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  <h1>Using "<span class="pinyinst">guo</span>" "<span class="hanzist">过</span>" with "<span class="pinyinst">le</span>" "<span class="hanzist">了</span>"</h1>

  <p>You might be familiar with using <span class="hanzi">过</span> (<span class="pinyin">guo</span>) to indicate that an action has been experienced in the past, but then also see it used together with <span class="hanzi">了</span> (<span class="pinyin">le</span>). What's going on here? If you're already familiar with the basic usage of both <span class="hanzi">了</span> (<span class="pinyin">le</span>) and <span class="hanzi">过</span> (<span class="pinyin">guo</span>), then a special explanation of how they sometimes work together is now in order.</p>

  <h2 id="basic-pattern">Basic Pattern</h2>

  <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>

  <div class="deux">
    <p>Verb + <span class="hanzist">过</span> + <span class="hanzist">了</span></p>
  </div>

  <p>You'll notice that this pattern is often used for everyday behaviors. It's used for actions like "eating" and "brushing one's teeth" and "taking a shower."</p>

  <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">她 吃 <span class="fondjaune">过 了</span> </span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Tā chī <span class="fondjaune">guo le</span> </span> <br/> She has eaten (already).</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">牙 刷 <span class="fondjaune">过 了</span> </span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Yá shuā <span class="fondjaune">guo le</span> </span> <br/> I've brushed my teeth (already).</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">洗 <span class="fondjaune">过 了</span> </span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Xǐ <span class="fondjaune">guo le</span> </span> <br/> I've showered (already).</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我们 看 <span class="fondjaune">过 了</span> </span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen kàn <span class="fondjaune">guo le</span> </span> <br/> We've seen it (already).</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他们 见 <span class="fondjaune">过 了</span> </span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Tāmen jiàn <span class="fondjaune">guo le</span> </span> <br/> They've met (already).</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="the-pattern-with-an-object">The Pattern with an Object</h2>

  <p>For the examples above, you could have inserted an object to modify the basic pattern, getting this:</p>

  <div class="deux">
    <p>Verb + <span class="hanzist">过</span> + Obj. + <span class="hanzist">了</span></p>
  </div>

  <p>The object has been inserted in the sentences below:</p>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">你 吃 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> <span class="fondvert">饭</span> <span class="fondjaune">了</span> 吗？</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Nǐ chī <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> <span class="fondvert">fàn</span> <span class="fondjaune">le</span> ma?</span> <br/> Have you eaten (already)?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 刷 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> <span class="fondvert">牙</span> <span class="fondjaune">了</span> </span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ shuā <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> <span class="fondvert">yá</span> <span class="fondjaune">le</span>.</span> <br/> I have brushed my teeth (already).</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他 洗 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> <span class="fondvert">澡</span> <span class="fondjaune">了</span> </span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Tā xǐ <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> <span class="fondvert">zǎo</span> <span class="fondjaune">le</span>.</span> <br/> He has showered (already).</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 给 他 打 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> <span class="fondvert">电话</span> <span class="fondjaune">了</span> </span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ gěi tā dǎ <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> <span class="fondvert">diànhuà</span> <span class="fondjaune">le</span>.</span> <br/> I called him (already).</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">客户 看 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> <span class="fondvert">合同</span> <span class="fondjaune">了</span> 吗？</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Kèhù kàn <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> <span class="fondvert">hétong</span> <span class="fondjaune">le</span> ma?</span> <br/> Has the client read the contract (already)?</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="what-过-guo-does">What <span class="hanzist">过</span> (<span class="pinyinst">guo</span>) Does</h2>

  <p>You would be right to point out that <span class="hanzi">过</span> (<span class="pinyin">guo</span>) is mainly used to call attention to the fact that someone has had an experience. This is the basic pattern pointed out in the article on the basic usage of the aspectual particle <span class="hanzi">过</span> (<span class="pinyin">guo</span>). In the examples above, though, it's not any "once-in-a-lifetime" experiences being expressed, it's more just the information that these actions are done. Here, <span class="hanzi">过</span> (<span class="pinyin">guo</span>) and <span class="hanzi">了</span> (<span class="pinyin">le</span>) work together to emphasize that an action is already done. This is why the translations on the side add the word "already" in parentheses at the end; this is the feeling the sentences give you. In fact, to emphasize the idea of already done even further, you could add the word for "already," <span class="hanzi">已经 </span>(<span class="pinyin">yǐjīng</span>), before the verbs in the examples below, and it also works just fine:</p>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">她 <span class="fondvert">已经</span> 吃 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 饭 <span class="fondjaune">了</span> </span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Tā <span class="fondvert">yǐjīng</span> chī <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> fàn <span class="fondjaune">le</span> </span> <br/> She has already eaten (a meal).</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 <span class="fondvert">已经</span> 刷 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 牙 <span class="fondjaune">了</span> </span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <span class="fondvert">yǐjīng</span> shuā <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> yá <span class="fondjaune">le</span> </span> <br/> I have already brushed my teeth.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他 <span class="fondvert">已经</span> 洗 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 澡 <span class="fondjaune">了</span> </span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Tā <span class="fondvert">yǐjīng</span> xǐ <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> zǎo <span class="fondjaune">le</span> </span> <br/> He has already had a shower.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="when-to-use-过-guo-with-了-le">When to Use <span class="hanzist">过</span> (<span class="pinyinst">guo</span>) with <span class="hanzist">了</span> (<span class="pinyinst">le</span>)</h2>

  <p>So when would you use the sentences above? You'd be emphasizing that the action has already occurred (so it doesn't need to be done again), so it would probably be something like this:</p>

  <p>For the eating example:</p>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li>A:<span class="hanzi">她 想 吃饭 吗 ？</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Tā xiǎng chīfàn ma?</span> <br/> Does she want to eat?</li>

      <li>B:<span class="hanzi">她 <span class="fondvert">已经</span> 吃 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 饭 <span class="fondjaune">了</span> </span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Tā <span class="fondvert">yǐjīng</span> chī <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> fàn <span class="fondjaune">le</span> </span> <br/> She has already eaten.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <p>For the tooth brushing example:</p>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li>A:<span class="hanzi">别 忘记 刷牙。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Bié wàngjì shuā yá.</span> <br/>Don't forget to brush your teeth.</li>

      <li>B:<span class="hanzi">我 <span class="fondvert">已经</span> 刷 <span class="fondjaune">过</span> 牙 <span class="fondjaune">了</span> </span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <span class="fondvert">yǐjīng</span> shuā <span class="fondjaune">guo</span> yá <span class="fondjaune">le</span> </span> <br/> I have already brushed my teeth.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <p>For the taking a shower example:</p>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li>A:<span class="hanzi">他 应该 洗澡 。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Tā yīnggāi xǐzǎo.</span> <br/> He should take a shower.</li>

      <li>B:<span class="hanzi">他 <span class="fondvert">已经</span> 洗 <span class="fondjaune">过 了</span> 。</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Tā <span class="fondvert">yǐjīng</span> xǐ <span class="fondjaune">guo le</span> </span> <br/>He has already showered.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2>

  <ul>
    <li><a href="Expressing_experiences_with_&quot;guo&quot;" title="wikilink">Expressing experiences with "guo"</a></li>

    <li><a href="Expressing_completion_with_&quot;le&quot;" title="wikilink">Expressing completion with "le"</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 Grammar Without Tears (<span class="hanzi">简明汉语语法学习手册</span>) (pp. 73-74)</li>

    <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 345 - 347)</li>

    <li>Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 76-77, 230-232)</li>

    <li>New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (<span class="hanzi">新实用汉语课本2</span>) (pp. 175 - 176)</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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