Grammar comparison
了 vs 过: what's the difference?
The short answer
Ask yourself one question: am I saying that something happened, or that I've done it before? If you mean "I did it" (yesterday, this morning, just now), use 了. If you mean "I've done this at some point in my life", use 过.
Side by side
| 了 le | 过 guo | |
|---|---|---|
| What it means | It happened, and it's done | I've done this before |
| Words you often see with it | 昨天, 刚才, 已经, 今天早上 | 以前, 从来没, 一次, 两次 |
| Saying no | 我没买。 | 我没买过。 |
| Asking | 你买了吗？ | 你买过吗？ |
| Example | 我昨天去了北京。 | 我去过北京。 |
了: something happened, and it's done
动词 + 了 (+ 宾语)Negative: 没(有) + 动词 (no 了)
Put 了 right after the verb when you're telling someone what happened: 我买了两本书, "I bought two books." There's usually a time in the picture, like yesterday or this morning, even when you don't say it. You'll also see 了 at the end of a sentence. That one tells you something has changed: 我饿了, "I'm hungry now."
In our stories
我找了很多地方，还是没有找到。
I looked in many places, but I still couldn't find one.
Borrowing a Stapler at the Office · HSK 3晚饭以前，水龙头终于好了，我们都不担心了。
Before dinner, the tap was finally fixed, and we all stopped worrying.
A Leaking Tap at Home · HSK 3
过: you've done it before
动词 + 过 (+ 宾语)Negative: 没(有) + 动词 + 过 (keep 过)
过 is about experience. 我去过北京 doesn't tell you when I went. It tells you that at some point, I've been there. That's why 过 so often comes with 以前, with 从来没, or with how many times: 一次, 两次.
In our stories
旁边卖水果的阿姨说：“拿去吧，这把伞已经帮助过很多人了。有人今天用，明天再送回来。”
The woman selling fruit nearby said, "Take it. This umbrella has already helped many people. Someone uses it today and brings it back tomorrow."
One Extra Umbrella · HSK 3他说：“是。我没有喝过奶茶，不知道哪个好喝。”
He said, "Yes. I've never had milk tea, so I don't know which one tastes good."
Trying Milk Tea for the First Time · HSK 2奶奶以前坐过火车，那时候从我们家到北京要坐一天一夜。
Grandma had taken a train before, and back then it took a whole day and night to get from our home to Beijing.
Taking Grandma on the High-Speed Train · HSK 3
Common mistakes
我昨天没去了。
我昨天没去。
Once you use 没, the thing didn't happen, so there's nothing for 了 to mark. Just drop it.
我从来没吃了北京烤鸭。
我从来没吃过北京烤鸭。
从来没 means "never, not once". You're talking about experience, so you need 过.
我以前学了中文，现在忘了。
我以前学过中文，现在忘了。
You studied Chinese at some point and don't remember it now. That's an experience: 学过. The 了 in 忘了 is the other 了. It marks the change: "I've forgotten it."
Try it
1.我以前去 上海，那里人很多。
2.昨天晚上我看 一个电影。
3.他从来没吃 北京烤鸭。
4.——你学 中文吗？——学过一点儿。
5.我买 两本书，一本给你。
0 of 5 answered.
Part of the HSK 3.0 grammar course. The example sentences come from RealHSK stories. Tap ▶ to hear each one.