How to Say 'Not Yet' in Mandarin Chinese: Master 还没 and 还不
Learn to express 'not yet' in Mandarin with 还没 and 还不. Understand when to use each, with clear examples and practice for everyday conversations.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In Mandarin Chinese, saying 'not yet' requires choosing between two common patterns: 还没 (hái méi) and 还不 (hái bù). Both express that something hasn't happened or isn't the case, but they differ in aspect and usage. This lesson will teach you how to use them correctly, so you can talk about unfinished actions and ongoing states. You'll learn five key phrases, see them in a dialogue, and practice with questions. By the end, you'll be able to say things like 'I haven't eaten yet' and 'I still don't know' with confidence.
By the end, you can…
- use 还没 to say that an action has not yet been completed.
- use 还不 to express that a state or condition still isn't the case.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
我还没吃饭。
I haven't eaten yet.
wǒ hái méi chī fàn
Use 还没 before a verb to indicate an action hasn't happened yet. Here, 吃饭 (eat a meal) is the action.
他还没来。
He hasn't come yet.
tā hái méi lái
Another example with 还没 + verb. 来 (come) is the action that hasn't occurred.
我还不知道。
I still don't know.
wǒ hái bù zhī dào
Use 还不 before a verb like 知道 (know) to express a state that hasn't been achieved. It implies 'still not'.
她还不确定。
She's still not sure.
tā hái bù què dìng
还不 + 确定 (be sure) shows an ongoing state of uncertainty. It's not about an action, but a condition.
我们还没决定。
We haven't decided yet.
wǒ men hái méi jué dìng
还没 + 决定 (decide) indicates the decision hasn't been made. It's a completed action that hasn't happened.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Use 还没 + verb for an event that has not happened yet: 我还没吃饭 (I have not eaten yet). Use 还不 with many continuing states: 我还不知道 (I still do not know) and 我还不确定 (I am still not sure). This is a useful starting pattern, rather than a rule that every verb belongs to only one group. With a not-yet event such as 我还没吃饭, do not add the completed-action 了. Sentence-final 了 has other functions, so this is not a ban on every sentence containing both negation and 了.
When to use it
Use 还没 when you expect an action to happen but it hasn't yet. It often answers questions like 你吃饭了吗？(Have you eaten?) with 还没呢 (Not yet). Use 还不 when describing a state that hasn't changed, like 还不确定 (still not sure) or 还不认识 (still don't know [someone]). 还不 can sometimes sound like 'still not' with a hint of expectation that it might change. For example, 他还不来 (He still isn't coming) implies you're waiting. Both patterns are common in daily conversation.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
你吃饭了吗？
Have you eaten?nǐ chī fàn le ma还没呢。你呢？
Not yet. And you?hái méi ne. nǐ ne我也还没吃。我们一起去吃吧。
I haven't eaten yet either. Let's go eat together.wǒ yě hái méi chī. wǒ men yì qǐ qù chī ba好，但我还不确定想吃什么。
Okay, but I'm still not sure what I want to eat.hǎo, dàn wǒ hái bù què dìng xiǎng chī shén meA little context goes a long way
In Mandarin, 还没 and 还不 are neutral and widely used. When answering a question with 还没, it's common to add 呢 (ne) for a softer tone, as in 还没呢. This sounds more natural than a bare 还没. Also, 还不 can sometimes imply impatience or expectation, so context matters. For instance, 他还不来 could mean 'He still hasn't come' with a sense of waiting. Pay attention to tone and context to avoid sounding abrupt.
One thing to watch for
Adding completed-action 了 to the not-yet example 我还没吃饭.
Try this instead: For I have not eaten yet, say 我还没吃饭. Completed-action 了 does not fit this intended meaning. Sentence-final 了 can express other changes of situation; learn those separately rather than treating every 了 as a completion marker.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'She hasn't arrived yet' in Chinese?
Show a sample answer
她还没来。
Use 还没 + 来 (come) because arriving is an action that hasn't happened yet. 她还没来 is the natural way to say it.
2Translate: 'I still don't understand.'
Show a sample answer
我还不明白。
Use 还不 + 明白 (understand) because understanding is a state. 我还不明白 means 'I still don't understand.' Alternatively, 我还不懂 is also correct.
3Fill in the blank: 他们 ___ 决定。(They haven't decided yet.)
Show a sample answer
还没
For have not decided yet, use 还没: 他们还没决定. 还不决定 can instead express still not deciding, often with impatience or a sense of unwillingness. The choice changes the meaning; it is not simply determined by whether 决定 is a state.
Use 还没 for events that have not happened yet, and 还不 in expressions such as 还不确定 and 还不知道 for continuing uncertainty. Omit completed-action 了 in the not-yet examples here; sentence-final 了 has other uses.
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