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Negation & Questions

Negation with 不/没
他们都不来。
None of them are coming.
Tāmen dōu bù lái.
Negation scoping over 都 = none
他们不都来。vs 他们都不来。
Not all coming vs None coming.
bù dōu vs dōu bù
Scope shift changes meaning entirely
他还没来呢。
He still hasn't come yet.
Tā hái méi lái ne.
还没…呢 = still not yet
难道你真的不知道吗?
Surely you don't really not know?
Nándào nǐ zhēn bù zhīdào ma?
Rhetorical question with 难道
我不知道他是否来。
I don't know whether he's coming.
Wǒ bù zhīdào tā shìfǒu lái.
Indirect question with 是否 (shìfǒu)
他并不累。
He's actually not tired.
Tā bìng bù lèi.
Negation 并不 = contrary to expectation
我没去 vs 我不去
I didn't go vs I won't go
méi qù vs bù qù
没 = past non-occurrence; 不 = future refusal
别说了!
Stop talking!
Bié shuō le!
Negative imperative 别…了 = stop doing
你到底要什么?
What do you want
exactly?
Nǐ dàodǐ yào shénme?
他竟然通过了!
He surprisingly passed!
Tā jìngrán tōngguò le!
Adverb 竟然 (jìngrán) = surprisingly