過/过 guò Grammar

Grammar Point:
The particle 過过 guò is used to talk about something you have or haven’t experienced in the past. It always goes right after the verb.

Structure

S + V + 過过 guò + O

我wǒ去qù過guò中國Zhōngguó我wǒ去qù过guò中国Zhōngguó
I have been to China.

你nǐ看kàn過guò這zhè部bù電影diànyǐng嗎ma？ 你nǐ看kàn过guò这zhè部bù电影diànyǐng吗ma？
Have you seen this movie before?

我wǒ見jiàn過guò他tā我wǒ见jiàn过guò他tā
I have met him before.

我wǒ說shuō過guò嗎ma？？我wǒ说shuō过guò吗ma？？
Have I said that before?

Topic + S + V + 過过 guò

The topic in spoken Chinese is often placed at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the question or statement. For example, “This movie, did you see it?” This is not a very formal way of speaking, but it is very common in casual conversations.

這zhè部bù電影diànyǐng你nǐ看kàn過guò嗎ma？ 这zhè部bù电影diànyǐng你nǐ看kàn过guò吗ma？
Have you seen this movie before?

他tā我wǒ見jiàn過guò他tā我wǒ见jiàn过guò
I have met him before.

臭豆腐chòudòufǔ他tā吃chī過guò臭豆腐chòudòufu他tā吃chī过guò
He had tried stinky tofu before.

他家tājiā我wǒ去qù過guò， 很hěn大dà很hěn漂亮piāoliàng！ 他家tājiā我wǒ去qù过guò， 很hěn大dà很hěn漂亮piāoliàng！
I’ve been to his house. It’s big and beautiful!

Negation

Since you are talking about a past experience, something that you did not choose on your own, you will always use 没(有) méi(yǒu) to indicate that you have never experienced it.

📚 Chinese grammar of 不 bù and 沒 méi

他tā沒有méiyǒu吃chī過guò臭豆腐chòudòufǔ他tā没有méiyǒu吃chī过guò臭豆腐chòudòufu
He had never tried stinky tofu before.

我wǒ沒有méiyǒu學xué過guò中文zhōngwén我wǒ没有méiyǒu学xué过guò中文zhōngwén
I’ve never studied Chinese before.

他tā我wǒ沒méi愛ài過guò他tā我wǒ没méi爱ài过guò
I’ve never loved him before.

這zhè話huà我wǒ沒méi說shuō過guò这zhè话huà我wǒ没méi说shuō过guò
I’ve never said that.

Negation + Never (to emphasize)

Because 過过 guò is used to describe past experiences, you can combine it with 從來沒(有)从来没(有) cónglái méiyǒu to emphasize that something has never happened.

我wǒ從來cónglái沒有méiyǒu學xué過guò中文zhōngwén我wǒ从来cónglái没有méiyǒu学xué过guò中文zhōngwén
I’ve never studied Chinese before.

他tā從來cónglái沒méi想xiǎng過guò要yào當dāng中文zhōngwén老師lǎoshī他tā从来cónglái没méi想xiǎng过guò要yào当dāng中文zhōngwén老师lǎoshī
He never thought of becoming a Chinese teacher.

我wǒ從來cónglái沒有méiyǒu這麼zhème累lèi過guò我wǒ从来cónglái没有méiyǒu这么zhèyāo累lèi过guò
I’ve never been so tired before.

Here you may be wondering why I used “tired” here since it’s not typically used as a verb in English. The answer is that in Chinese, adjectives are considered stative verbs, meaning they are a type of verb. Therefore, “tired” can be used as a verb in this context.

The difference between 了₁ le and 過过 guò

過过 guò refers to experiences that can be repeated.
了₁ le refers to a complete action that is a single occurrence at one specific time.

他tā去qù過guò很hěn多duō國家guójiā他tā去qù过guò很hěn多duō国家guójiā
He has been to many countries before. (from past through the present.)

他tā去qù了le很hěn多duō國家guójiā他tā去qù了le很hěn多duō国家guójiā
He went to many countries. (during his last trip)

他tā吃chī過guò臭豆腐chòudòufǔ他tā吃chī过guò臭豆腐chòudòufu
He has tried stinky tofu before. (He has experienced it)

他tā吃chī了le臭豆腐chòudòufǔ他tā吃chī了le臭豆腐chòudòufu
He ate stinky tofu. (maybe yesterday)

他tā結jié過guò婚hūn他tā结jié过guò婚hūn
He was married.
(過过 guò is an aspect particle indicating that the action of getting married has happened before in the past, and it emphasizes the experiential aspect of the action. It suggests that he has had the experience of being married at least once in the past.)

他tā結jié了le婚hūn他tā结jié了le婚hūn
He got married.
(了₁ le is an aspect particle indicating the completion of an action. It suggests that he has completed the action of getting married, and it doesn’t give any information about whether he has been married before or not or whether the marriage is ongoing.)

 Chinese grammar guo

How about了₂ le and 過过 guò ?

了₂ le refers to a changed state. It is used to emphasize that the situation is different compared to before. When it combines with 過过 guò, you get something like “it is now the case that something has been done.” This is nearly always used to talk about frequent, everyday actions.

你nǐ吃飯chīfàn了le嗎ma？ 你nǐ吃饭chīfàn了le吗ma？
Have you eaten?
(It’s a general question about whether the person has eaten or not, without any reference to a specific time.)

你nǐ吃chī過guò飯fàn了le嗎ma？ 你nǐ吃chī过guò饭fàn了le吗ma？
Have you already eaten?
(he use of “guò” implies that the question is about whether the person has eaten at some specific time in the past, and now it is relevant to know whether they have eaten or not.)

我wǒ吃飯chīfàn了le我wǒ吃饭chīfàn了le
I’ve eaten.
(It simply states that the speaker has eaten a meal, without any reference to whether it was in the past or present.)

我wǒ吃chī過guò飯fàn了le我wǒ吃chī过guò饭fàn了le
I’ve already eaten.
(It implies the speaker has already eaten a meal at some point in the past.)

For example, if someone asked, “Are you hungry?” and you had just finished eating, you could reply with 我wǒ吃chī過guò飯fàn了le我wǒ吃chī过guò饭fàn了le (I’ve already eaten), emphasizing that you are not currently hungry because you have eaten already. On the other hand, if someone simply asked, “Have you eaten?” you could reply with 我wǒ吃飯chīfàn了le我wǒ吃饭chīfàn了le (I’ve eaten), without any emphasis on when you ate.

Common mistake

A common mistake is placing 過过 guò after the object in a sentence. For example:

他tā結婚jiéhūn過guò他tā结婚jiéhūn过guò ❌
He was married.

他tā結jié過guò婚hūn他tā结jié过guò婚hūn ✅
He was married.

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ I have never lived alone.

我wǒ沒méi一個人yígerén住zhù過guò我wǒ没méi一个人yígerén住zhù过guò

✔️ Have you ever thought about why he is angry?

你nǐ想xiǎng過guò他tā為什麼wèishénme生氣shēngqì嗎ma？ 你nǐ想xiǎng过guò他tā为什么wèishénme生气shēngqì吗ma？

✔️ Has he looked in the mirror?

他tā照zhào過guò鏡子jìngzi嗎ma？ 他tā照zhào过guò镜子jìngzi吗ma？

FYI
(It is from a Chinese slang. This expression is often used in a confrontational or critical manner towards someone who is being hypocritical or self-righteous, implying that they should reflect on their own behavior before criticizing others. It can also be used to mean “mind your own business” or “stop being so judgmental. Another way to say it is 也不照照鏡子镜子 yě bú zhào zhào jìngzi.)