Using "guo" with "le"
You might be familiar with how to use aspect particle 过 (guo) is used to indicate that an action has been experienced in the past, but then also see it used with the aspect particle 了 (le). What's going on here? A special explanation is in order.
Contents
The Basic Pattern
The typical pattern you'll see is:
Verb + 过 + 了
You'll notice that this pattern is often used for very everyday behaviors. It's used for actions like "eating" and "brushing one's teeth" and "taking a shower."
Some examples in Chinese:
- 她 吃 过 了。 "She ate (already)."
- 牙 刷 过 了。 "(I) brushed my teeth (already)."
- 他 洗 过 了。 "He has washed (already)."
The Pattern with an Object
For the examples above, you could have inserted an object to modify the basic pattern, getting this:
Verb + 过 + Object + 了
The object has been inserted in the sentences below:
- 她 吃 过 饭 了。 "She has eaten (a meal) (already)."
- 我 刷 过 牙 了。 "I have brushed my teeth (already)."
- 他 洗 过 澡 了。 "He has had a shower (already)."
What the 过 does
You would be right to point out that 过 is mainly used to call attention to the fact that someone has had an experience. This is the basic pattern pointed out in article on the basic usage of the aspectual particle 过.
Sources and further reading
Books
- A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 138) →buy
- Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) (pp. 73-74) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 345 - 347) →buy
- Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 76-77, 230-232) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 175 - 176) →buy
Websites
- ChinesePod: Qing Wen - 过(guo) (free podcast content)
