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Mandarin Chinese 2 Unit 2: Experience with 过 and Progressive 在 and 着

This unit adds three more aspect markers: 过 for things you have experienced at least once, 在/正在 for actions happening right now, and 着 for states that continue or the manner of doing something.

Covers: Verb + 过 for past experience, Negating and asking with 过, 过 versus 了, 在/正在…(呢) for actions in progress, Verb + 着 for continuing states, 着 in manner and location sentences

Study guide

The particle 过 (guo, neutral tone) after a verb says that something has happened at least once at some unspecified point in the past. It is the Chinese way to say "have ever": 我去过中国 (I have been to China), 你吃过北京烤鸭吗? (Have you ever had Peking duck?). The focus is on the experience, not on a single event. For that reason 过 often appears with frequency phrases: 我看过两次 (I've seen it twice). A number of times goes after the verb-过: 我去过三次上海 or 我去过上海三次. To negate, use 没(有) and keep 过: 我没去过日本 (I have never been to Japan). Unlike 了, 过 stays in the negative.

Compare 了 and 过. 他去了北京 means he went to Beijing and may still be there. 他去过北京 means he has been there before and has come back; the experience is over. Questions with 过 follow the same patterns as 了: 你去过长城吗? or 你去过长城没有? Answer with 去过 or 没去过. 过 can also follow adjectives and state verbs to describe a past condition that no longer holds: 他以前胖过 (He was once heavy). Adding 从来 makes the negative stronger: 我从来没吃过 (I have never ever eaten it).

To say an action is in progress, put 在 or 正在 before the verb, often with 呢 at the end: 我在看书呢 (I'm reading), 他们正在开会 (They are in a meeting right now). 正在 stresses "right at this moment." 呢 alone can also mark progress in speech: 他睡觉呢. The progressive can describe the past if a time is given: 昨天你打电话的时候，我在洗澡 (When you called yesterday, I was taking a shower). Negate with 没(在): 我没在看电视，我在学习. Do not combine 在 with 了 on the same verb, and do not use 在 with verbs that cannot last, such as 到 or 死.

The particle 着 (zhe) after a verb shows a continuing state that results from an action. 门开着 means the door is (standing) open; 他穿着一件红衬衫 means he is wearing a red shirt. 在 focuses on an action happening; 着 focuses on the state that stays. 着 is also used in two important patterns. First, location sentences: Place + Verb + 着 + Object describes what is somewhere, as in 墙上挂着一张地图 (A map is hanging on the wall) or 桌子上放着几本书. Second, manner: Verb₁ + 着 + Verb₂ means doing V₂ while in the state of V₁, as in 她笑着说 (She said with a smile) or 我们走着去吧 (Let's go on foot). Negate 着 with 没: 门没开着.

Key ideas

• Verb + 过 means "have done at least once" and focuses on experience.
• Negate 过 with 没(有) + verb + 过; 过 is kept, unlike 了.
• 了 can leave the result in place; 过 implies the experience is over.
• 在, 正在 or 呢 mark an action in progress, now or at a stated time.
• Verb + 着 marks a continuing state, such as being open, worn or hung up.
• Place + Verb + 着 + Object describes what exists in a place.
• Verb₁ + 着 + Verb₂ describes the manner in which an action is done.

Formulas and rules

Common mistakes

• Dropping 过 in the negative: 我没去日本 means "I didn't go" on a specific occasion, not "I've never been."
• Confusing 去了 (went, maybe still there) with 去过 (has been, came back).
• Using 在 with 了 or with instant verbs, as in 我在到了.
• Using 在 when the meaning is a continuing state, as in 他在穿红衬衫 for "He is wearing a red shirt."
• Forgetting the location word at the start of existential 着 sentences, as in 挂着一张画在墙上.

Before the test, make sure you can

• Use 过 to talk about experiences and ask 你…过…吗?
• Negate experiences with 没…过 and 从来没…过.
• Explain the difference between 去了 and 去过.
• Describe actions in progress with 在/正在…呢 in the present and past.
• Use Verb + 着 for states such as wearing, sitting or being open.
• Build existential sentences with Place + Verb + 着 + Object.
• Choose between 在 and 着 for a given meaning.

Words to know

从来

ever, always (with negatives: never) (cónglái)

次

time, occurrence (cì)

经验

experience (jīngyàn)

长城

Great Wall (Chángchéng)

烤鸭

roast duck (kǎoyā)

正在

in the process of (zhèngzài)

开会

to have a meeting (kāihuì)

洗澡

to take a bath or shower (xǐzǎo)

打电话

to make a phone call (dǎ diànhuà)

睡觉

to sleep (shuìjiào)

穿

to wear (chuān)

戴

to wear (glasses, a hat) (dài)

开

to open; to be on (kāi)

关

to close; to turn off (guān)

挂

to hang (guà)

放

to put, place (fàng)

坐

to sit (zuò)

站

to stand (zhàn)

躺

to lie down (tǎng)

笑

to smile, laugh (xiào)

墙

wall (qiáng)

Sample practice questions

30 more questions like these, from level 1 to 5, are in the practice set.