有 (yǒu) is the Mandarin verb for possession. It lets you state what belongs to you, ask others about their belongings, and say what you lack. The structure is straightforward: Subject + 有 + Object.
Place 有 (yǒu) right after the subject and before the object. The key sentence from this lesson is:
我有两个朋友 (wǒ yǒu liǎng gè péngyou) — "I have two friends."
You can turn it into a question by adding 吗 (ma): 你有钱吗？(nǐ yǒu qián ma?) — "Do you have money?"
One crucial rule: always negate 有 with 没有 (méi yǒu) — never 不有 (bù yǒu). This is one of the first exceptions learners meet in Mandarin grammar.
This HSK 1 speaking lesson, "What Do You Have?", targets a single grammar point. In about 10 minutes, you talk out loud with AI teacher Mei Lin in real time — voice, not typing. Mei Lin corrects your pronunciation and grammar in the flow of conversation and adapts to your level.
By the end, you'll be able to state what you possess, ask whether someone else possesses something, and say you don't — all using the Subject + 有 + Object pattern.
Your first lesson is free. When you're ready for more, browse the full set of HSK 1 lessons, or continue with "Whose Is This?" — a lesson on 的 (de) for possession and "Talking About Everyone," covering 都 (dōu). To reinforce your writing, try the free printable Chinese worksheet generator for handwriting practice.
有 (yǒu) means "to possess" in Mandarin. In this HSK 1 lesson, you focus on the possession use: placing 有 after a subject and before an object, as in 我有两个朋友 (wǒ yǒu liǎng gè péngyou) — "I have two friends." The structure is Subject + 有 + Object.
Always use 没有 (méi yǒu) to negate 有 — never 不有 (bù yǒu). This is a key exception in Mandarin grammar. In the "What Do You Have?" lesson, Mei Lin prompts you to practice both affirmative and negative forms in real conversation so the rule sticks naturally.
Yes. This live lesson is a voice conversation with AI teacher Mei Lin. You talk out loud in real time, and she corrects your grammar and pronunciation as you go. Each lesson targets one pattern — here, Expressing Possession (To Have) — and takes about 10 minutes.
After mastering possession with 有, you can move on to related HSK 1 patterns. Try 的 (de) for showing ownership in "Whose Is This?" or 都 (dōu) for talking about "all" or "both" in "Talking About Everyone." Both are live voice lessons with Mei Lin.