<p>Both are correct and natural in Mandarin, but have slightly different meanings.</p>

<p>沒有把你照顾好 is equivalent to 没有照顾好你, which means "the result is not good", while 没有好好照顾你 means "the effort is not enough". </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-12T22:37:01.390Z
@Crashalot 把 is a depositive marker that marks the object (you) to be deposited by the verb (take care of). More example: 他卖了车= He sold a car (emphasize what he does) ; 他把车卖了= he took the car and sold it= he sold the car (emphasize  what happens to the car)
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-12T22:39:06.607Z
沒有把你照顾好 (emphasize what happens to you - not being well took care of) ; 没有照顾好你 (emphasize what I do - not properly take care of )
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-13T06:03:37.340Z
@TangHo thanks so much for the clarification! this feels like it merits its own answer since 把 is a common grammatical structure and its presence changes the emphasis of the sentence. if you agree, i'll post a separate question.
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-13T06:06:43.253Z
@TangHo 把 doesn't feel as common in cantonese. is this a valid perception, or is it also commonly used in cantonese? if not, what is the canto equivalent?
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-13T07:03:03.390Z
@Crashalot '將' is used in both Cantonese and Mandarin as a depositive marker, e.g.冇將你照顾好; 佢將架车卖咗
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-12T00:42:02.703Z
2018-06-12T00:42:02.703Z
Jason Swift
<p>As @JasonSwift said, both are valid in Mandarin. The difference is between 照顾好 and 好(好)照顾. The first 好 is a <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Result_complement#Negating_result_complements" rel="nofollow noreferrer">"result complement"</a>, the second two - simply an adjective. With 没有 it's more of "the caring taken didn't have a good result" vs. "the caring taken itself was not good".</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-12T04:06:39.347Z
2018-06-13T03:00:31.493Z
2018-06-13T03:00:31.493Z
Vitaly Osipov
<p>Someone said the following in Mandarin to express <code>not taking good care of you</code>: 沒有把你照顧好.</p>

<p>In Cantonese, it seems more natural to drop 把 and say something like 沒有好好照顧你.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>What's the correct grammar?</p></li>
<li><p>Are Cantonese and Mandarin grammar different for this phrase?</p></li>
</ol>

<grammar><cantonese>
Correct grammar: 沒有把你照顧好 vs 沒有好好照顧你?
# Correct grammar: 沒有把你照顧好 vs 沒有好好照顧你?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-06-11)

Someone said the following in Mandarin to express `not taking good care of you`: 沒有把你照顧好.

In Cantonese, it seems more natural to drop 把 and say something like 沒有好好照顧你.

1. What's the correct grammar?
2. Are Cantonese and Mandarin grammar different for this phrase?

**Tags:** grammar, cantonese

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-06-12. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

Both are correct and natural in Mandarin, but have slightly different meanings.

沒有把你照顾好 is equivalent to 没有照顾好你, which means "the result is not good", while 没有好好照顾你 means "the effort is not enough".

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: @Crashalot 把 is a depositive marker that marks the object (you) to be deposited by the verb (take care of). More example: 他卖了车= He sold a car (emphasize what he does) ; 他把车卖了= he took the car and sold it= he sold the car (emphasize  what happens to the car)  
> **username_2**: 沒有把你照顾好 (emphasize what happens to you - not being well took care of) ; 没有照顾好你 (emphasize what I do - not properly take care of )  
> **username_0**: @TangHo thanks so much for the clarification! this feels like it merits its own answer since 把 is a common grammatical structure and its presence changes the emphasis of the sentence. if you agree, i'll post a separate question.  
> **username_0**: @TangHo 把 doesn't feel as common in cantonese. is this a valid perception, or is it also commonly used in cantonese? if not, what is the canto equivalent?  
> **username_2**: @Crashalot '將' is used in both Cantonese and Mandarin as a depositive marker, e.g.冇將你照顾好; 佢將架车卖咗  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2018-06-12. Score: 3

As @JasonSwift said, both are valid in Mandarin. The difference is between 照顾好 and 好(好)照顾. The first 好 is a ["result complement"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Result_complement#Negating_result_complements), the second two - simply an adjective. With 没有 it's more of "the caring taken didn't have a good result" vs. "the caring taken itself was not good".


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