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<h1>Expressing experiences with "<span class="pinyinst">guo</span>" "<span class="hanzist">过</span>"</h1>
<p>The aspect particle <span class="hanzi">过</span> (<span class="pinyin">guo</span>) is used to indicate that an action has been experienced in the past.</p>
<h2 id="basic-usage">Basic Usage</h2>
<h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>
<div class="deux">
<p>Subj. + Verb + <span class="hanzist">过</span> + Obj.</p>
</div>
<p>What this expresses is that the verb has been done at least once before, without specifying a particular time. <span class="hanzi">过</span> (<span class="pinyin">guo</span>) is used to talk about whether something has ever happened - whether it has been experienced.</p>
<h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>
<p>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, <span class="hanzi">过</span> (<span class="pinyin">guo</span>) alone expresses this, without the need for additional words.</p>
<div class="exemple">
<ul>
<li><span class="hanzi">你 学 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 中文 吗？</span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Nǐ xué <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> Zhōngwén ma?</span><br/> Have you ever studied Chinese?</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">你 见 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 那 个 人 吗？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiàn <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> nàge rén ma?</span><br/> Have you seen that person before?</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">我们 来 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 这 个 地方。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen lái <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> zhège dìfang.</span><br/> We've been to this place before.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">我 也 吃 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 日本菜。</span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yě chī <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> Rìběn cài.</span><br/> I've also eaten Japanese food before.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">你 看 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 这 个 电影 吗 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ kàn <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> zhège diànyǐng ma?</span><br/> Have you seen this movie?</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="negating-a-过-guo-sentence">Negating a <span class="hanzist">过</span> (<span class="pinyinst">guo</span>) Sentence</h2>
<p>Because <span class="hanzi">过</span> (<span class="pinyin">guo</span>) is used to talk about past actions, it should be negated with <span class="hanzi">没</span> (<span class="pinyin">méi</span>).</p>
<h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>
<div class="deux">
<p>Subj. + <span class="hanzist">没</span> + Verb + <span class="hanzist">过</span> + Obj.</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>
<p>Note that when you translate these examples into English, "<b>have never</b>" [done something] is often more natural, indicating that someone lacks the experience of having done something, rather than just "<b>have not</b>" [done something].</p>
<div class="exemple">
<ul>
<li><span class="hanzi">我 <span class="fondjaune">没</span> 想 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 这 个 问题。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <span class="fondjaune">méi</span> xiǎng <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> zhège wèntí.</span> <br/>I've never thought about this question before.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">我 <span class="fondjaune">没</span> 学 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 这 个 词 。</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <span class="fondjaune">méi</span> xué <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> zhège cí.</span><br/> I have never studied this word before.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">妈妈 <span class="fondjaune">没</span> 买 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 很 贵 的 衣服。</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Māma <span class="fondjaune">méi</span> mǎi <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> hěn guì de yīfu.</span> <br/>Mom has never bought any expensive clothes before.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">我们 都 <span class="fondjaune">没</span> 坐 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 飞机。</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <span class="fondjaune">méi</span> zuò <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> fēijī.</span><br/> None of us has ever been on a airplane before.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">你们 <span class="fondjaune">没</span> 见 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 美女 吗？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <span class="fondjaune">méi</span> jiàn <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> měinǚ ma?</span><br/> Have you never seen beautiful girls before?</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>To emphasize "<b>never</b>" even more, you can also use the word 从来 (cónglái).</p>
<h2 id="using-过-guo-with-了-le">Using <span class="hanzist">过</span> (<span class="pinyinst">guo</span>) with <span class="hanzist">了</span> (<span class="pinyinst">le</span>)</h2>
<p>You'll sometimes see <span class="hanzi">过</span> (<span class="pinyin">guo</span>) used together with <span class="hanzi">了</span> (<span class="pinyin">le</span>). 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 <span class="hanzi">过</span> (<span class="pinyin">guo</span>), see the article on using <span class="hanzi">过</span> (<span class="pinyin">guo</span>) with <span class="hanzi">了</span> (<span class="pinyin">le</span>).</p>
<h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="Expressing_completion_with_"le"" title="wikilink">Expressing completion with "le"</a></li>
<li><a href="Aspect_particle_"zhe"" title="wikilink">Aspect particle "zhe"</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li>A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (<span class="hanzi">外国人实用汉语语法</span>) (p. 138)</li>
<li>Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 59-60)</li>
<li>Chinese Grammar Without Tears (<span class="hanzi">简明汉语语法学习手册</span>) (pp. 73-4)</li>
<li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 83- 4)</li>
<li>Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 345-7)</li>
<li>Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 49-51)</li>
<li>Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 76-7, 230-2)</li>
<li>New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (<span class="hanzi">新实用汉语课本2</span>) (pp. 175-6)</li>
<li>40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (<span class="hanzi">基础汉语40课上册</span>） (p. 188)</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="websites">Websites</h3>
<ul>
<li>ChinesePod: <a href="http://chinesepod.com/lessons/%E8%BF%87guo">Qing Wen - 过(guo)</a> (free podcast content)</li>
</ul>
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