Difference between revisions of "Expressing experiences with "guo""
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{{Grammar Box}}
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
The [[aspect particle]] 过 (guo) is used to indicate that an '''action has been experienced''' in the past.  
 
The [[aspect particle]] 过 (guo) is used to indicate that an '''action has been experienced''' in the past.  
  
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== Basic Pattern ==
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== Basic Usage ==
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=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
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Subject + Verb + 过 + Object
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Subj. + Verb + 过 + Obj.
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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What this expresses is that the verb ''has been'' done at least once before, without specifying a particular time. 过 is used to talk about whether something has ''ever'' happened - whether it ''has been experienced''.
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What this expresses is that the verb ''has been'' done at least once before, without specifying a particular time. 过 (guo) is used to talk about whether something has ''ever'' happened - whether it ''has been experienced''.
  
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== Examples ==
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=== Examples ===
  
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Some examples of how 过 is typically used:
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In English, if you're asking a question and really trying to figure out if someone has ''ever'' done something before, we tend to use the words "ever" and "before."  In Chinese, 过 (guo) alone expresses this, without the need for additional words.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* 我 去 <em>过</em> 中国。<span class="trans">I have been to China.</span>
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* 你 学 <em>过</em> 中文 吗？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ xué <em>guo</em> Zhōngwén ma?</span><span class="trans">Have you ever studied Chinese?</span>
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* 他 吃 <em>过</em> 小笼包。<span class="trans">He has eaten steam dumplings.</span>
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* 你 见 <em>过</em> 那 个 人 吗？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiàn <em>guo</em> nàge rén ma?</span><span class="trans">Have you seen that person before?</span>
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* 你 看 <em>过</em> 那 个 人 吗？<span class="trans">Have you seen that person?</span>
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* 我们 来 <em>过</em> 这 个 地方。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen lái <em>guo</em> zhège dìfang.</span><span class="trans">We've been to this place before.</span>
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* 我 也 吃 <em>过</em> 日本菜。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yě chī <em>guo</em> Rìběn cài.</span><span class="trans">I've also eaten Japanese food before.</span>
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* 你 看 <em>过</em> 这 个 电影 吗 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ kàn <em>guo</em> zhège diànyǐng ma?</span><span class="trans">Have you seen this movie?</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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== Negating a 过 sentence ==
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== Negating a 过 (guo) Sentence ==
  
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Because 过 is used to talk about past actions, it should be [[Negation of past actions|negated with 没]]. The structure is:
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Because 过 (guo) is used to talk about past actions, it should be [[Negation of past actions with "meiyou"|negated with 没]] (méi).  
 +
 
 +
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
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Subject + 没 + Verb + 过 + Object
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Subj. + 没 + Verb + 过 + Obj.
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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Some examples:
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=== Examples ===
 +
 
 +
Note that when you translate these examples into English, "have ''never''" [done something] is often more natural, indicating that someone ''lacks the '''experience''' of having done something'', rather than just "have not" [done something].
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* 我 <em>没</em> 去 <strong>过</strong> 中国。
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* 我 <em>没</em> 想 <em>过</em> 这 个 问题。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méi</em> xiǎng  <em>guo</em> zhège wèntí.</span><span class="trans"> I've never thought about this question before.</span>
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* 他 <em>没</em> 听 <strong>过</strong> 这 首 歌。
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* 我 <em>没</em> 学 <em>过</em> 这 个 词 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>méi</em> xué <em>guo</em> zhège cí.</span><span class="trans">I have never studied this word before.</span>
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* 你 <em>没</em> 尝 <strong>过</strong> 这 种 啤酒。
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*  妈妈 <em>没</em> 买 <em>过</em> 很 贵 的 衣服。 <span class="pinyin">Māma <em>méi</em> mǎi <em>guo</em>  hěn guì de yīfu.</span><span class="trans">Mom has never bought any expensive clothes before.</span>
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* 我们 都 <em>没</em> 坐 <em>过</em> 飞机。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>méi</em> zuò <em>guo</em> fēijī.</span><span class="trans">None of us has ever been on a airplane before.</span>
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* 你们 <em>没</em> 见 <em>过</em> 美女 吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>méi</em> jiàn <em>guo</em> měinǚ ma? </span><span class="trans">Have you never seen beautiful girls before?  </span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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== Using 过 with 了 ==
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To emphasize "never" even more, you can also [[Expressing "never" with "conglai"|use the word 从来 (cónglái)]].
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== Using 过 (guo) with 了 (le) ==
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You'll sometimes see 过 (guo) used together with 了 (le).  This can be a little confusing, as it doesn't seem to be following the rules laid out above.  For more on this special usage of 过 (guo), see the article on [[Using "guo" with "le"|using 过 (guo) with 了 (le)]].
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== See also ==
  
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You'll sometimes see 过 used together with 了.  This can be a little confusing, as it doesn't seeing to be following the rules laid out above.  For more on this special usage of 过, see the article on [[Using "guo" with "le"|using 过 with 了]].
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*[[Expressing "once" with "cengjing"]]
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*[[Expressing completion with "le"]]
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*[[Aspect particle "zhe"]]
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
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* [[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) ]] (pp. 138) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 2|108}}
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* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 59-60) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
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{{Source|A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) |138}}
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* [[Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) ]] (pp. 73-4) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B0041UGAJU&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B0041UGAJU →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|59-60}}
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* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (pp. 345-7) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) |73-4}}
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* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (pp. 49-51) [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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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)|83- 4}}
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* [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (pp. 76-7, 230-2) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1|345-7}}
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* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 175-6) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2|49-51}}
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{{Source|Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide|76-7, 230-2}}
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)|175-6}}
 +
{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）|188}}
  
 
=== Websites ===
 
=== Websites ===
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* ChinesePod: [http://chinesepod.com/lessons/%E8%BF%87guo Qing Wen - 过(guo)] (free podcast content)
 
* ChinesePod: [http://chinesepod.com/lessons/%E8%BF%87guo Qing Wen - 过(guo)] (free podcast content)
  
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[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK2}}{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
 
{{Used for|Referring to the past}}
 
{{Used for|Referring to the past}}
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[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
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{{Used for|Referring to past experiences}}
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{{Basic Grammar|过|A1|Verb + 过|我 去 <em>过</em> 中国。|grammar point|ASGQGV3P}}
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{{Basic Grammar|过|A2|Verb + 过|我 去 <em>过</em> 中国 。|grammar point|ASGQGV3P}}
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{{Similar|Taiwanese "you"}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "once" with "cengjing"}}
 
{{Similar|Uses of le}}
 
{{Similar|Uses of le}}
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{{Similar|Expressing completion with "le"}}
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{{Translation|have}}
 
{{POS|Particles}}
 
{{POS|Particles}}

Latest revision as of 08:56, 21 April 2021

The aspect particle 过 (guo) is used to indicate that an action has been experienced in the past.

Basic Usage

Structure

Subj. + Verb + 过 + Obj.

What this expresses is that the verb has been done at least once before, without specifying a particular time. 过 (guo) is used to talk about whether something has ever happened - whether it has been experienced.

Examples

In English, if you're asking a question and really trying to figure out if someone has ever done something before, we tend to use the words "ever" and "before." In Chinese, 过 (guo) alone expresses this, without the need for additional words.

  • 你 学 过 中文 吗？ Nǐ xué guo Zhōngwén ma?Have you ever studied Chinese?
  • 你 见 过 那 个 人 吗？ Nǐ jiàn guo nàge rén ma?Have you seen that person before?
  • 我们 来 过 这 个 地方。Wǒmen lái guo zhège dìfang.We've been to this place before.
  • 我 也 吃 过 日本菜。 Wǒ yě chī guo Rìběn cài.I've also eaten Japanese food before.
  • 你 看 过 这 个 电影 吗 ？ Nǐ kàn guo zhège diànyǐng ma?Have you seen this movie?

Negating a 过 (guo) Sentence

Because 过 (guo) is used to talk about past actions, it should be negated with 没 (méi).

Structure

Subj. + 没 + Verb + 过 + Obj.

Examples

Note that when you translate these examples into English, "have never" [done something] is often more natural, indicating that someone lacks the experience of having done something, rather than just "have not" [done something].

  • 我 没 想 过 这 个 问题。Wǒ méi xiǎng guo zhège wèntí. I've never thought about this question before.
  • 我 没 学 过 这 个 词 。 Wǒ méi xué guo zhège cí.I have never studied this word before.
  • 妈妈 没 买 过 很 贵 的 衣服。 Māma méi mǎi guo hěn guì de yīfu.Mom has never bought any expensive clothes before.
  • 我们 都 没 坐 过 飞机。 Wǒmen dōu méi zuò guo fēijī.None of us has ever been on a airplane before.
  • 你们 没 见 过 美女 吗？Nǐmen méi jiàn guo měinǚ ma? Have you never seen beautiful girls before?

To emphasize "never" even more, you can also use the word 从来 (cónglái).

Using 过 (guo) with 了 (le)

You'll sometimes see 过 (guo) used together with 了 (le). This can be a little confusing, as it doesn't seem to be following the rules laid out above. For more on this special usage of 过 (guo), see the article on using 过 (guo) with 了 (le).

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites

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