Difference between revisions of "Expressing "never" with "conglai""

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* 我 <em>从来 没(有)</em> <em> 过</em> 美国 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>cónglái méiyǒu</em> qù <em> guò</em> Měiguó.</span> <span class="trans">I have never gone to the USA.</span>
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* 我 <em>从来 没(有)</em> 想 <em>过</em> 这 个 问题 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>cónglái méiyǒu</em> xiǎng <em>guò</em> zhè ge wèntí.</span> <span class="trans">I have never thought about this problem.</span>
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* 我 <em>从没</em> <em>过</em> 这 个 词 。 <span class="expl">来 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>cóngméi</em> xué <em>guo</em> zhè ge .</span> <span class="trans">I have never before studied this word.</span>
* <em>从来 没(有)</em> <em>过</em> 中国 菜 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>cónglái méiyǒu</em> zuò <em>guò</em> Zhōngguó cài.</span> <span class="trans">I have never made Chinese food.</span>
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* 很多 中国人 <em>从来 没 </em> <em> 过</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>cónglái méi</em> chū <em> guo</em> guó.</span> <span class="trans">A lot of Chinese people have never been abroad.</span>
* 他 <em>从来 没(有)</em> 喝 <em>过</em> 可乐 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cónglái méiyǒu</em> hē <em>guò</em> kělè.</span> <span class="trans">He has never been drunk cola.</span>
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* <em>从来 没有</em> <em>过</em> 这 个 问题 吗?<span class="pinyin"><em>cónglái méiyǒu</em> xiǎng <em>guo</em> zhè ge wèntí.</span> <span class="trans">Have you never thought about this problem?</span>
* <em>从来 没(有)</em> <em>过</em> 臭 豆腐 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>cónglái méiyǒu</em> chī <em>guò</em> chòu dòufu.</span> <span class="trans">I have never eaten stinky tofu.</span>
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* 她 <em>从来 没</em> <em>过</em> 她妈妈。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cónglái méi</em> jiàn <em>guo</em> tāmāma.</span> <span class="trans">She has never seen her mother.</span>
* 她 <em>从来 没(有)</em> <em>过</em> <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cónglái méiyǒu</em> <em>guò</em>.</span> <span class="trans">She has never cried.</span>
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* 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> zhè ge dìfang ma?</span> <span class="trans">Have you never before heard about this place?</span>
* <em>从来 没(有)</em> 听说 <em>过</em> 这 个 地方 <span class="pinyin"><em>cónglái méiyǒu</em> tīngshuō <em>guò</em> zhè ge dìfang.</span> <span class="trans">I have never before heard about this place.</span>
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* 有的 孩子 <em>从来 没(有)</em> 用 <em>过</em> 电脑 。 <span class="pinyin">Yǒude háizi <em>cónglái méiyǒu</em> yòng <em>guò</em> diànnǎo.</span> <span class="trans">Some kids have never used a computer.</span>
 
* 分手 以后 , 我 <em>从没</em> 见 <em>过</em> 他 。 <span class="expl">来 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Fēnshǒu yǐhòu, wǒ <em>cóngméi</em> jiàn <em>guò</em> tā.</span> <span class="trans">After breaking up, I never saw him again.</span>
 
* 我 <em>从没</em> 学 <em>过</em> 这 个 词 。 <span class="expl">来 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>cóngméi</em> xué <em>guò</em> zhè ge cí.</span> <span class="trans">I have never before studied this word.</span>
 
  
 
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Revision as of 01:36, 14 October 2015

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

"To never do" with 从来不

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."

Subj. + 从来 + 不 + [Verb Phrase]

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

Examples

  • 从来 不 喝 酒。 cónglái bù hē jiǔ. She never drinks.
  • 我 女朋友 从 不 给 我 打 电话。来 has been omitted here.Wǒ de nǚpéngyou cóng bù gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà. My girlfriend never gives me a call.
  • 这 个 人 很 奇怪,他 从来 不 笑。Zhè ge rén hěn qíguài, tā cóngbù xiào. This person is very strange.He never laughs.
  • 你 父母 从来 不 打 你 吗 ? Nǐ fùmǔ cónglái bù dǎ nǐ ma? Do your parents never hit you?
  • 从 不 关心 别人。 来 has been omitted here.cóng bù guānxīn biérén. He never cares about others.

"To have never done" with 从来没

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.

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 (guò) needs to come immediately after the verb.

Examples

  • 从没 这 个 词 。 来 has been omitted here.cóngméi xué guo zhè ge cí. I have never before studied this word.
  • 很多 中国人 从来 没 国 。 cónglái méi chū guo guó. A lot of Chinese people have never been abroad.
  • 从来 没有 这 个 问题 吗?cónglái méiyǒu xiǎng guo zhè ge wèntí. Have you never thought about this problem?
  • 从来 没 她妈妈。 cónglái méi jiàn guo tāmāma. She has never seen her mother.
  • 你们 从来 没有 听说 这 个 地方 吗?Nǐmen cónglái méiyǒu tīngshuō guo zhè ge dìfang ma? Have you never before heard about this place?


See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites