Chinese Grammar Bank
HOW TO USE 过
This lesson is one you don’t want to miss. We’ll teach you how to use 过 in relation with past experiences.
过 (guò) is used to indicate that an action has been experienced in the past.
USING 过 WITH VERBS
This is the most basic way of using 过 (guò) to show that the verb (action) mentioned has been done or has ever happened.
过 (guò), unlike 了(le), emphasises that the verb (action) has been experienced.
过 (guò) can be understood in the sense of “have ever”.
Note that some verbs can’t be followed by 过: 知道 (zhīdao), 以为 (yǐwéi), 在 (zài), 认为 (rènwéi).
PATTERN
Subject + Verb + 过 (+ Object)
THE NEGATION OF 过
Since 过 (guò) refers to events that happened in the past, 没 (méi) is used to negate it. 没有 (méi yǒu) can be used here for emphasis.
You can also used 从来没有 (cóng lái méi yǒu) or 从来没 (cóng lái méi) to emphasise that something has never happened.
This negative form can be understand as “have never”.
Structure #1
Subject + 没 + Verb + 过 (+ Object)
Structure #2
Subject + 从来没有 + Verb + 过 (+ Object)
USING 过 WITH 了
过 (guò) is used with 了 (le) when talking about every day behaviours or actions to emphasise that something has happened already and indicate a change of state.
Here, the object may or may not be present in the sentence.
PATTERN
Subject + Verb + 过 (+ Object) + 了
| chinese | pinyin | english |
|---|---|---|
| 我看过了。 | wǒ kànguòle. | I’ve seen it. OR I have read it. |
| 我们见过面了。 | wǒmen jiànguò miànle. | We’ve (already) met. |
| 我吃过了。 | wǒ chīguòle. | I’ve already eaten. |
| 他们吃过药了. | tāmen chīguò yàole. | They have taken medicine (already). |
USING 过 IN A QUESTION
There are multiple ways to form a question with 过 to ask if something has been experienced before.
过 can be used in question forms of 吗, 有没有, 怎么, Verb…没有, among others.
Learn Mandarin with Flexi Classes
Book online classes with the best teachers in the industry.
FAQs
What does 过 mean?
过 is an aspect particle used to show that an action has been experienced in the past. You can look at it as loosely meaning “have ever”.
What are some examples of 过 in a sentence?
– 他学过中文。tā xuéguò zhōngwén. He has studied Chinese.
– 他从来没吃过这么辣的菜。tā cónglái méi chīguò zhème là de cài. He has never eaten a dish this spicy.
– 他没去过欧洲。tā méi qùguò ōuzhōu. He has never been to Europe.
– 你吃过药了吗？nǐ chīguò yàole ma? Have you taken medicine?
What other aspect particles are there?
The three most common aspect particles in Chinese are: 过, 了 and 着. Since Chinese doesn’t conjugate its verbs to show tense, aspect particles are added to verbs to show what point in time an event occurs.
过: Used to show that an event has happened in the past.
了: Used to express the completion of an action.
着: Used to show continuation of an action.
Where can I find a teacher to learn Chinese?
You can find a teacher through Flexi Classes.
Our small group classes are available 24/7, helping you find classes with certified instructors at a time most convenient to you. Now there’s no excuses not to take Chinese lessons!
What audio can I listen to to improve my listening skills?
Podcasts can be a great way to work on your Chinese while you’re busy working on something else.
Whether you’re commuting, doing the dishes, or walking the dog, these Chinese podcasts can help you take your Chinese to the next level without much effort!
How can improve my reading in Chinese?
If you have learnt at least 100 characters, then you can start reading in Chinese! Yes, even without an extensive vocabulary under your belt, you can start reading Chinese to improve your skills.
Graded readers are novels written specifically for language learners of all different levels. Here are our recommendations of the best graded readers for Chinese.