Table of Contents
- Chinese Tones: Tips on How to Learn the Tricky Change - July 4, 2021
- Chinese Question Particles 吗, 呢, and 吧 - April 2, 2021
- Chinese Sentence Structure [Complete Guide 2021] - March 9, 2021
“了” and “过” are two frequently used particles in Chinese, but most learners confuse them. So what are the similarities and differences between them? Being more familiar with these details will help you use them correctly.
Similarities
1. Both can be used after a verb.
Subj. + Verb + 了/过 + Obj.
- 我 吃 了 那个 苹果。
wǒ chī le nàgè píngguǒ
I ate that apple.
- 我 吃 过 那种 苹果。
wǒ chī guò nàzhǒng píngguǒ
I have eaten that type of apple.
2. Both can indicate a completed action.
In some situations, “了” and “过” are interchangeable. To emphasize a specific action.
- 妈妈 吃了 饭 才 开始 工作。
māmā chīle fàn cái kāishǐ gōngzuò.
Mom started working only after she’d eaten.
- 妈妈 吃过 饭 才 开始 工作。
māmā chīguò fàn cái kāishǐ gōngzuò
Mom started working only after she’d eaten.
Differences Between “了(le)” and “过(guo)”
1. Word Order
“了” can appear either after a verb or at the end of a sentence. It suggests that at a certain time something occurred, or action was completed, or a certain change took place.
- 我 认识了 一个 漂亮 姑娘。
wǒ rènshíle yīgè piàoliang gūniang
I met a pretty girl.
⚠ The action “met” was completed at a certain time which depends on the context.
Subj. + 是 + Obj +了.
- 他 是 老师了。
tā shì lǎo shīle
He is a teacher now.
⚠ He was not a teacher before. His status has changed.
“过” is only put after a verb in a complete sentence.
- 你 学过 中文 吗？
nǐ xuéguò zhōngwén ma
Have you ever learned Chinese?
- 我 吃过 中国 菜。
wǒ chīguò zhōngguó cài
I’ve eaten Chinese food before.
2. With or without a specific time
“过” calls attention to the fact that someone has had an experience. It talks about whether something has ever happened or whether it has been experienced, without a specific time.
When “了” is used after a verb, it generally signifies the realization or completion of an action. There is usually a time phrase in the sentence.
- 我 看过 这个 电影。
wǒ kànguò zhège diànyǐng
I have seen this movie. (suggest: So we can talk about the movie)
(Emphasis is on the experience of seeing a movie. )
- 昨天 上午 我 看了 这个 电影。
zuótiān shàngwǔ wǒ kànle zhège diànyǐng
I saw this movie yesterday morning. (suggest: I don’t need to see it again)
(Emphasis is on the completion of an action.）
- 我 去过 中国。
wǒ qùguò zhōngguó
I have been to China.
(The action has been done before at least once and I am not in China anymore)
- 去年 夏天 我 去了 中国。
qùnián xiàtiān wǒ qùle zhōngguó
I went to China last summer.
(The action [went] was completed, and I am probably still in China now.)
- 我 坐过 两 次 过山车。
wǒ zuòguò liǎng cì guòshānchē
I have ridden a rollercoaster twice (in my whole life).
(This event has occurred two times in the past, without specifying a time frame.)
- 那天 我 坐了 两 次 过山车。
nèitiān wǒ zuòle liǎng cì guòshānchē
I rode the rollercoaster twice that day.
(The event was completed twice in a specific time period that must be clear from the context.)
3. Different Function
Bear in mind that “verb +了” is not the same as the past tense in English, it can be used in the past, the present, or the future. While “verb +过” can only be used in the past tense.
Past
- 去年 夏天，他们 有了 一个 孩子。
qùnián xiàtiān, tāmen yǒule yīgè háizi
Last summer, they had a child.
Present
- 现在，他们 有了 一个 孩子。
xiànzài, tāmen yǒule yīgè háizi
Now, they have a child.
Future
- 我们 以后 有了 孩子 ，就 没有 这么 多 自由 时间了。
wǒmen yǐhòu yǒule hái zǐ , jiù méiyǒu zhème duō zìyóu shíjiānle
If we have a child, we won’t have as much spare time.
3. Only use 过 in a negative sentence
“了” can’t be used in a negative sentence with “没 méi”.
Subj. + 没 + Verb + 了 + Obj. ❌
- 我 没 学了 汉语。❌
wǒ méi xuéle hànyǔ
- 我 没 学 汉语。 ✔
wǒ méi xué hànyǔ
I didn’t learn Chinese. （But learn something else in the past)
“过” can be used with “没” together to indicate some event or action has not been experienced in the past.
Subj. + 没 + Verb + 过 + Obj. ✔
- 我 没 学过 汉语。
wǒ méi xuéguò hànyǔ
I have never learned Chinese before.
- 我 没 想 过 这 个 问题。
wǒ méi xiǎngguò zhè gè wèntí
I’ve never thought about this question before.
How to use “过” with “了”
The pattern with an object: Verb + 过 + Obj. + 了
- 妈妈 看过 房子了。/ 妈妈 已经 看过 房子了。
māmā kànguò fángzile / māmā yǐjīng kànguò fángzile
Mom has already seen the house.
- 我 看过 医生了。/ 我 已经 看过 医生了。
wǒ kànguò yīshēngle / wǒ yǐjīng kànguò yīshēngle
I have already brushed my teeth.
You’ll notice that the meaning of “过了”, to some extent, is equivalent to that of “过”. The little difference is “过了” emphasizes that the completed action has no need to be done again.
Sometimes the object can be ommitted: Verb + 过 + 了
- 我们 看过了。/ 我们 已经 看过了。
wǒmen kànguòle / wǒmen yǐjīng kànguòle
We’ve already seen it.
- 他 玩过了。/ 他 已经 玩过了。
tā wánguòle / tā yǐjīng wánguòle
He has already played.
How to ask questions using “过了”
Obviously, the answer is NO! They use “过” with “了” to describe daily routines as well, such as having dinner, brushing teeth, washing face, and so on. When you want to ask questions about it, the following pattern is used.
Subj. + Verb + 过 + Obj + 了 + 吗？
- A：你 吃过 早餐了 吗？/ 你 已经 吃过 早餐了 吗？
nǐ chīguò zǎocānle ma / nǐ yǐjīng chīguò zǎocānle ma
Have you already eaten breakfast?
B：我 吃过了。/ 我 已经 吃过了。
wǒ chīguòle / wǒ yǐjīng chīguòle
I have already eaten.
- A：你 刷过 牙了 吗？/ 你 已经 刷过 牙了 吗？
nǐ shuāguò yále ma / nǐ yǐjīng shuāguò yále ma
Have you already brushed your teeth?
B：我 刷过了。/ 我 已经 刷过了。
wǒ shuāguòle / wǒ yǐjīng shuāguòle
I have already brushed.
Compare the following two examples:
- 你 吃过 早餐吗？ ❌
nǐ chīguò zǎocān ma
Have you ever eaten breakfast?
- 你 学过 汉语吗？ ✔
nǐ xuéguò hànyǔ ma
Have you ever learned Chinese?
⚠ Note: “verb+过” focuses on the experience that occurred in the past, but can not be used to describe daily routines.
English 
Japanese