The [aspect particle](aspect_particle "wikilink") 过 (guo) is used to
indicate that an **action has been experienced** in the past.

Basic Usage
-----------

### Structure

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + Verb + 过 + Obj.

</div>
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.

<div class="liju">
-   你 学 <em>过</em> 中文 吗？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ xué <em>guo</em>
    Zhōngwén ma?</span><span class="trans">Have you ever studied
    Chinese?</span>
-   你 见 <em>过</em> 那 个 人 吗？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiàn
    <em>guo</em> nàge rén ma?</span><span class="trans">Have you seen
    that person before?</span>
-   我们 来 <em>过</em> 这 个 地方。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen lái
    <em>guo</em> zhège dìfang.</span><span class="trans">We've been to
    this place before.</span>
-   我 也 吃 <em>过</em> 日本菜。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yě chī
    <em>guo</em> Rìběn cài.</span><span class="trans">I've also eaten
    Japanese food before.</span>
-   你 看 <em>过</em> 这 个 电影 吗 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ kàn
    <em>guo</em> zhège diànyǐng ma?</span><span class="trans">Have you
    seen this movie?</span>

</div>
Negating a 过 (guo) Sentence
----------------------------

Because 过 (guo) is used to talk about past actions, it should be
[negated with 没](Negation_of_past_actions_with_"meiyou" "wikilink")
(méi).

### Structure

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 没 + Verb + 过 + Obj.

</div>
### 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" \[done something\].

<div class="liju">
-   我 <em>没</em> 想 <em>过</em> 这 个 问题。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ
    <em>méi</em> xiǎng <em>guo</em> zhège
    wèntí.</span><span class="trans"> I've never thought about this
    question before.</span>
-   我 <em>没</em> 学 <em>过</em> 这 个 词 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ
    <em>méi</em> xué <em>guo</em> zhège cí.</span><span class="trans">I
    have never studied this word before.</span>
-   妈妈 <em>没</em> 买 <em>过</em> 很 贵 的 衣服。
    <span class="pinyin">Māma <em>méi</em> mǎi <em>guo</em> hěn guì de
    yīfu.</span><span class="trans">Mom has never bought any expensive
    clothes before.</span>
-   我们 都 <em>没</em> 坐 <em>过</em> 飞机。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen
    dōu <em>méi</em> zuò <em>guo</em>
    fēijī.</span><span class="trans">None of us has ever been on a
    airplane before.</span>
-   你们 <em>没</em> 见 <em>过</em> 美女 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen
    <em>méi</em> jiàn <em>guo</em> měinǚ ma?
    </span><span class="trans">Have you never seen beautiful girls
    before? </span>

</div>
To emphasize "never" even more, you can also [use the word 从来
(cónglái)](Expressing_"never"_with_"conglai" "wikilink").

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)](Using_"guo"_with_"le" "wikilink").

See Also
--------

-   [Expressing completion with
    "le"](Expressing_completion_with_"le" "wikilink")
-   [Aspect particle "zhe"](Aspect_particle_"zhe" "wikilink")

Sources and further reading
---------------------------

### Books

-   [A Practical Chinese Grammar For
    Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)](A_Practical_Chinese_Grammar_For_Foreigners_(外国人实用汉语语法) "wikilink") (p.
    138)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA)
-   [Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second
    Edition](Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition "wikilink") (pp.
    59-60)
    [→buy](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)
-   [Chinese Grammar Without
    Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册)](Chinese_Grammar_Without_Tears_(简明汉语语法学习手册) "wikilink") (pp.
    73-4)
    [→buy](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)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2
    (3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (pp.
    83- 4)
    [→buy](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)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part
    1](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_1 "wikilink") (pp. 345-7)
    [→buy](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)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part
    2](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_2 "wikilink") (pp. 49-51)
    [→buy](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)
-   [Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical
    Guide](Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide "wikilink") (pp.
    76-7, 230-2)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108)
-   [New Practical Chinese Reader
    2 (新实用汉语课本2)](New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_2_(新实用汉语课本2) "wikilink") (pp.
    175-6)
    [→buy](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)
-   [40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course
    (基础汉语40课上册）](40_Lessons_for_Basic_Chinese_Course_(基础汉语40课上册） "wikilink") (p.
    188)[→buy](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)

### Websites

-   ChinesePod: [Qing Wen -
    过(guo)](http://chinesepod.com/lessons/%E8%BF%87guo) (free
    podcast content)

[Category:A2 grammar points](Category:A2_grammar_points "wikilink")