Difference between revisions of "Expressing "never" with "conglai""
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{{Grammar Box}}
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{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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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).
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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.
  
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== Structure with 不 ==
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== "To Never Do" with 从来 (cónglái) + 不 (bù) ==
  
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When you follow 从来 with 不, 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."
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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."
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=== Structure ===
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The structure is:
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
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Subject + 从 来不 + Verb Phrase
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Subj. + 从来 + 不 + [Verb Phrase]
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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== Examples ==
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Keep in mind that 从来 (cónglái) may be shortened to just 从 (cóng) in casual speech.
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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*她 对 酒 过敏，所以 <em>从来 不</em> 喝酒。
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* 她 <em>从来 不</em> 喝酒。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cónglái bù</em> hējiǔ.</span><span class="trans">She never drinks.</span>
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*我 <em>从来 不</em> 喜欢 一 个 人 在 家。
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*我 女朋友 <em>从 不</em> 给 我 打 电话。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">来 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚpéngyou <em>cóng bù</em> gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">My girlfriend never calls me.</span>
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*他 <em>从来 不</em> 关心 别人，只 关心 自己。
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*这 个 人 很 奇怪，他 <em>从来 不</em> 笑。<span class="pinyin">Zhège rén hěn qíguài, tā <em>cónglái bù</em> xiào.</span><span class="trans">This person is very strange. He never laughs.</span>
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*你 父母 <em>从来 不</em> 打 你 吗？<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">"hit" can mean "spank"</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ fùmǔ <em>cónglái bù</em> dǎ nǐ ma?</span><span class="trans">Your parents never hit you?</span>
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*他 <em>从 不</em> 关心 别人。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">来 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cóng bù</em> guānxīn biérén.</span><span class="trans">He never cares about other people.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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== Structure with 没 ==
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== "To Have Never Done" with 从来 (cónglái) + 没有 (méiyǒu) ==
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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.
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=== Structure ===
  
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Use 从来 with 没 or 没有 (and 过 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 is appropriate.  过 also makes sense, because you're making a statement about your life experience.
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The structure is:
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
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Subject + 从来 没(有) + Verb + 过
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Subj. + 从来 + 没(有) + Verb + 过
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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Note that you can have an object or other information after the verb, but the 过 needs to come immediately after the verb.
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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.
  
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== Examples ==
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* 我 <em>从来 没</em> 想 <em>过</em> 要 这样 做。
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* 你 <em>从来 没有</em> 想 <em>过</em> 这 个 问题 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>cónglái méiyǒu</em> xiǎng <em>guo</em> zhège wèntí ma? </span><span class="trans">Have you never thought about this question? </span>
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* 我 <em>从来 没有</em> 做 <em>过</em> 中国 菜。
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* 她 <em>从来 没</em> 见 <em>过</em> 她 妈妈。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cónglái méi</em> jiàn <em>guo</em> tā māma.</span><span class="trans">She has never met her mother.</span>
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*他 酒量 很 好，<em>从来 没</em> 喝醉 <em>过</em> 。
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* 我 <em>从没</em> 学 <em>过</em> 这 个 词。<span class="expl pdf-simple-expl">来 has been omitted here.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>cóngméi</em> xué <em>guo</em> zhège cí.</span><span class="trans">I have never before studied this word.</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> zhège dìfang ma? </span><span class="trans">Have you never heard about this place before? </span>
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* 很 多 中国人 <em>从来 没</em> 出 <em> 过</em> 国。<span class="pinyin">Hěn duō Zhōngguó rén <em>cónglái méi</em> chū <em> guo</em> guó.</span><span class="trans">A lot of Chinese people have never been abroad.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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== Structure with 都 ==
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== See Also ==
  
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从来 with the negative adverbs 不 and 没有 create the meaning of never, so as can be expected, without these negative adverbs, 从来 takes on the meaning of "always." (Literally, 从来 means something like "from the beginning," although no one is really thinking that phrase when they use it.)  When used in the positive, though, it is customary to put the adverb 都 after the 从来.
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*[[Expressing experiences with "guo" ]]
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*[[Comparing "bu" and "mei" ]]
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*[["meiyou" as a Verb ]]
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*[[Standard negation with "bu"]]
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*[["Always" with "conglai"]]
  
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<div class="jiegou">
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== Sources and further reading ==
  
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Subject + 从来 + 都 + Verb Phrase
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===Books===
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 4上|5}}
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*[[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]
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* [[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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</div>
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===Websites===
  
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== Examples ==
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* Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0119.html Usage of 从来]
  
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<div class="liju">
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[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK4}}
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* 她 <em>从来 都</em> 是 这样，自私 得 很。
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{{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}}
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* 我 <em>从来 都</em> 是 一 个 人，已经 习惯 了。
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{{Rel char|从不}}
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* 他 <em>从来 都</em> 不 会 做饭。
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{{Rel char|从没}}
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{{Rel char|没有}}
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</div>
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{{Rel char|不}}
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{{Similar|"Always" with "conglai"}}
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== See also ==
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{{Similar|Expressing "always previously" with "xianglai"}}
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{{POS|Verbs}}
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== Sources and further reading ==
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{{Subprop|Verb phrases}}
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{{Used for| Expressing frequency}}
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{{Used for|Referring to the past}}
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{{Used for|Referring to habitual actions}}
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{{Translation|Never}}

Latest revision as of 04:52, 9 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

  • 她 从来 不 喝酒。 Tā 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?
  • 他 从 不 关心 别人。来 has been omitted here.Tā 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

  • 你 从来 没有 想 过 这 个 问题 吗？Nǐ cónglái méiyǒu xiǎng guo zhège wèntí ma? Have you never thought about this question?
  • 她 从来 没 见 过 她 妈妈。Tā cónglái méi jiàn guo tā māma.She has never met her mother.
  • 我 从没 学 过 这 个 词。来 has been omitted here.Wǒ cóngméi xué guo zhège cí.I have never before studied this word.
  • 你们 从来 没有 听说 过 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 出 过 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



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