Expressing "never" with "conglai"

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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 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

  • 从来 不 喝 酒 。 cónglái bù hē jiǔ. She never drinks.
  • 从来 不 一 个 人 在 家 。 cónglái bù yī gè rén zài jiā. I have never been home alone.
  • 从来 不 关心 别人 。 cónglái bù guānxīn biérén. He never cares about others.
  • 从来 不 吃 鱼 。 cónglái bù chī yú. I never eat fish.
  • 从来 不 说 英文 。 cónglái bù shuō Yīngwén. I never speak English.
  • 我 爸爸 从来 不 生气 。 Wǒ bàba cónglái bù shēngqì. My dad never gets 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 dǎ diànhuà. 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 a casual setting.

Subject + 从不 + Verb Phrase

  • 从不 喝 酒 。 cóngbù hē jiǔ. She never drinks.
  • 从不 一 个 人 在 家 。 cóngbù yī gè rén zài jiā. I have never been home alone.
  • 从不 关心 别人 。 cóngbù guānxīn biérén. He never cares about others.
  • 从不 吃 鱼 。 cóngbù chī yú. I never eat fish.
  • 从不 说 英文 。 cóngbù shuō Yīngwén. I never speak English.
  • 我 爸爸 从不 生气 。 Wǒ bàba cóngbù shēngqì. My dad never gets 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 dǎ diànhuà. 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.

Again, 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

  • 从来 没(有) 美国 。 cónglái méiyǒu guò Měiguó. I have never gone to the USA.
  • 从来 没(有) 这 个 问题 。 cónglái méiyǒu xiǎng guò zhè gè wèntí. I have never thought about this problem.
  • 从来 没(有) 中国 菜 。 cónglái méiyǒu zuò guò Zhōngguó cài. I have never made Chinese food.
  • 从来 没(有) 可乐 。 cónglái méiyǒuguò kělè. He has never been drunk cola.
  • 从来 没(有) 臭 豆腐 。 cónglái méiyǒu chī guò chòu dòu fu. I have never eaten stinky tofu.
  • 从来 没(有)cónglái méiyǒuguò. She has never cried.
  • 从来 没(有) 听说 这 个 地方 。 cónglái méiyǒu tīngshuō guò zhè gè dìfang. I have never before heard about this place.
  • 有的 孩子 从来 没(有) 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) 他 。 Fēnshǒu yǐhòu, wǒ cónglái méiyǒu jiàn guò tā. After breaking up, I never saw him again.
  • 从来 没(有) 这 个 词 。 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

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

See also

Sources and further reading

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