Difference between revisions of "Expressing "never" with "conglai""
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| − | * 她 <em>从来 不</em> 喝酒。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cónglái bù</em> hējiǔ. </span><span class="trans">She never drinks. </span> | + | * 她 <em>从来 不</em> 喝酒。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cónglái bù</em> hējiǔ.</span><span class="trans">She never drinks.</span> |
| − | *我 女朋友 <em>从 不</em> 给 我 打 电话。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">来 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚpéngyou <em>cóng bù</em> gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">My girlfriend never gives me a call. </span> | + | *我 女朋友 <em>从 不</em> 给 我 打 电话。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">来 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚpéngyou <em>cóng bù</em> gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">My girlfriend never gives me a call.</span> |
| − | *这 个 人 很 奇怪，他 <em>从来 不</em> 笑。<span class="pinyin">Zhège rén hěn qíguài, tā <em>cónglái bù</em> xiào. </span><span class="trans">This person is very strange. He never laughs. </span> | + | *这 个 人 很 奇怪，他 <em>从来 不</em> 笑。<span class="pinyin">Zhège rén hěn qíguài, tā <em>cónglái bù</em> xiào.</span><span class="trans">This person is very strange. He never laughs.</span> |
*你 父母 <em>从来 不</em> 打 你 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ fùmǔ <em>cónglái bù</em> dǎ nǐ ma?</span><span class="trans">Your parents never hit you? </span> | *你 父母 <em>从来 不</em> 打 你 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ fùmǔ <em>cónglái bù</em> dǎ nǐ ma?</span><span class="trans">Your parents never hit you? </span> | ||
| − | *他 <em>从 不</em> 关心 别人。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">来 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cóng bù</em> guānxīn biérén. </span><span class="trans">He never cares about other people. </span> | + | *他 <em>从 不</em> 关心 别人。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">来 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cóng bù</em> guānxīn biérén.</span><span class="trans">He never cares about other people.</span> |
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* 你 <em>从来 没有</em> 想 <em>过</em> 这 个 问题 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cónglái méiyǒu</em> xiǎng <em>guo</em> zhège wèntí ma? </span><span class="trans">Have you never thought about this question? </span> | * 你 <em>从来 没有</em> 想 <em>过</em> 这 个 问题 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cónglái méiyǒu</em> xiǎng <em>guo</em> zhège wèntí ma? </span><span class="trans">Have you never thought about this question? </span> | ||
| − | * 她 <em>从来 没</em> 见 <em>过</em> 她 妈妈。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cónglái méi</em> jiàn <em>guo</em> tā māma. </span><span class="trans">She has never met her mother. </span> | + | * 她 <em>从来 没</em> 见 <em>过</em> 她 妈妈。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cónglái méi</em> jiàn <em>guo</em> tā māma.</span><span class="trans">She has never met her mother.</span> |
* 我 <em>从没</em> 学 <em>过</em> 这 个 词。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">来 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>cóngméi</em> xué <em>guo</em> zhège cí.</span><span class="trans">I have never before studied this word.</span> | * 我 <em>从没</em> 学 <em>过</em> 这 个 词。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">来 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>cóngméi</em> xué <em>guo</em> zhège cí.</span><span class="trans">I have never before studied this word.</span> | ||
* 你们 <em>从来 没有</em> 听说 <em>过</em> 这 个 地方 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>cónglái méiyǒu</em> tīngshuō <em>guo</em> zhège dìfang ma? </span><span class="trans">Have you never heard about this place before? </span> | * 你们 <em>从来 没有</em> 听说 <em>过</em> 这 个 地方 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>cónglái méiyǒu</em> tīngshuō <em>guo</em> zhège dìfang ma? </span><span class="trans">Have you never heard about this place before? </span> | ||
| − | * 很 多 中国人 <em>从来 没</em> 出 <em> 过</em> 国。<span class="pinyin">Hěn duō Zhōngguó rén <em>cónglái méi</em> chū <em> guo</em> guó. </span><span class="trans">A lot of Chinese people have never been abroad.</span> | + | * 很 多 中国人 <em>从来 没</em> 出 <em> 过</em> 国。<span class="pinyin">Hěn duō Zhōngguó rén <em>cónglái méi</em> chū <em> guo</em> guó.</span><span class="trans">A lot of Chinese people have never been abroad.</span> |
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Revision as of 04:11, 24 May 2017
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Keywords
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.
Contents
"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。 She never drinks.
- 我 女朋友 从 不 给 我 打 电话。来 has been omitted here.My girlfriend never gives me a call.
- 这 个 人 很 奇怪，他 从来 不 笑。This person is very strange. He never laughs.
- 你 父母 从来 不 打 你 吗？Your parents never hit you?
- 他 从 不 关心 别人。来 has been omitted here.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？Have you never thought about this question?
- 她 从来 没 见 过 她 妈妈。She has never met her mother.
- 我 从没 学 过 这 个 词。来 has been omitted here.I have never before studied this word.
- 你们 从来 没有 听说 过 这 个 地方 吗？Have you never heard about this place before?
- 很 多 中国人 从来 没 出 过 国。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) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (p. 59) →buy
Websites
- Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Usage of 从来
