{{Grammar Box}} Although it can also work in the positive, 从来 (cónglái) is usually used when you want to express that you '''''never''' do something'' (as a habit, or as a rule), or that you ''have '''never''' done something'' (it's not a part of your life experience). In either usage, 从来 (cónglái) may be shortened to just 从 (cóng) in casual speech. == "To Never Do" with 从来 (cónglái) + 不 (bù) == When you follow 从来 (cónglái) with 不 (bù), you are expressing that you '''''never''' do something'' (as a habit, or as a rule). It's often used as a way to refuse something, as in "I never drink." === Structure === The structure is:
Subj. + 从来 + 不 + [Verb Phrase]
Keep in mind that 从来 (cónglái) may be shortened to just 从 (cóng) in casual speech. === Examples ===
* 她 从来 不 喝酒。 Tā cónglái bù hējiǔ.She never drinks. *我 女朋友 从 不 给 我 打 电话。来 has been omitted here.Wǒ nǚpéngyou cóng bù gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.My girlfriend never calls me. *这 个 人 很 奇怪，他 从来 不 笑。Zhège rén hěn qíguài, tā cónglái bù xiào.This person is very strange. He never laughs. *你 父母 从来 不 打 你 吗？"hit" can mean "spank"Nǐ fùmǔ cónglái bù dǎ nǐ ma?Your parents never hit you? *他 从 不 关心 别人。来 has been omitted here.Tā cóng bù guānxīn biérén.He never cares about other people.
== "To Have Never Done" with 从来 (cónglái) + 没有 (méiyǒu) == Use 从来 (cónglái) with 没 (méi) or 没有 (méiyǒu) (and 过 (guo) after the verb) to indicate that you ''have '''never''' done something'' (it's not a part of your life experience). You're talking about the past now, because you're talking about what you haven't done before, so 没有 (méiyǒu) is appropriate. 过 (guo) also makes sense, because you're making a statement about your life experience. === Structure === The structure is:
Subj. + 从来 + 没(有) + Verb + 过
Again, 从来 (cónglái) may be shortened to just 从 (cóng) in casual speech. Note that you can have an object or other information after the verb, but the 过 (guo) needs to come immediately after the verb. === Examples ===
* 你 从来 没有 想 过 这 个 问题 吗？Nǐ cónglái méiyǒu xiǎng guo zhège wèntí ma? Have you never thought about this question? * 她 从来 没 见 过 她 妈妈。Tā cónglái méi jiàn guo tā māma.She has never met her mother. * 我 从没 学 过 这 个 词。来 has been omitted here.Wǒ cóngméi xué guo zhège cí.I have never before studied this word. * 你们 从来 没有 听说 过 这 个 地方 吗？Nǐmen cónglái méiyǒu tīngshuō guo zhège dìfang ma? Have you never heard about this place before? * 很 多 中国人 从来 没 出 过 国。Hěn duō Zhōngguó rén cónglái méi chū guo guó.A lot of Chinese people have never been abroad.
== See Also == *[[Expressing experiences with "guo" ]] *[[Comparing "bu" and "mei" ]] *[["meiyou" as a Verb ]] *[[Standard negation with "bu"]] *[["Always" with "conglai"]] == Sources and further reading == ===Books=== *[[BRIDGE (桥梁 实用汉语中级教程上)]] (p.40) [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B003AKZFFC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B003AKZFFC&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-23 →buy] * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (p. 59) [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] ===Websites=== * Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0119.html Usage of 从来] [[Category:A2 grammar points]] {{Basic Grammar|从来|A2|从来 + 不 / 没(有) + Verb|她 从来 不 喝酒。我 从来 没有 去 过 美国。|grammar point|ASG8NM5E}} {{Rel char|从不}} {{Rel char|从没}} {{Rel char|没有}} {{Rel char|不}} {{Similar|"Always" with "conglai"}} {{Similar|Expressing "always previously" with "xianglai"}} {{POS|Verbs}} {{Subprop|Verb phrases}} {{Used for| Expressing frequency}} {{Used for|Referring to the past}} {{Used for|Referring to habitual actions}} {{Translation|Never}}