Negators mm33 and boh2 in Penang Hokkien

Having learned the use of si33 and uh33, we move on to the negators mm33 and boh2. These are words that turn affirmative sentences into negative ones. Like for example, from "he is a doctor" to "he isn't a doctor." Mm33 and boh2 are not interchangeable. There are specific uses for mm33 that are outside the scope of boh2, for example:

mm33 si33: is not
mm33 bat3: do not know (someone)
mm33 cai1: do not know (something) mm33 mai3 (often shortened to simply mai3): do not want (to do something)
mm33 mien4 (often shortened to simply mien4): do not have (to do something) mm33thang1: don't (do something)

Of the six above, the first three have a direct opposite counterpart in Penang Hokkien: si33 (is), bat3 (to know someone) and cai1 (to know something). The opposite of mm33 mai3 is ai3 or boek3 (both can mean "want", but based on context); the opposite of mm33 mien4 is tiok3boek1 or eng3-kai1 ; mm33thang1 has no opposite, it is always used with another verb, so the opposite is simply to drop mm33thang1.

Examples:
Ie1 mm33 si33 lo1kun1. Ie1 si33 sin3sneah1.
He isn't a doctor. He is a teacher.

Wah1 mm33 bat3 ie1. Wah1 bat3 ie1-eh3 bor4. I do not know him. I know his wife.

Wah1 mm33 cai1 ie1-eh3 mia2. Wah1 cai1 ie1-eh3 bor4-eh3 mia2. I do not know his name. I know his wife's name.

Wah1 mm33 mai1 mui3 ie1. Wah1 boek1 lu4 hor33 wah1 cai1. I do not want to ask him. I want you to tell me.

Lu1 mm33 mien1 hor33 ie1 cai1. Lu1 eng3kai1 hor33 wah1 cai1. You don't have to tell him. You ought to tell me.

Mm33thang3 kong4 hor33 ie1 thnia1. Kong4 hor33 wah1 thnia1. Don't tell him. Tell me.

Both mm33 and boh2 can be used with most verbs, but carry different meanings. "Mm33" means "doesn't want to do something" or "refuse to do something", while "boh2" simply means "doesn't do something". In other words, mm33 has a disinclination to it, whereas boh2 is absent of the disinclination.

Ie1 mm33 kong4.
He didn't want to say.

Ie1 boh3 kong4.
He didn't say.

Ie1 mm33 ciak3 iok1.
He refused to take medicine.

Ie1 boh3 ciak3 iok1.
He didn't take any medicine.

Ie1 mm33 lai2.
He doesn't want to come.

Ie1 boh3 lai2.
He doesn't come.

Finally, the opposite of si33 (yes) is mm33 si33 (no), while the opposite of uh33 (have) is boh2 (don't have).

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