Again, in Chinese there is no change in the form of the verb to identify the
time when an activity/event takes place. We normally will add an adverb of time
as well as adding word (s) before/after the main verb.
As we know, to identify a continuous/progressive tense, we use the word 在 zài，正zhèng，正在zhèngzài before the Verb
Example:
1. 他吃肉
Tā chī ròu
He eats meat
2. 他在吃肉
Tā zài chī ròu
He is eating meat
3. 昨天我来的时候，他在吃肉
Zuótiān wǒ lái de shíhòu, tā zài chī ròu
Yesterday when I came, he was eating meat
Today, we are going to discuss about “perfect” tense.
There are a few ways to show that certain activity/event has or had happened:
1. Using 已经。。。了yǐjīng… le
了Le should be placed after the verb. 了le can be used with/without the word已经“yǐjīng”. However, 已经 yǐjīng can’t be used without 了le
Example:
She has eaten.
他吃了 / 他已经吃了
Tā chī le or tā yǐjīng chī le
I have gone to Beijing
我去北京了 / 我已经去北京了
Wǒ qù Běijīng le / Wǒ yǐjīng qùBěijīng le
2. Using 过guò
过guò should be used after the verb. The usage sometimes can be combined with 了le. However, without 了 le, 过 guò itself indicates that certain events has taken place.
Example:
I have eaten this （before）.
我吃过这个
Wǒ chī guò zhège.
I have been to Beijing before. (been here means that I have “gone”/”visited” there before)
我去过北京。
Wǒ qù guò běijīng le.
Depending on the context of speaking, at times, there is actually slight difference in the meaning of the sentences using已经…了 yǐjing.. le and using 过guò.
Let’s see the difference.
When I say:
- 我去过北京 wǒ qù guò Beǐjīng --> It means that I had been to Beijing before, the time when it happened can be last month, 2 years ago, etc and I am no longer in Beijing now.
- 我去北京了wǒ qù Beǐjīng le--> This sentence means that I have gone to Beijing and now I am still in Beijing.
When I say:
- 我吃过这个 Wǒ chī guò zhège --> it means that I have eaten this before. The activity of eating not necessarily had just happened at the moment of speaking, it can be 5 minutes ago, it can be yesterday, it can be 2 years ago, the point is that “I have tasted this thing before”
- 我吃了这个 Wǒ chī le zhège --> It means that I have just finish eating this dish or not too long ago I have eaten this.
However, in the following sentences, there is not much difference in meaning:
- 我看了这部电影 Wǒ kàn le zhè bù diànyǐng.
- 我看过这部电影 Wǒ kàn guò zhè bù diànyǐng.
Both of the sentences above means that “I have watched this movie before”, the slight difference maybe in the time when the event of “watching” happened. The impression that people will get is that when you use 过 guò, it feels that the event has happened quite a while ago or not recent, although it might not necessarily true.
The negative sentence for perfect tense is formed by adding 还没 háiméi before the verb or or 没 méi + Verb + 过 guò.
For example:
I haven’t eaten this dish yet wǒ háiméi chī zhèdào cài
--> Means that I haven’t eaten this dish yet, but I didn’t say that I had never tried it before. I might have or haven’t tasted the same kind of food before
I haven’t eaten this before wǒ méi chī guò zhèdào cài
--> Means that I haven’t tried/tasted this kind of dish before
Another example:
She hasn’t worn her skirt yet tā háiméi chuān tā de qúnzi
--> Means that she has put on her shirt but not her skirt.
She hasn’t worn this skirt before tā méi chuān guò zhètiáo qúnzi.
--> Means that the skirt is still new as she has never worn it before
Try translating the following:
1. My little brother has graduated
2. Her office had been renovated before.
3. My uncle has taken my grandma to the hospital
4. They hasn’t called me yet.
5. They had never called me before.
6. Have you read this book before?
7. Has she returned your book already?
8. His Wife has prepared the breakfast
As we know, to identify a continuous/progressive tense, we use the word 在 zài，正zhèng，正在zhèngzài before the Verb
Example:
1. 他吃肉
Tā chī ròu
He eats meat
2. 他在吃肉
Tā zài chī ròu
He is eating meat
3. 昨天我来的时候，他在吃肉
Zuótiān wǒ lái de shíhòu, tā zài chī ròu
Yesterday when I came, he was eating meat
Today, we are going to discuss about “perfect” tense.
There are a few ways to show that certain activity/event has or had happened:
1. Using 已经。。。了yǐjīng… le
了Le should be placed after the verb. 了le can be used with/without the word已经“yǐjīng”. However, 已经 yǐjīng can’t be used without 了le
Example:
She has eaten.
他吃了 / 他已经吃了
Tā chī le or tā yǐjīng chī le
I have gone to Beijing
我去北京了 / 我已经去北京了
Wǒ qù Běijīng le / Wǒ yǐjīng qùBěijīng le
2. Using 过guò
过guò should be used after the verb. The usage sometimes can be combined with 了le. However, without 了 le, 过 guò itself indicates that certain events has taken place.
Example:
I have eaten this （before）.
我吃过这个
Wǒ chī guò zhège.
I have been to Beijing before. (been here means that I have “gone”/”visited” there before)
我去过北京。
Wǒ qù guò běijīng le.
Depending on the context of speaking, at times, there is actually slight difference in the meaning of the sentences using已经…了 yǐjing.. le and using 过guò.
Let’s see the difference.
When I say:
- 我去过北京 wǒ qù guò Beǐjīng --> It means that I had been to Beijing before, the time when it happened can be last month, 2 years ago, etc and I am no longer in Beijing now.
- 我去北京了wǒ qù Beǐjīng le--> This sentence means that I have gone to Beijing and now I am still in Beijing.
When I say:
- 我吃过这个 Wǒ chī guò zhège --> it means that I have eaten this before. The activity of eating not necessarily had just happened at the moment of speaking, it can be 5 minutes ago, it can be yesterday, it can be 2 years ago, the point is that “I have tasted this thing before”
- 我吃了这个 Wǒ chī le zhège --> It means that I have just finish eating this dish or not too long ago I have eaten this.
However, in the following sentences, there is not much difference in meaning:
- 我看了这部电影 Wǒ kàn le zhè bù diànyǐng.
- 我看过这部电影 Wǒ kàn guò zhè bù diànyǐng.
Both of the sentences above means that “I have watched this movie before”, the slight difference maybe in the time when the event of “watching” happened. The impression that people will get is that when you use 过 guò, it feels that the event has happened quite a while ago or not recent, although it might not necessarily true.
The negative sentence for perfect tense is formed by adding 还没 háiméi before the verb or or 没 méi + Verb + 过 guò.
For example:
I haven’t eaten this dish yet wǒ háiméi chī zhèdào cài
--> Means that I haven’t eaten this dish yet, but I didn’t say that I had never tried it before. I might have or haven’t tasted the same kind of food before
I haven’t eaten this before wǒ méi chī guò zhèdào cài
--> Means that I haven’t tried/tasted this kind of dish before
Another example:
She hasn’t worn her skirt yet tā háiméi chuān tā de qúnzi
--> Means that she has put on her shirt but not her skirt.
She hasn’t worn this skirt before tā méi chuān guò zhètiáo qúnzi.
--> Means that the skirt is still new as she has never worn it before
Try translating the following:
1. My little brother has graduated
2. Her office had been renovated before.
3. My uncle has taken my grandma to the hospital
4. They hasn’t called me yet.
5. They had never called me before.
6. Have you read this book before?
7. Has she returned your book already?
8. His Wife has prepared the breakfast
Regards,
Linda Tan
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