<p>In casual conversation without further context, sentences in the first two groups are almost the same.  If no additional information is available, both expressions are acceptable to a native speaker. But using "过" is still better.</p>

<p>"了" vs. "过" :</p>

<p>"你最近看过电视吗？" means "did you watch TV <strong>at least once</strong> recently."  The time, TV program and duration of the action "watching TV" is <strong>not</strong> being asked.</p>

<p>"你最近看了电视吗？" means "have you watched TV recently".  And "了" here implies that "watching TV" is <strong>finished/done</strong>.  It is used when talking about the consequence of the action.</p>

<p>The translation of the last sentence in your question ("recently I went to my favorite cinema and found it's closed down") is acceptable.  But it is better to omit that "了" after "发现".  </p>

<p>"发现了" is used when a noun is after "发现了". Example: "X发现了新大陆", "X found new continent".  But when a sentence with "了" is used after "发现了", then you can omit "了" in "发现了".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-11T12:56:27.110Z
2018-04-11T12:56:27.110Z
Aria Ax
<p>What is the difference between:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>你最近看过电视吗？</p>
<p>你最近看了电视吗？</p>
</blockquote>
<p>and</p>
<blockquote>
<p>你最近去过杂货店吗？</p>
<p>你最近去了杂货店吗？</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And similarly, if I want to say &quot;recently I went to my favourite cinema and found it's closed down&quot; would I say 我最近去了我最喜欢的电影院，可是发现了它已经关闭了? Or should the first and second 了s be omitted? I know that this 了 means &quot;action completed&quot; but I've seen many example sentences where actions are completed yet there is no 了, which has left me confused about when I should include it.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-11T12:28:54.213Z
for more  information in English search web using e.g.  "Chinese grammar，了 & 过", in particular see ＂Using "guo" with "le" （C Grammar Wiki）
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-11T13:35:56.333Z
re:when not to use 了 see http://www.ctcfl.ox.ac.uk/Grammar%20exercises/LE1.htm  11. Apart from the negation, are there any circumstances in which 了 is not used (for completed actions)?
user6065
<grammar><particles>
What is the difference between these sentences? (过 vs 了)
# What is the difference between these sentences? (过 vs 了)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-04-11)

What is the difference between:

> 你最近看过电视吗？
>
> 你最近看了电视吗？

and

> 你最近去过杂货店吗？
>
> 你最近去了杂货店吗？

And similarly, if I want to say "recently I went to my favourite cinema and found it's closed down" would I say 我最近去了我最喜欢的电影院，可是发现了它已经关闭了? Or should the first and second 了s be omitted? I know that this 了 means "action completed" but I've seen many example sentences where actions are completed yet there is no 了, which has left me confused about when I should include it.

**Tags:** grammar, particles

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: for more  information in English search web using e.g.  "Chinese grammar，了 & 过", in particular see ＂Using "guo" with "le" （C Grammar Wiki）  
> **username_1**: re:when not to use 了 see http://www.ctcfl.ox.ac.uk/Grammar%20exercises/LE1.htm  11. Apart from the negation, are there any circumstances in which 了 is not used (for completed actions)?  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-04-11. Score: 1

In casual conversation without further context, sentences in the first two groups are almost the same. If no additional information is available, both expressions are acceptable to a native speaker. But using "过" is still better.

"了" vs. "过" :

"你最近看过电视吗？" means "did you watch TV **at least once** recently." The time, TV program and duration of the action "watching TV" is **not** being asked.

"你最近看了电视吗？" means "have you watched TV recently". And "了" here implies that "watching TV" is **finished/done**. It is used when talking about the consequence of the action.

The translation of the last sentence in your question ("recently I went to my favorite cinema and found it's closed down") is acceptable. But it is better to omit that "了" after "发现".

"发现了" is used when a noun is after "发现了". Example: "X发现了新大陆", "X found new continent". But when a sentence with "了" is used after "发现了", then you can omit "了" in "发现了".


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