<p>The minor difference between "了" and "过".</p>

<p>Q: Where did you go last year? (去年你去哪了?)</p>

<p>A: 我去年去了中国。</p>

<p>Q: have you been China before? （你去过中国么?)</p>

<p>A: 我（去年）去过中国。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-21T10:13:00.130Z
2014-02-21T10:13:00.130Z
Sam Liao
<p>Yes,两个都可以。比如:去了北京与去过北京大体意思是一致的。但是，“去了北京”有已经回来与没有回来两种可能，而去过北京则结果只有一个，那就是现在已经不在北京了！谨记：过的语句后可以加了字，反之不可以！!</p>

<p>Edit (Translation):
Yes, both are possible. For example, 去了 Beijing and 去过 have roughly the same meaning. But, 去了 Beijing has two possible meanings; went and already came back, or went and still hasn't returned. However, 去过  Beijing only has one, you have been but you are no longer there! Remember: You can put 过  at the end of a sentence but the reverse is not true!</p>

<p>(Comment by editor) Im not sure if the last sentence is translated correctly or maybe the OP meant something else. Possibly you can put 了 at the end but not 过。</p>

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2014-02-16T07:24:14.053Z
Welcome to Chinese.SE! As not everyone here can read Chinese fluently, according to the rule ["Should I post in English or Chinese?"](http://chinese.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic), writing your answer in English would be better :)
Stan
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2014-02-16T09:37:25.723Z
Ok,but,my english is very bad.so, i'm afrid....There one piont is very impotant what is i want to do.Help!!!我会尽我最大努力说英语的～
user3955
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-17T14:52:55.640Z
你可不可以澄清那个最后的句子：”过的语句后可以加了字，反之不可以“
Jon Hargett
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2014-02-22T13:46:07.600Z
澄清用的不对，应该是解释！比如，我去过北京，北京我去过了。还有1，吃过。2，吃了。3，吃过了。
user3955
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-06T09:42:22.047Z
@JonHargett I believe what he meant is you can add le to the and of a guo sentence but the reverse is not possible. So "…去过了“ is possible, but "去了过" is not possible.
MickG
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2015-05-06T09:43:23.763Z
@user3955 最后的句子的意思是不是“去过了”可以但是“去了过”不行？
MickG
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2014-02-16T07:00:18.657Z
2014-02-16T17:16:10.410Z
2014-02-16T17:16:10.410Z
user3955
<p>Of course the later is possible, it means "I had been to China last year." the position of adverbs of time is not important, you can express the same meaning like this:</p>

<ol>
<li>去年我去过中国.</li>
<li>中国我去过, 去年.</li>
<li>我去过中国, 去年.</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-21T04:29:36.280Z
2014-02-21T04:29:36.280Z
j5shi
<p>This is somewhat similar to this question: <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/110/when-to-use-%e4%ba%86-and-when-to-use-%e8%bf%87-to-express-past-actions-or-events">When to use 了 and when to use 过 to express past actions or events</a>. I understand that the 过 particle helps express the idea of having had the experience of something. my question is would you use it with a specific time?</p>

<p>举个例:</p>

<p>我知道我可以说：</p>

<p>我去过中国。</p>

<p>我可不可以这样说：</p>

<p>我去年去过中国。</p>

<p>If the later is possible, what would it mean?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-16T07:08:13.453Z
You might have known that "tense" is one of the headaches when Chinese students learn English. So unless you're studying as a linguist of Chinese, you don't need to care about it much. `我去年去过中国` is valid, it emphasizes the time (去年) that makes your status become "have been to China". Examples: `你昨天刚去过电影院看电影，怎么今天又要去？` / `他昨天来过这里。` / `你三个月前参加过体检吗？`
Stan
<grammar><particles>
Is it possible to use 过 with specific time words?
# Is it possible to use 过 with specific time words?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-02-16)

This is somewhat similar to this question: [When to use 了 and when to use 过 to express past actions or events](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/110/when-to-use-%e4%ba%86-and-when-to-use-%e8%bf%87-to-express-past-actions-or-events). I understand that the 过 particle helps express the idea of having had the experience of something. my question is would you use it with a specific time?

举个例:

我知道我可以说：

我去过中国。

我可不可以这样说：

我去年去过中国。

If the later is possible, what would it mean?

**Tags:** grammar, particles

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You might have known that "tense" is one of the headaches when Chinese students learn English. So unless you're studying as a linguist of Chinese, you don't need to care about it much. `我去年去过中国` is valid, it emphasizes the time (去年) that makes your status become "have been to China". Examples: `你昨天刚去过电影院看电影，怎么今天又要去？` / `他昨天来过这里。` / `你三个月前参加过体检吗？`  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-02-21. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

The minor difference between "了" and "过".

Q: Where did you go last year? (去年你去哪了?)

A: 我去年去了中国。

Q: have you been China before? （你去过中国么?)

A: 我（去年）去过中国。


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-02-16. Score: 2

Yes,两个都可以。比如:去了北京与去过北京大体意思是一致的。但是，“去了北京”有已经回来与没有回来两种可能，而去过北京则结果只有一个，那就是现在已经不在北京了！谨记：过的语句后可以加了字，反之不可以！!

Edit (Translation):
Yes, both are possible. For example, 去了 Beijing and 去过 have roughly the same meaning. But, 去了 Beijing has two possible meanings; went and already came back, or went and still hasn't returned. However, 去过 Beijing only has one, you have been but you are no longer there! Remember: You can put 过 at the end of a sentence but the reverse is not true!

(Comment by editor) Im not sure if the last sentence is translated correctly or maybe the OP meant something else. Possibly you can put 了 at the end but not 过。

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome to Chinese.SE! As not everyone here can read Chinese fluently, according to the rule ["Should I post in English or Chinese?"](http://chinese.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic), writing your answer in English would be better :)  
> **username_3**: Ok,but,my english is very bad.so, i'm afrid....There one piont is very impotant what is i want to do.Help!!!我会尽我最大努力说英语的～  
> **username_0**: 你可不可以澄清那个最后的句子：”过的语句后可以加了字，反之不可以“  
> **username_3**: 澄清用的不对，应该是解释！比如，我去过北京，北京我去过了。还有1，吃过。2，吃了。3，吃过了。  
> **username_4**: @JonHargett I believe what he meant is you can add le to the and of a guo sentence but the reverse is not possible. So "…去过了“ is possible, but "去了过" is not possible.  
> **username_4**: @username_3 最后的句子的意思是不是“去过了”可以但是“去了过”不行？  

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### Answer by username_5 on 2014-02-21. Score: 1

Of course the later is possible, it means "I had been to China last year." the position of adverbs of time is not important, you can express the same meaning like this:

1. 去年我去过中国.
2. 中国我去过, 去年.
3. 我去过中国, 去年.


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