<p>Let's begin with 什么都 meaning &quot;everything&quot;; see <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22everything%22_with_%22shenme_dou%22" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Expressing &quot;everything&quot; with &quot;shenme dou&quot;</a> at the Chinese Grammar Wiki.  We can add a verb or an adjective afterwards:</p>
<h3>什么都 + adjective</h3>
<blockquote>
<p>什么都<a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E7%BE%8E%E4%B8%BD" rel="nofollow noreferrer">美丽</a> (everything is beautiful)<br />
什么都<a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E8%BE%A3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">辣</a> (everything is spicy)<br />
什么都<a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E7%AE%80%E5%8D%95" rel="nofollow noreferrer">简单</a> (everything is simple)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>which we negate with 不:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>什么都不美丽 (everything is <em>not</em> beautiful)<br />
什么都不辣 (everything is <em>not</em> spicy)<br />
什么都不简单 (everything is <em>not</em> simple)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This is the easy case.  See also the &quot;Negating Adjectives&quot; section of <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Standard_negation_with_%22bu%22" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Standard negation with &quot;bu&quot;</a>.</p>
<h3>什么都 + verb</h3>
<blockquote>
<p>什么都<a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E6%9C%89" rel="nofollow noreferrer">有</a> (to have everything)<br />
什么都<a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E5%90%83" rel="nofollow noreferrer">吃</a> (to eat everything)<br />
什么都<a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E4%B9%B0" rel="nofollow noreferrer">买</a> (to buy everything)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>which we negate with 不 or 没 or 没有, which is where it gets tricky.</p>
<p>At this point, it's no longer about 什么都, but only about 没 vs. 不.  The most prominent Chinese.SE post about this is <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/q/247/8099">Why is 有 (yǒu) the only verb that requires 没 while other verbs can use 不?</a>.  See also the Chinese Grammar Wiki's article <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comparing_%22bu%22_and_%22mei%22" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Comparing &quot;bu&quot; and &quot;mei&quot;</a>.</p>
<p>The following is a common construction; how it's usually taught.  Given <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/35666/difference-between-%E4%BB%80%E4%B9%88%E9%83%BD%E4%B8%8D-and-%E4%BB%80%E4%B9%88%E9%83%BD%E6%B2%A1/35679?noredirect=1#comment52981_35679">tsh's comment</a> below, it looks like there are other constructions beyond this (which I'm unable to comment on).</p>
<h3>什么都不 + verb vs. 什么都没 + verb</h3>
<p>Indeed &quot;没 + verb&quot; often indicates a past non-event. From <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Negation_of_past_actions_with_%22meiyou%22" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Negation of past actions with &quot;meiyou&quot;</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Usually verbs can be negated with 不 (bù), but that construction is used for habitual or present actions. <strong>If the verb is about an action in the past, though, 没有 (méiyǒu) should be used.</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>So for example:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>什么都没吃 = 什么都没有吃 (to <em>not</em> eat anything [in the past])<br />
什么都不吃 (to <em>not</em> eat anything [present or future])</p>
<p>什么都没买 = 什么都没有买 (to <em>not</em> buy anything [in the past])<br />
什么都不买 (to <em>not</em> buy anything [present or future])</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Note that 没有 is an exception here, e.g. 明天什么都没有 (to not have anything tomorrow [future]) is okay.  I believe 什么都没是 is also incorrect (there's a mismatch between 没 and 是).</p>
<p>(Please note, I'm just a learner.  Hopefully if there's any misunderstandings on my part, someone can point them out to me in the comments.)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-17T17:58:13.090Z
Thank you very much omg
Arusyak Harutyunyan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-18T02:13:38.487Z
Here are some examples: 你从昨天到现在什么都没吃，这样下去身体会受不了的。 / 你如果什么都不吃的话，身体会受不了的。 These two work as you described (past / present or future). But maybe another sentence: 那孩子昨天哭着喊着要去公园玩，我们不带他去他就什么都不吃。 It seems here is past but use 不 instead of 没.
tsh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-17T12:26:48.137Z
2019-11-18T02:30:42.827Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Becky 李蓓
<p>It's misleading to distinguish 不/没 by the "tense" it indicates. The information about time is always inferred form the whole context in Chinese.</p>

<p><strong>Bold font</strong> is where the time information is mainly inferred from.</p>

<p>1.没 表 已然/不存在（没 indicates things that have already become a fact, which can also be a presumed fact/the state of non existence.）</p>

<p>他什么坏事都没干。（He hasn't done anything bad）</p>

<p><strong>到时</strong>陈词庭上，你还要说什么坏事都没干？（By the time you argue in the court,  will you still insist that you haven't done anything bad?）</p>

<p>大火<strong>过后</strong>，什么都没了。（After the conflagration, everything is gone.）</p>

<p>2.不 表 单纯否定/意愿（不 indicates simple negative/willingness.）</p>

<p>她逛街<strong>向来</strong>什么都不买。（She always buy nothing when shopping.）</p>

<p>她<strong>昨天</strong>逛街什么都不买，只看衣服。（Yesterday during the shopping, she didn't bought anything, but only chose clothes.）</p>

<p>什么都不干他事。（He had nothing to do with all the business.）</p>

<p>Compare:</p>

<p>他什么都不做，对小组成绩毫无贡献。≈他什么都没做，对小组成绩毫无贡献。（He didn't do any work, so he contributed nothing to the team accomplishments.）（The former stresses more on subjective willingness.）</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-18T07:39:20.900Z
2019-11-18T07:39:20.900Z
Toosky Hierot
<p>The difference is not the tense but the context. 什么都不好 nothing is good. 什么都不对 nothing is right. 什么都没有 nothing is there. 什么都没变 nothing has changed. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-16T14:35:32.177Z
Then what about 什么都不喝 and 什么都没喝？what do they mean?
Arusyak Harutyunyan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-16T17:27:14.843Z
It really depends on the context. It may mean that someone don't want to drink anything, or someone don't drink anything.
魏小淇
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-16T19:27:14.913Z
Thank you very much
Arusyak Harutyunyan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-16T14:29:53.577Z
2019-11-16T14:29:53.577Z
user23098
<p>什么也不 indicate don't + anything/everything , 什么都没 indicates haven't / didn't + anything/everything.</p>

<p>我什么都没有 ， I don't have anything.
我什么都不要， I don't want anything.</p>

<p>我什么都没做， I didnt do anything,
我什么都不做， I don't want to do anything/ I won't do anything</p>

<p>One indicates the situation while another one indicates the intention, </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-22T03:49:54.277Z
2019-11-25T05:15:49.043Z
2019-11-25T05:15:49.043Z
emkay
<p>Is it a difference in the tenses? Like one's a present and the other is future? Explain with examples please 
And can we say 什么也不 and 什么也没？</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-16T19:27:22.293Z
Thank you very muuuuch
Arusyak Harutyunyan
<grammar><word-choice><sentence-structure>
Difference between 什么都不 and 什么都没
# Difference between 什么都不 and 什么都没

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-11-16)

Is it a difference in the tenses? Like one's a present and the other is future? Explain with examples please
And can we say 什么也不 and 什么也没？

**Tags:** grammar, word-choice, sentence-structure

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you very muuuuch  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-11-17. Score: 5

Let's begin with 什么都 meaning "everything"; see [Expressing "everything" with "shenme dou"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22everything%22_with_%22shenme_dou%22) at the Chinese Grammar Wiki. We can add a verb or an adjective afterwards:

### 什么都 + adjective

> 什么都[美丽](http://youdao.com/w/%E7%BE%8E%E4%B8%BD) (everything is beautiful)  
> 什么都[辣](http://youdao.com/w/%E8%BE%A3) (everything is spicy)  
> 什么都[简单](http://youdao.com/w/%E7%AE%80%E5%8D%95) (everything is simple)

which we negate with 不:

> 什么都不美丽 (everything is *not* beautiful)  
> 什么都不辣 (everything is *not* spicy)  
> 什么都不简单 (everything is *not* simple)

This is the easy case. See also the "Negating Adjectives" section of [Standard negation with "bu"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Standard_negation_with_%22bu%22).

### 什么都 + verb

> 什么都[有](http://youdao.com/w/%E6%9C%89) (to have everything)  
> 什么都[吃](http://youdao.com/w/%E5%90%83) (to eat everything)  
> 什么都[买](http://youdao.com/w/%E4%B9%B0) (to buy everything)

which we negate with 不 or 没 or 没有, which is where it gets tricky.

At this point, it's no longer about 什么都, but only about 没 vs. 不. The most prominent Chinese.SE post about this is [Why is 有 (yǒu) the only verb that requires 没 while other verbs can use 不?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/q/247/8099). See also the Chinese Grammar Wiki's article [Comparing "bu" and "mei"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comparing_%22bu%22_and_%22mei%22).

The following is a common construction; how it's usually taught. Given [tsh's comment](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/35666/difference-between-%E4%BB%80%E4%B9%88%E9%83%BD%E4%B8%8D-and-%E4%BB%80%E4%B9%88%E9%83%BD%E6%B2%A1/35679?noredirect=1#comment52981_35679) below, it looks like there are other constructions beyond this (which I'm unable to comment on).

### 什么都不 + verb vs. 什么都没 + verb

Indeed "没 + verb" often indicates a past non-event. From [Negation of past actions with "meiyou"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Negation_of_past_actions_with_%22meiyou%22):

> Usually verbs can be negated with 不 (bù), but that construction is used for habitual or present actions. **If the verb is about an action in the past, though, 没有 (méiyǒu) should be used.**

So for example:

> 什么都没吃 = 什么都没有吃 (to *not* eat anything [in the past])  
> 什么都不吃 (to *not* eat anything [present or future])
>
> 什么都没买 = 什么都没有买 (to *not* buy anything [in the past])  
> 什么都不买 (to *not* buy anything [present or future])

Note that 没有 is an exception here, e.g. 明天什么都没有 (to not have anything tomorrow [future]) is okay. I believe 什么都没是 is also incorrect (there's a mismatch between 没 and 是).

(Please note, I'm just a learner. Hopefully if there's any misunderstandings on my part, someone can point them out to me in the comments.)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you very much omg  
> **username_2**: Here are some examples: 你从昨天到现在什么都没吃，这样下去身体会受不了的。 / 你如果什么都不吃的话，身体会受不了的。 These two work as you described (past / present or future). But maybe another sentence: 那孩子昨天哭着喊着要去公园玩，我们不带他去他就什么都不吃。 It seems here is past but use 不 instead of 没.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-11-18. Score: 1

It's misleading to distinguish 不/没 by the "tense" it indicates. The information about time is always inferred form the whole context in Chinese.

**Bold font** is where the time information is mainly inferred from.

1.没 表 已然/不存在（没 indicates things that have already become a fact, which can also be a presumed fact/the state of non existence.）

他什么坏事都没干。（He hasn't done anything bad）

**到时**陈词庭上，你还要说什么坏事都没干？（By the time you argue in the court, will you still insist that you haven't done anything bad?）

大火**过后**，什么都没了。（After the conflagration, everything is gone.）

2.不 表 单纯否定/意愿（不 indicates simple negative/willingness.）

她逛街**向来**什么都不买。（She always buy nothing when shopping.）

她**昨天**逛街什么都不买，只看衣服。（Yesterday during the shopping, she didn't bought anything, but only chose clothes.）

什么都不干他事。（He had nothing to do with all the business.）

Compare:

他什么都不做，对小组成绩毫无贡献。≈他什么都没做，对小组成绩毫无贡献。（He didn't do any work, so he contributed nothing to the team accomplishments.）（The former stresses more on subjective willingness.）


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-11-16. Score: 1

The difference is not the tense but the context. 什么都不好 nothing is good. 什么都不对 nothing is right. 什么都没有 nothing is there. 什么都没变 nothing has changed.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Then what about 什么都不喝 and 什么都没喝？what do they mean?  
> **username_5**: It really depends on the context. It may mean that someone don't want to drink anything, or someone don't drink anything.  
> **username_0**: Thank you very much  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2019-11-22. Score: 1

什么也不 indicate don't + anything/everything , 什么都没 indicates haven't / didn't + anything/everything.

我什么都没有 ， I don't have anything.
我什么都不要， I don't want anything.

我什么都没做， I didnt do anything,
我什么都不做， I don't want to do anything/ I won't do anything

One indicates the situation while another one indicates the intention,


---

