<!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta name="generator" content= "HTML Tidy for HTML5 for Linux version 5.2.0" /> <title></title> </head> <body> <p>The <a href="aspect_particle" title="wikilink">aspect particle</a> 过 (guo) is used to indicate that an <strong>action has been experienced</strong> in the past.</p> <h2 id="basic-usage">Basic Usage</h2> <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Subj. + Verb + 过 + Obj.</p> </div> <p>What this expresses is that the verb <em>has been</em> done at least once before, without specifying a particular time. 过 (guo) is used to talk about whether something has <em>ever</em> happened - whether it <em>has been experienced</em>.</p> <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3> <p>In English, if you're asking a question and really trying to figure out if someone has <em>ever</em> 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.</p> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="negating-a-过-guo-sentence">Negating a 过 (guo) Sentence</h2> <p>Because 过 (guo) is used to talk about past actions, it should be <a href="Negation_of_past_actions_with_"meiyou"" title= "wikilink">negated with 没</a> (méi).</p> <h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Subj. + 没 + Verb + 过 + Obj.</p> </div> <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3> <p>Note that when you translate these examples into English, "have <em>never</em>" [done something] is often more natural, indicating that someone <em>lacks the <strong>experience</strong> of having done something</em>, rather than just "have not" [done something].</p> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> </ul> </div> <p>To emphasize "never" even more, you can also <a href= "Expressing_"never"_with_"conglai"" title= "wikilink">use the word 从来 (cónglái)</a>.</p> <h2 id="using-过-guo-with-了-le">Using 过 (guo) with 了 (le)</h2> <p>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 <a href="Using_"guo"_with_"le"" title="wikilink">using 过 (guo) with 了 (le)</a>.</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 href= "A_Practical_Chinese_Grammar_For_Foreigners_(%E5%A4%96%E5%9B%BD%E4%BA%BA%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95)" title="wikilink">A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)</a> (p. 138) <a href= "http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA"> →buy</a></li> <li><a href="Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition" title= "wikilink">Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition</a> (pp. 59-60) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href= "Chinese_Grammar_Without_Tears_(%E7%AE%80%E6%98%8E%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95%E5%AD%A6%E4%B9%A0%E6%89%8B%E5%86%8C)" title="wikilink">Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册)</a> (pp. 73-4) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed)" title= "wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)</a> (pp. 83- 4) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_1" title= "wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1</a> (pp. 345-7) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_2" title= "wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2</a> (pp. 49-51) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href="Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide" title="wikilink">Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide</a> (pp. 76-7, 230-2) <a href= "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108"> →buy</a></li> <li><a href= "New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_2_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC2)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)</a> (pp. 175-6) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href= "40_Lessons_for_Basic_Chinese_Course_(%E5%9F%BA%E7%A1%80%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD40%E8%AF%BE%E4%B8%8A%E5%86%8C%EF%BC%89" title="wikilink">40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册)</a> (p. 188)<a href= "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</a></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> <p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title= "wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p> </body> </html>