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 (cónglái) may be shortened to just 从 (cóng) in casual speech.

从来 with 不

Structure

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."

Subject + 从来 + 不 + Verb Phrase

Examples

• 她 从来 不 喝 酒 。 Tā cónglái bù hē jiǔ. She never drinks.
• 我 从来 不 一 个 人 在 家 。 Wǒ cónglái bù yī gè rén zài jiā. I have never been home alone.
• 他 从来 不 关心 别人 。 Tā cónglái bù guānxīn biérén. He never cares about others.
• 我 从来 不 吃 鱼 。 Wǒ cónglái bù chī yú. I never eat fish.
• 我 从来 不 说 英文 。 Wǒ cónglái bù shuō Yīngwén. I never speak English.
• 我 爸爸 从来 不 生气 。 Wǒ bàba cónglái bù shēngqì. My dad never angry.
• 你 父母 从来 不 打 你 吗 ？ Nǐ fùmǔ cónglái bù dǎ nǐ ma? Do your parents never hit you?
• 我 的 女朋友 从来 不 给 我 打电话 。 Wǒ de nǚpéngyou cónglái bù gěi wǒ dǎdiànhuà. My girlfriend never gives me a call.
• 她 很 奇怪 ， 她 从来 不 笑 。 Tā hěn qíguài, tā cónglái bù xiào. She is very strange, she never laughs.
• 这 个 地方 从来 不 下雪 。 Zhè gè dìfang cónglái bù xiàxuě. It never snows at this place.

Keep in mind that 从来 (cónglái) may be shortened to just 从 (cóng) in casual speech.

Subject + 从不 + Verb Phrase

• 她 从不 喝 酒 。 Tā cóngbù hē jiǔ. She never drinks.
• 我 从不 一 个 人 在 家 。 Wǒ cóngbù yī gè rén zài jiā. I have never been home alone.
• 他 从不 关心 别人 。 Tā cóngbù guānxīn biérén. He never cares about others.
• 我 从不 吃 鱼 。 Wǒ cóngbù chī yú. I never eat fish.
• 我 从不 说 英文 。 Wǒ cóngbù shuō Yīngwén. I never speak English.
• 我 爸爸 从不 生气 。 Wǒ bàba cóngbù shēngqì. My dad never angry.
• 你 父母 从不 打 你 吗 ？ Nǐ fùmǔ cóngbù dǎ nǐ ma? Do your parents never hit you?
• 我 的 女朋友 从不 给 我 打电话 。 Wǒ de nǚpéngyou cóngbù gěi wǒ dǎdiànhuà. My girlfriend never gives me a call.
• 她 很 奇怪 ， 她 从不 笑 。 Tā hěn qíguài, tā cóngbù xiào. She is very strange, she never laughs.
• 这 个 地方 从不 下雪 。 Zhè gè dìfang cóngbù xiàxuě. It never snows at this place.

从来 with 没

Structure

Use 从来 (cónglái) with 没 (méi) or 没有 (méiyǒu) (and 过 (guò) 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 (guò) also makes sense, because you're making a statement about your life experience.

Keep in mind that 从来 (cónglái) may be shortened to just 从 (cóng) in casual speech.

Subject + 从来 + 没(有) + Verb + 过

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

Examples

• 我 从来 没(有) 去 过 美国 。 Wǒ cónglái méiyǒu qù guò Měiguó. I have never gone to the USA.
• 我 从来 没(有) 想 过 这 个 问题 。 Wǒ cónglái méiyǒu xiǎng guò zhè gè wèntí. I have never thought of this problem.
• 我 从来 没(有) 做 过 中国 菜 。 Wǒ cónglái méiyǒu zuò guò Zhōngguó cài. I have never made Chinese food.
• 他 从来 没(有) 喝 过 可乐 。 Tā cónglái méiyǒu hē guò kělè. He has never been drunk cola.
• 我 从来 没(有) 吃 过 臭 豆腐 。 Wǒ cónglái méiyǒu chī guò chòu dòu fu. I have never eaten stinky tofu.
• 她 从来 没(有) 哭 过 。 Tā cónglái méiyǒu kū guò. She has never cried.
• 我 从来 没(有) 听说 过 这 个 地方 。 Wǒ cónglái méiyǒu tīngshuō guò zhè gè dìfang. I have never before heard about this place.
• 有的 孩子 从来 没(有) 用 过 电脑 。 Yǒude háizi cónglái méiyǒu yòng guò diànnǎo. Some kids have never used a computer.
• 分手 以后 ， 我 从来 没(有) 见 过 他 。 Fēnshǒu yǐhòu, wǒ cónglái méiyǒu jiàn guò tā. After breaking up, I never saw him again.
• 我 从来 没(有) 学 过 这 个 词 。 Wǒ cónglái méiyǒu xué guò zhè gè cí. I have never before studied this word.

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

Subject + 从没 + Verb + 过

• 我 从没 去 过 美国 。 Wǒ cóngméi qù guò Měiguó. I have never gone to the USA.
• 我 从没 想 过 这 个 问题 。 Wǒ cóngméi xiǎng guò zhè gè wèntí. I have never thought of this problem.
• 我 从没 做 过 中国 菜 。 Wǒ cóngméi zuò guò Zhōngguó cài. I have never made Chinese food.
• 他 从没 喝 过 可乐 。 Tā cóngméi hē guò kělè. He has never been drunk cola.
• 我 从没 吃 过 臭 豆腐 。 Wǒ cóngméi chī guò chòu dòu fu. I have never eaten stinky tofu.
• 她 从没 哭 过 。 Tā cóngméi kū guò. She has never cried.
• 我 从没 听说 过 这 个 地方 。 Wǒ cóngméi tīngshuō guò zhè gè dìfang. I have never before heard about this place.
• 有的 孩子 从没 用 过 电脑 。 Yǒude háizi cóngméi yòng guò diànnǎo. Some kids have never used a computer.
• 分手 以后 ， 我 从没 见 过 他 。 Fēnshǒu yǐhòu, wǒ cóngméi jiàn guò tā. After breaking up, I never saw him again.
• 我 从没 学 过 这 个 词 。 Wǒ cóngméi xué guò zhè gè cí. I have never before studied this word.

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