Expressing experiences with "guo"

The aspect particle 过 (guò) is used to indicate that an action has been experienced in the past.

Basic Pattern

Structure

Subj. + Verb + 过 + Obj.

What this expresses is that the verb has been done at least once before, without specifying a particular time. 过 (guò) 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 (guò) alone expresses this, without the need for additional words.

• 你 学 过 中文 吗？ Nǐ xué guo Zhōngwén ma? Have you ever studied Chinese?
• 你 见 过 那 个 人 吗？ Nǐ jiàn guo nà gè rén ma? Have you seen that person before?
• 我们 都 听说 过 过 这 个 地方。Wǒmen dōu tīngshuō guo zhège dìfang. We've all heard about this place.
• 我 做 过 这样 的 工作 。 Wǒ zuò guo zhèyàng de gōngzuò. I have done work like this before.
• 你 看 过 这 个 电影 吗 ？ Nǐ kàn guo zhè ge diànyǐng ma? Have you seen this movie?

Negating a 过 sentence

Because 过 (guò) is used to talk about past actions, it should be negated with 没 (méi).

Structure

Subj. + 没 + Verb + 过 + Obj.

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].

• 我 没 听 过 他 的 歌 。 Wǒ méi tīng guò tā de gē. He has not heard his song.
• 你 没 学 过 中文 ？ Nǐ méi xué guò Zhōngwén? You have never studied Chinese before?
• 你 没 看 过 这 个 电影 吗 ？ Nǐ méi kàn guò zhè ge diànyǐng ma? You have never seen this movie?
• 你 没 学 过 这 个 词 吗？ Wǒ méi xué guò zhè ge cí. I have never studied this word.
• 你 没 见 过 那 个 人 吗 ？ Nǐ méi jiàn guò nà gè rén ma? Haven't you seen that person?
• 我 没 做 过 这样 的 工作 。 Wǒ méi zuò guò zhèyàng de gōngzuò. I have never done this kind of work.

Using 过 with 了

You'll sometimes see 过 (guò) used together with 了 (le). This can be a little confusing, as it doesn't seeing to be following the rules laid out above. For more on this special usage of 过 (guò), see the article on using 过 (guò) 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) →buy
• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 59-60) →buy
• Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) (pp. 73-4) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 83- 4) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 345-7) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 49-51) →buy
• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 76-7, 230-2) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 175-6) →buy
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 188)→buy

Websites

• ChinesePod: Qing Wen - 过(guo) (free podcast content)