
*弟弟很有哥哥高嗎?
*弟弟有哥哥很高嗎?
*弟弟非常沒有哥哥高。
*弟弟沒有哥哥非常高。
In both patterns the comparison can be emphasised with one of the demonstrative pronouns, 这么/這麼 or 那么/那麼, functioning as a degree adverbial. In the affirmative pattern with 有, a sentence 这么/這麼 or 那么/那麼 is more common than one without.
弟弟有哥哥这么高吗?
弟弟没有哥哥那么高。
弟弟有哥哥這麼高嗎?
弟弟沒有哥哥那麼高。
4. Confusing different patterns of comparison
Learners might use different patterns of comparison in the same sentence.
*弟弟比哥哥有高。
*弟弟比哥哥没有高。
弟弟有哥哥高。
*弟弟比哥哥有高。
*弟弟比哥哥沒有高。
弟弟有哥哥高。
*弟弟有哥哥一样高。
*弟弟没有哥哥一样高。
弟弟没有哥哥高。
*弟弟有哥哥一樣高。
*弟弟沒有哥哥一樣高。
弟弟沒有哥哥高
5. Confusing the comparison patterns with 有 as a main verb
Learners might interpret 有 and 没有/沒有 either in the possessive meaning ‘to have’ and ‘not to have’ or the existential ‘there is’ and ‘there is not’. In the comparative patterns 有 functions as a comparative marker indicating that A is equal to or perhaps stronger than B in the feature compared. 没有/沒有 functions similarly to the English phrase ‘not as… as’, indicating that the first item or person being compared does not possess the feature compared to the same extent as the second.
弟弟有哥哥那么高。
弟弟有哥哥那麼高。
弟弟没有哥哥高。
弟弟沒有哥哥高。
6. Overuse of the affirmative pattern without 这么/這麼 or 那么/那麼
This pattern is more typical of regional dialects, especially Northern ones, than Modern Standard Chinese (普通话/普通話). It is typical of spoken and informal contexts and mainly used in questions. When 有 is used in comparative sentences, it is rarely completely neutral and often carries a rhetorical, skeptical, or confrontational tone and appears mostly in rhetorical or situations where the speaker wants to challenge a claim or emphasise a contrast However, learners might use the pattern to make neutral and purely descriptive comparisons.
弟弟有哥哥高。
弟弟跟哥哥一样高。
弟弟有哥哥高。
弟弟跟哥哥一樣高。
弟弟有哥哥高。
弟弟比哥哥高。
弟弟有哥哥高。
弟弟比哥哥高。
弟弟有哥哥高嗎?
弟弟有哥哥高。
弟弟比哥哥高。
Learning tip
Use the pattern as outset for a discussion of Modern Standard Chinese versus regional dialects.
7. Confusing 不比 and 没有/沒有
Learners might find it confusing that a comparative sentence with 比 is often negated by 没有/沒有. They keep ‘比’ in a negated comparison with 没有/沒有.
弟弟有哥哥高。
弟弟比哥哥高。
*弟弟沒有比哥哥高。
弟弟沒有哥哥高。
Learners might also fail to realise, that the two patterns have slightly different connotations. 没有/沒有 implies that A is inferior to B in the comparison, while 不比 that A is the same or less than B in the comparison.
弟弟不比哥哥高。
弟弟不比哥哥高。
弟弟没有哥哥高。
弟弟沒有哥哥高。
Learners might also fail to realise that 不比 carries a tone of refutation.
弟弟不比哥哥高。
弟弟不比哥哥高。