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Verb + 过

HSK 2
  • Aspect

Structure (结构 jiégòu)

SubjectVerb过(Object)

Meaning (意思 yìsi)

Particle 过 placed after a verb to express an action that has occurred before or a past experience.

Explanation (解释 jiěshì)

Use 过 (guo) directly after a verb to talk about something you have done before or a past experience. It does not emphasize the completion of an action (as 了 does), but rather that the event has occurred at least once.

  • Affirmative: 我去过北京 (I have been to Beijing before).
  • Negative: Use 没(有) before the verb: 我没去过北京 (I have never been to Beijing).
  • Interrogative: Add 吗 at the end of the sentence, or use the structure V + 过 + ... + 没有?.

Examples (例句 lìjù)(5)

  1. 我去过中国。
    繁: 我去過中國。Wǒ qù guo Zhōngguó.

    I have been to China.

  2. 你吃过北京烤鸭吗？
    繁: 你吃過北京烤鴨嗎？Nǐ chī guo Běijīng kǎoyā ma?

    Have you ever eaten Peking roast duck?

  3. 他以前学过汉语。
    繁: 他以前學過漢語。Tā yǐqián xué guo Hànyǔ.

    He has studied Chinese before.

  4. 我没看过这本书。
    繁: 我沒看過這本書。Wǒ méi kàn guo zhè běn shū.

    I have never read this book.

  5. 我们见过面没有？
    繁: 我們見過面沒有？Wǒmen jiàn guo miàn méiyǒu?

    Have we met before?

Common mistakes

  • Wrong:我昨天看过了那个电影。
    Correct:我昨天看了那个电影。

    When there is a specific time marker (昨天), 了 is typically used to indicate a completed action, not 过 to indicate experience.

  • Wrong:我不去过上海。
    Correct:我没去过上海。

    To negate past experiences with 过, use the adverb 没 or 没有, not 不.