Difference Between I DON’T HAVE and I HAVE NO!

I don’t have/ I have no

‘I don’t have’ and ‘I have no’ have the same meaning, but can be used in different situations.

According to grammar rules, we must use ‘I don’t have’ with physical possessions, and use ‘I have no’ with attitudes and desires.

• I don’t have any money.
• They don’t have any meat.

BUT:

• I have no idea what you’re talking about.
• My new teacher has no patience.
• The boss had no right to fire me.

However, today both are used interchangeably since they have the same meaning.

You can say:

• I don’t have any money. 

or

• I have no money. 

NOTE: When you use ‘I have no’ the sentence will sound more dramatic or emphatic.

• I have no job!

I hope this clarifies the confusion 🙂

Read more:
Modal Verb + HAVE + Past Participle
HAVE vs HAVE GOT
Which one is correct ”there has been” or ”there have been”?