ChineseGrammarWiki/ancien/Chinese-Grammar-Wiki/MD/A2/47.mw

{{Grammar Box}} 
The [[aspect particle]] 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 [[Negation of past actions with "meiyou"|negated with 没]] (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 [[Expressing "never" with "conglai"|use the word 从来 (cónglái)]].

== 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 "guo" with "le"|using 过 (guo) with 了 (le)]].

==See Also==
*[[Expressing completion with "le"]]
*[[Aspect particle "zhe"]]

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===

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

=== Websites ===

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

[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
{{Used for|Referring to the past}}
{{Used for|Referring to past experiences}}
{{Basic Grammar|过|A2|Verb + 过|我 去 <em>过</em> 中国。|grammar point|ASGQGV3P}}
{{Similar|Taiwanese "you"}}
{{Similar|Uses of le}}
{{Similar|Expressing completion with "le"}}
{{Translation|have}}
{{POS|Particles}}