Introduction
过 (guo) after a verb says you have ever done something — at some point in your life, with no interest in when. 我去过中国。(Wǒ qùguo Zhōngguó.) — I've been to China. Whether it was last year or ten years ago is not the point.
Overview
Structure: Subj. + (没 (méi)) + Verb + 过 (guo) + Obj.
| Pattern | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Subj + V + 过 + O | 我去过中国。(Wǒ qùguo Zhōngguó.) | I've been to China. |
| Subj + 没 + V + 过 | 我没去过中国。(Wǒ méi qùguo Zhōngguó.) | I've never been to China. |
| V + 过 + 吗？ | 你吃过中国菜吗？(Nǐ chīguo Zhōngguó cài ma?) | Have you ever had Chinese food? |
| V + 过 + Number + 次 | 我去过两次。(Wǒ qùguo liǎng cì.) | I've been twice. |
| 一次也没 + V + 过 | 我一次也没去过。(Wǒ yí cì yě méi qùguo.) | I've never been, not once. |
过 (guo) is a life experience; 了 (le) is one particular event:
- 我去过中国。(Wǒ qùguo Zhōngguó.) — I've been to China. Sometime. It's on my list of experiences.
- 我去了中国。(Wǒ qù le Zhōngguó.) — I went to China. A specific trip we are both thinking about.
- The negatives differ too: 了 (le) disappears — 我没去中国 (wǒ méi qù Zhōngguó) — but 过 (guo) stays: 我没去过中国。(Wǒ méi qùguo Zhōngguó.)
- That surviving 过 is the whole tell: "never" in Chinese is 没……过 (méi … guo).
Examples
我去过中国。
Wǒ qùguo Zhōngguó.
I've been to China.
你吃过中国菜吗？
Nǐ chīguo Zhōngguó cài ma?
Have you ever had Chinese food?
我没看过这个电影。
Wǒ méi kànguo zhège diànyǐng.
I've never seen this film.
他学过三年中文。
Tā xuéguo sān nián Zhōngwén.
He studied Chinese for three years at one point.
我去过两次北京。
Wǒ qùguo liǎng cì Běijīng.
I've been to Beijing twice.
我一次也没去过。
Wǒ yí cì yě méi qùguo.
I've never been, not even once.
Usage Notes
- 过 (guo) is neutral tone and attaches straight to the verb: qùguo, chīguo, kànguo.
- The negative is 没 (méi) or 没有 (méiyǒu), never 不 (bù): ❌ 我不去过中国 (wǒ bú qùguo Zhōngguó).
- Do not use 了 (le) as well: ❌ 我去过了中国 (wǒ qùguo le Zhōngguó) in the "ever" sense.
- The number of times goes after 过 (guo): 我去过两次。(Wǒ qùguo liǎng cì.) — the counter 次 (cì) has its own lesson.
- 过 (guo) implies the experience is over and you are back. 他去中国了。(Tā qù Zhōngguó le.) — He's gone to China, and is still there.