过How to Use 过 (guo) for Past Experience

The pattern

Subject + verb + 过 + object.

Put 过 straight after the verb. It is said with a neutral tone (guo). The sentence tells you that this has happened at least once in your life, but not exactly when. In English this is usually "have done" or "have ever done".

1. 我去过中国。Wǒ qù guo Zhōngguó.I've been to China.
2. 我吃过饺子。Wǒ chī guo jiǎozi.I've had dumplings before.
3. 她学过汉语。Tā xué guo Hànyǔ.She has studied Chinese.

Negatives: 没有 + verb + 过

To say you have never done something, put 没有 before the verb and keep 过. This is different from 了, which you drop in a negative sentence.

The most common mistake is to use 不. 我不去过中国 is wrong: 过 is always negated with 没有, never with 不.

1. 我没有去过中国。Wǒ méiyǒu qù guo Zhōngguó.I've never been to China.
2. 他没有看过这个电影。Tā méiyǒu kàn guo zhège diànyǐng.He has never seen this film.
3. 我妈妈没有喝过咖啡。Wǒ māma méiyǒu hē guo kāfēi.My mum has never had coffee.

Asking "Have you ever...?"

Add 吗 at the end, or end the question with 没有. To answer yes, repeat the verb with 过, as in 去过. To answer no, say 没有, or 没有 with the verb and 过, as in 没有去过.

1. 你吃过中国菜吗？Nǐ chī guo Zhōngguó cài ma?Have you ever had Chinese food?
2. 你坐过飞机没有？Nǐ zuò guo fēijī méiyǒu?Have you ever been on a plane?

过 or 了?

了 tells you that one action happened or that something has changed. 过 tells you about an experience. 他去中国了 means he has gone to China and is probably there now. 他去过中国 means he has been there at some point and is not there any more.

You can add a time word or a number of times to a 过 sentence when you want to say a little more about the experience.

1. 他去中国了。Tā qù Zhōngguó le.He has gone to China (he's there now).
2. 他去过中国。Tā qù guo Zhōngguó.He has been to China (and is back now).
3. 他去年去过一次中国。Tā qùnián qù guo yí cì Zhōngguó.He went to China once last year.

过 goes right after the verb

过 never goes at the end after the object. Say 我学过汉语, not 我学汉语过. With verb-object words such as 见面, 过 goes between the two parts: 见过面.

1. 我们见过面。Wǒmen jiàn guo miàn.We've met before.
2. 我们还没有见过面。Wǒmen hái méiyǒu jiàn guo miàn.We haven't met yet.

Printable worksheet

Practise this grammar point on paper: 20 exercises using only HSK 2 words, with an answer key on a separate page. Free to print and copy for your class.

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