HSK 2 grammar · new HSK syllabus
别 and 不要: don’t
别 or 不要 + verb tells someone not to do something: 别说话. 别…了 = stop doing.
Structure
- 别 / 不要 + verb
- 别 + verb + 了
How it works
别 and 不要 before a verb make a negative command: 别走 don’t go, 不要说话 don’t talk.
别 is a little softer and very common in speech.
With 了 at the end, it asks someone to stop doing something they are already doing: 别哭了 stop crying.
Examples
-
别着急，我们还有时间。
Bié zháojí, wǒmen hái yǒu shíjiān.
Don’t worry, we still have time.
-
上课的时候不要玩手机。
Shàngkè de shíhou búyào wán shǒujī.
Don’t use your phone in class.
-
你别走，我还有话要说。
Nǐ bié zǒu, wǒ hái yǒu huà yào shuō.
Don’t go, I have something else to say.
-
别看电视了，快睡觉吧。
Bié kàn diànshì le, kuài shuìjiào ba.
Stop watching TV and go to bed.
-
你身体不好，别喝太多咖啡。
Nǐ shēntǐ bù hǎo, bié hē tài duō kāfēi.
You’re not well; don’t drink too much coffee.
Words in these examples (30)
| 别 | bié | don't | HSK 2 |
| 着急 | zháojí | worried; anxious | HSK 3 |
| 我们 | wǒmen | we; us | HSK 1 |
| 还 | hái | still; also | HSK 1 |
| 有 | yǒu | to have; there is | HSK 1 |
| 时间 | shíjiān | time | HSK 1 |
| 上课 | shàngkè | to have class; to start class | HSK 1 |
| 的 | de | (particle linking a describer to a noun, like "'s") | HSK 1 |
| 时候 | shíhou | time; when (as in …的时候) | HSK 1 |
| 不要 | búyào | don't | HSK 1 |
| 玩 | wán | to play; to have fun | HSK 1 |
| 手机 | shǒujī | mobile phone | HSK 1 |
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 走 | zǒu | to walk; to leave | HSK 2 |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | HSK 1 |
| 要 | yào | to want; will; should | HSK 1 |
| 说 | shuō | to say; to speak | HSK 1 |
| 看 | kàn | to look; to watch; to read | HSK 1 |
| 电视 | diànshì | television; TV | HSK 1 |
| 了 | le | (particle marking a completed action or a change) | HSK 1 |
| 快 | kuài | fast; quick; soon | HSK 2 |
| 睡觉 | shuìjiào | to sleep; to go to bed | HSK 1 |
| 吧 | ba | (particle for suggestions: "let's…", "…, OK?") | HSK 1 |
| 身体 | shēntǐ | body; health | HSK 2 |
| 不 | bù | not; no | HSK 1 |
| 好 | hǎo | good; well | HSK 1 |
| 喝 | hē | to drink | HSK 1 |
| 太 | tài | too; extremely | HSK 1 |
| 多 | duō | many; much; (in questions) how | HSK 1 |
| 咖啡 | kāfēi | coffee | HSK 2 |
Common mistakes
-
✗你不说话！
✓你别说话！
A command takes 别 or 不要, not 不.
-
✗别哭。（to someone already crying）
✓别哭了。
Add 了 to ask someone to stop.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 外面很冷，你 出去了。
2. 在这儿吃东西。
3. 别说 ，我们开始上课。