Expressing experiences with "guo" "过"
The aspect particle 过 (guo) is used to indicate that an action has been experienced in the past.
Basic Usage
Structure
What this expresses is that the verb has been done at least once before, without specifying a particular time. 过 (guo) is used to talk about whether something has ever happened - whether it has been experienced.
Examples
In English, if you're asking a question and really trying to figure out if someone has ever done something before, we tend to use the words "ever" and "before." In Chinese, 过 (guo) alone expresses this, without the need for additional words.
- 你 学 过 中文 吗？
Nǐ xué guo Zhōngwén ma?
Have you ever studied Chinese?
- 你 见 过 那 个 人 吗？
Nǐ jiàn guo nàge rén ma?
Have you seen that person before?
- 我们 来 过 这 个 地方。
Wǒmen lái guo zhège dìfang.
We've been to this place before.
- 我 也 吃 过 日本菜。
Wǒ yě chī guo Rìběn cài.
I've also eaten Japanese food before.
- 你 看 过 这 个 电影 吗 ？
Nǐ kàn guo zhège diànyǐng ma?
Have you seen this movie?
Negating a 过 (guo) Sentence
Because 过 (guo) is used to talk about past actions, it should be negated with 没 (méi).
Structure
Subj. + 没 + Verb + 过 + Obj.
Examples
Note that when you translate these examples into English, "have never" [done something] is often more natural, indicating that someone lacks the experience of having done something, rather than just "have not" [done something].
- 我 没 想 过 这 个 问题。
Wǒ méi xiǎng guo zhège wèntí.
I've never thought about this question before.
- 我 没 学 过 这 个 词 。
Wǒ méi xué guo zhège cí.
I have never studied this word before.
- 妈妈 没 买 过 很 贵 的 衣服。
Māma méi mǎi guo hěn guì de yīfu.
Mom has never bought any expensive clothes before.
- 我们 都 没 坐 过 飞机。
Wǒmen dōu méi zuò guo fēijī.
None of us has ever been on a airplane before.
- 你们 没 见 过 美女 吗？
Nǐmen méi jiàn guo měinǚ ma?
Have you never seen beautiful girls before?
To emphasize "never" even more, you can also use the word 从来 (cónglái).
Using 过 (guo) with 了 (le)
You'll sometimes see 过 (guo) used together with 了 (le). This can be a little confusing, as it doesn't seem to be following the rules laid out above. For more on this special usage of 过 (guo), see the article on using 过 (guo) with 了 (le).
See Also
Sources and further reading
Books
- A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (p. 138)
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 59-60)
- Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) (pp. 73-4)
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 83- 4)
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 345-7)
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 49-51)
- Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 76-7, 230-2)
- New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 175-6)
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 188)
Websites