9.4 The Aspect Particle 過 gwo3 (Experiential)
We can use the aspect particle 過 gwo3 to indicate we have experience of doing an activity in the past. 過 gwo3 often adds the meaning of ‘before’ to a sentence. In grammar, this aspect is called the experiential aspect.
We put 過 gwo3 after the verb and before the object if there is one.
我喺香港住過。
ngo5 hai2 hoeng1 gong2 zyu6 gwo3.
I lived in Hong Kong before.
我學過日文。
ngo5 hok6 gwo3 jat6 man2.
I learned Japanese before.
If the verb is a separable verb (e.g., 讀書 duk6 syu1 ‘to study’ and 做嘢 zou6 je5 ‘to work’), we insert 過 gwo3 between the first syllable (the verb part) and the second syllable (the object part).
我喺香港做過嘢。
ngo5 hai2 hoeng1 gong2 zou6 gwo3 je5.
I worked in Hong Kong before.
We can use 過 gwo3 with time adverbs that indicate the past, such as 以前 ji5 cin4 (‘before’, usually at a much earlier time) or 之前 zi1 cin4 (‘before’).
我以前學過日文。
ngo5 ji5 cin4 hok6 gwo3 jat6 man2.
I learned Japanese before.
To indicate an activity happened in the past, we can use time adverbs that indicate the past alone, without adding 過 gwo3. However, when we add 過 gwo3, we can emphasize that we have experience of that activity.
✔️ 我之前喺香港做嘢。
ngo5 zi1 cin4 hai2 hoeng1 gong2 zou6 je5.
I worked in Hong Kong before.
✔️ 我之前喺香港做過嘢。
ngo5 zi1 cin4 hai2 hoeng1 gong2 zou6 gwo3 je5.
I worked in Hong Kong before.
Both sentences indicate that 喺香港做嘢 hai2 hoeng1 gong2 zou6 je5 happened in the past, but the second sentence emphasizes that 我 ngo5 has that experience.