{{Grammar Box}} The [[aspect particle]] 过 (guo) is used to indicate that an '''action has been experienced''' in the past. == Basic Usage == === Structure ===
Subj. + Verb + 过 + Obj.
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 [[Negation of past actions with "meiyou"|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 [[Expressing "never" with "conglai"|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 "guo" with "le"|using 过 (guo) with 了 (le)]]. ==See Also== *[[Expressing completion with "le"]] *[[Aspect particle "zhe"]] == Sources and further reading == === Books === * [[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) ]] (p. 138) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy] * [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 59-60) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy] * [[Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) ]] (pp. 73-4) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B0041UGAJU&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B0041UGAJU →buy] * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 83- 4) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy] * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (pp. 345-7) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy] * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (pp. 49-51) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881 →buy] * [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (pp. 76-7, 230-2) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy] * [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 175-6) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297 →buy] *[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）]] (p. 188)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy] === Websites === * ChinesePod: [http://chinesepod.com/lessons/%E8%BF%87guo Qing Wen - 过(guo)] (free podcast content) [[Category:A2 grammar points]] {{Used for|Referring to the past}} {{Used for|Referring to past experiences}} {{Basic Grammar|过|A2|Verb + 过|我 去 过 中国。|grammar point|ASGQGV3P}} {{Similar|Taiwanese "you"}} {{Similar|Uses of le}} {{Similar|Expressing completion with "le"}} {{Translation|have}} {{POS|Particles}}