过
guò
Expressing experiences with "guo"
过 after a verb means you've had the experience at some point in your life.
Verb + 过
How it works
我去过中国 — I've been to China. Not when, not how often; just that it's happened.
The negative is 没…过, and the 过 stays: 我没去过中国.
The difference from 了 matters. 我吃了 is about a specific completed meal; 我吃过日本菜 is about ever having tried Japanese food.
Examples
wǒ qù guò zhōng guó
我去过中国。
I've been to China.
nǐ chī guò běi jīng kǎo yā ma?
你吃过北京烤鸭吗？
Have you ever had Peking duck?
wǒ méi kàn guò zhè ge diàn yǐng
我没看过这个电影。
I've never seen this film.
Common mistakes
- Negating with 没 keeps the 过 but drops any 了.