Comparing Differences Between "了(le)” and “过(guo)”

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Passionate about language learning, translating and teaching. Graduated with a master's degree in arts from PolyU in Hong Kong, majoring in TCFL. Have an experience of teaching spoken Chinese to college students at Masaryk University in the Czech Republic, which inspired her to help more people from different countries understand China. Enjoy sharing with others the Chinese culture and the secrets of how to learn Chinese.

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.

Comparing Differences Between “了(le)” and “过(guo)”