HSK 2
The Particle 过 (guò) in Chinese
过 after a verb marks a past experience — that you have done something at least once. It answers "have you ever...?" and stresses the experience itself, not one specific finished event. Unlike 了, 过 often implies the state no longer continues: 我去过北京 means you've been there at some point, not that you are there now.
STRUCTURE
Subject + Verb + 过 + Object (experience)
When to use 过 — and when not
Use it when
- Saying you have ever done something: 我吃过北京烤鸭。
- Asking about experience: 你去过中国吗?
- Stressing that the experience is over and in the past: 我以前学过法语。
Don't use it when
- Reporting one specific finished event at a set time — use 了: 我昨天买了那本书, when you mean that particular purchase.
- Present or ongoing states: 过 marks past experience, not what is true right now.
- Negating with 不: to say "have never", use 没(有)…过, never 不…过 — 我没去过日本。
Right vs. wrong
我去中国过。
我去过中国。
过 placed after the object instead of the verb
过 attaches directly to the verb, so it sits between the verb and the object: 去过中国. Placing it after the whole object phrase is ungrammatical.
我不去过日本。
我没去过日本。
Negating experience with 不 instead of 没…过
To say you have never done something, Chinese negates experience with 没(有)…过. 不 negates habits or willingness, not a past experience, so 不…过 is always wrong.
Examples
我去过北京。
Wǒ qù guo Běijīng.
I have been to Beijing.
你吃过饺子吗?
Nǐ chī guo jiǎozi ma?
Have you ever eaten dumplings?
我没看过这个电影。
Wǒ méi kàn guo zhège diànyǐng.
I haven't seen this movie.
他学过三年中文。
Tā xué guo sān nián Zhōngwén.
He studied Chinese for three years (in the past).
我以前来过这里。
Wǒ yǐqián lái guo zhèlǐ.
I've been here before.
Common mistakes
我去中国过。
Wǒ qù Zhōngguó guo.
过 attaches to the verb, before the object: 我去过中国。
我不去过日本。
Wǒ bù qù guo Rìběn.
"Have never" is 没…过, not 不: 我没去过日本。
我看这个电影过。
Wǒ kàn zhège diànyǐng guo.
过 goes right after the verb, before the object: 我看过这个电影。
Think you've got it?
Write your own 过 sentence and check that grammar point first.
The Particle 过 (guò) FAQ
What is the difference between 过 and 了?
了 marks a specific completed action (我吃了饭 — I've eaten / I ate). 过 marks experience — that you have ever done it (我吃过日本菜 — I've had Japanese food at some point). 过 often implies the state no longer holds.
How do I say "I have never..."?
Use 没(有) + verb + 过: 我没去过美国 (I've never been to America). Never use 不 for this — 不 negates habits or willingness, not past experience.
Where does 过 go in the sentence?
Directly after the verb, before the object: 看过这本书, 去过北京. It stays attached to the verb, so 去北京过 is wrong.