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

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===Books===
 
===Books===
 +
{{Source|HSK Standard Course 4上|5}}
 
*[[BRIDGE (桥梁 实用汉语中级教程上)]] (p.40)  [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B003AKZFFC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B003AKZFFC&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-23 →buy]
 
*[[BRIDGE (桥梁 实用汉语中级教程上)]] (p.40)  [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B003AKZFFC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B003AKZFFC&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-23 →buy]
 
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (p. 59) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881 →buy]
 
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (p. 59) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881 →buy]
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[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK4上}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|从来|A2|从来 + 不 / 没(有) + Verb|她 <em>从来 不</em> 喝酒。我 <em>从来 没有</em> 去<em> 过</em> 美国。|grammar point|ASG8NM5E}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|从来|A2|从来 + 不 / 没(有) + Verb|她 <em>从来 不</em> 喝酒。我 <em>从来 没有</em> 去<em> 过</em> 美国。|grammar point|ASG8NM5E}}
 
{{Rel char|从不}}
 
{{Rel char|从不}}

Revision as of 08:47, 4 March 2019

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

"To Never Do" with 从来 (cónglái) + 不 (bù)

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."

Structure

The structure is:

Subj. + 从来 + 不 + [Verb Phrase]

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

Examples

  • 从来 不 喝酒。 cónglái bù hējiǔ.She never drinks.
  • 我 女朋友 从 不 给 我 打 电话。来 has been omitted here.Wǒ nǚpéngyou cóng bù gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.My girlfriend never calls me.
  • 这 个 人 很 奇怪,他 从来 不 笑。Zhège rén hěn qíguài, tā cónglái bù xiào.This person is very strange. He never laughs.
  • 你 父母 从来 不 打 你 吗?"hit" can mean "spank"Nǐ fùmǔ cónglái bù dǎ nǐ ma?Your parents never hit you?
  • 从 不 关心 别人。来 has been omitted here.cóng bù guānxīn biérén.He never cares about other people.

"To Have Never Done" with 从来 (cónglái) + 没有 (méiyǒu)

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

Structure

The structure is:

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 (guo) needs to come immediately after the verb.

Examples

  • 从来 没有 这 个 问题 吗?cónglái méiyǒu xiǎng guo zhège wèntí ma? Have you never thought about this question?
  • 从来 没 她 妈妈。cónglái méi jiàn guo tā māma.She has never met her mother.
  • 从没 这 个 词。来 has been omitted here.cóngméi xué guo zhège cí.I have never before studied this word.
  • 你们 从来 没有 听说 这 个 地方 吗?Nǐmen cónglái méiyǒu tīngshuō guo zhège dìfang ma? Have you never heard about this place before?
  • 很 多 中国人 从来 没 国。Hěn duō Zhōngguó rén cónglái méi chū guo guó.A lot of Chinese people have never been abroad.

See Also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites

"HSK4上" is not in the list (HSK0, HSK1, HSK2, HSK3, HSK4, HSK5, HSK6) of allowed values for the "HSK" property. :Yes