Expressing "never" with "conglai"

Although it can also work in the positive, 从来 (cónglái) is usually learned 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 of these two usages, 从来 may be shortened to just 从 in casual speech.

Structure with 不

When you follow 从来 with 不, 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."

Subject + 从来 不 + Verb Phrase

Examples

• 她 从来 不 喝 酒。She never drinks.
• 我 从来 不 一 个 人 在 家。I have never been home alone.
• 他 从来 不 关心 别人。He never cares about others.
• 我 从来 不 吃 鱼。I never eat fish.
• 我 从来 不 说 英文。I never speak English.
• 我 爸爸 从来 不 生气。My dad never angry.
• 你 父母 从来 不 打 你 吗？Do your parents never hit you?
• 我 的 女朋友 从来 不 给 我 打电话。My girlfriend never gives me a call.
• 她 很 奇怪，她 从来 不 笑。She is very strange, she never laughs.
• 这 个 地方 从来 不 下雪。It never snows at this place.

Keep in mind that 从来 may be shortened to just 从 in casual speech.

Subject + 从不 + Verb Phrase

• 她 从不 喝 酒。She never drinks.
• 我 从不 一 个 人 在 家。I have never been home alone.
• 他 从不 关心 别人。He never cares about others.
• 我 从不 吃 鱼。I never eat fish.
• 我 从不 说 英文。I never speak English.
• 我 爸爸 从不 生气。My dad never angry.
• 你 父母 从不 打 你 吗？Do your parents never hit you?
• 我 的 女朋友 从不 给 我 打电话。My girlfriend never gives me a call.
• 她 很 奇怪，她 从不 笑。She is very strange, she never laughs.
• 这 个 地方 从不 下雪。It never snows at this place.

Structure with 没

Use 从来 with 没 or 没有 (and 过 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 is appropriate. 过 also makes sense, because you're making a statement about your life experience.

Keep in mind that 从来 may be shortened to just 从 in casual speech.

Subject + 从来 没有 + Verb + 过

Subject + 从来 没 + Verb + 过

Note that you can have an object or other information after the verb, but the 过 needs to come immediately after the verb.

Examples

• 我 从来 没有 想 过 这 个 问题。I never thought of this problem.
• 我 从来 没有 做 过 中国 菜。I have never made Chinese food.
• 他 从来 没有 喝 醉 过 。He has never been drunk.
• 我 从来 没有 吃 过 臭 豆腐。I have never eaten stinky Tofu.
• 我 从来 没有 去 过 美国。I have never went to America.
• 她 从来 没有 哭 过。She never cried.
• 我 从来 没有 听说 过 这 个 地方。I have never before heard about this place.
• 有的 孩子 从来 没有 用 过 电脑。Some kids have never used a computer.
• 分手 以后， 我 从来 没有 联系 过 他。After breaking up, I never contacted him again.
• 我 从来 没有 吃 过 这么 好吃 的 pizza。I have never before eaten such a good pizza.

Also, Keep in mind that 从来 may be shortened to just 从 in casual speech. So the pattern is:

Subject + 从没 + Verb + 过

• 我 从没 想 过 这 个 问题。I never thought of this problem.
• 我 从没 做 过 中国 菜。I have never made Chinese food.
• 他 从没 喝 醉 过 。He has never been drunk.
• 我 从没 吃 过 臭 豆腐。I have never eaten stinky Tofu.
• 我 从没 去 过 美国。I have never went to America.
• 她 从没 哭 过。She never cried.
• 我 从没 听说 过 这 个 地方。I have never before heard about this place.
• 有的 孩子 从没 用 过 电脑。Some kids have never used a computer.
• 分手 以后， 我 从没 没有 联系 过 他。After breaking up, I never contacted him again.
• 我 从没 吃 过 这么 好吃 的 pizza。I have never before eaten such a good pizza.

Sources and further reading

Books

• BRIDGE (桥梁 实用汉语中级教程上) (pp.40) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (p. 59) →buy

Websites

• Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Usage of 从来