Chinese grammar · Elementary (A2)
过: have you ever…?
How verb + 过 talks about experiences, how to say you've never done something with 没…过, and when to use 过 rather than 了.
Verb + 过 for experience
过 (guo) straight after a verb says that something has happened at least once, at some time in the past: (wǒ qùguo Běijīng), I've been to Beijing. It's the Chinese way of saying “have you ever…?”. Here 过 is said in the neutral tone.
The time is usually vague. You can add (yǐqián), before, or (xiǎoshíhou), as a child. The number of times comes after 过: (wǒ qùguo liǎng cì), I've been twice.
- 你来过桂林吗？Nǐ láiguo Guìlín ma?Have you been to Guilin before?
- 我吃过北京烤鸭。Wǒ chīguo Běijīng kǎoyā.I've had Peking duck.
- 我以前学过一点儿中文。Wǒ yǐqián xuéguo yìdiǎnr Zhōngwén.I learned a little Chinese before.
- 我去过上海三次。Wǒ qùguo Shànghǎi sān cì.I've been to Shanghai three times.
- 她在国外工作过。Tā zài guówài gōngzuòguo.She has worked abroad.
Never: 没…过
The negative is (méi) or (méiyǒu) + verb + 过. Unlike 了, 过 stays in the negative: (wǒ méi qùguo), I've never been. Add (cónglái) for “never, not once”: (wǒ cónglái méi chīguo), I've never ever eaten it.
To ask, add (ma), or put (méiyǒu) at the end: (Nǐ kànguo zhège diànyǐng méiyǒu?), have you seen this film? The short answer is the verb with 过: (kànguo), yes, I have; (méi kànguo), no, I haven't.
- 我没去过哈尔滨。Wǒ méi qùguo Hā'ěrbīn.I've never been to Harbin.
- 我从来没坐过高铁。Wǒ cónglái méi zuòguo gāotiě.I've never taken a high-speed train.
- 你吃过火锅没有？Nǐ chīguo huǒguō méiyǒu?Have you ever had hotpot?
- 我们以前见过面吗？Wǒmen yǐqián jiànguo miàn ma?Have we met before?
过 or 了?
了 reports a particular event: (wǒ zuótiān qùle Gùgōng), I went to the Forbidden City yesterday. 过 talks about experience, with no particular occasion in mind: (wǒ qùguo Gùgōng), I've been to the Forbidden City (so I know it).
过 also suggests that the situation no longer holds: (wǒ zài Shànghǎi zhùguo), I once lived in Shanghai (but not now). In a job interview, 过 lists your experience: (wǒ zuòguo liǎng nián xiāoshòu), I have two years' experience in sales.
| Sentence | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| (Wǒ chīle sānshí ge jiǎozi.) | I ate thirty dumplings (at one particular meal). |
| (Wǒ chīguo jiǎozi.) | I've had dumplings before (I know what they're like). |
| (Wǒ méi chī jiǎozi.) | I didn't have dumplings (that time). |
| (Wǒ méi chīguo jiǎozi.) | I've never had dumplings. |
- 我在一家外企工作过三年。Wǒ zài yì jiā wàiqǐ gōngzuòguo sān nián.I worked at a foreign company for three years.
- 黄山我去过，风景特别美。Huángshān wǒ qùguo, fēngjǐng tèbié měi.I've been to Huangshan; the scenery is really beautiful.
Already done: 过…了, and 曾经
With 了 at the end, verb + 过 can also mean that something is already done, so there's no need to do it again: (wǒ chīguo fàn le), I've already eaten. The point here is not experience but that the task is finished. It's the usual polite answer when a host offers you food.
In careful speech and writing, (céngjīng), once, at one time, often comes before verb + 过: (tā céngjīng zài guówài gōngzuòguo), he once worked abroad.
- 我吃过饭了，谢谢。Wǒ chīguo fàn le, xièxie.I've already eaten, thanks.
- 这个问题我们已经讨论过了。Zhège wèntí wǒmen yǐjīng tǎolùnguo le.We've already discussed this question.
- 她曾经在北京住过五年。Tā céngjīng zài Běijīng zhùguo wǔ nián.She once lived in Beijing for five years.