# Never



## stelingo

There seems to be several ways to translate never in Mandarin. As a beginner is there one phrase I can stick to? Are the 2 sentences below correct? Thanks.

我从来去游泳. I never go swimming.

我从来没有去过中国. I've never been to China.


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## xiaolijie

"从来没" is a good phrase to add to the postive sentence to get "never". 
But do remember, "never" by itself is ambiguous and from your examples we know that you're talking about past experience. "Never" can also be used for the present and future, and you'll need different phrases in Chinese for these.


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## Rockx

"从未" or "从来没" should be adequate for your examples.

我从来去游泳. this sentence is incorrect in grammar.

我 *从来没*/*从未* 游过泳.  I never go swimming.  
我 *从来没/从未* 去过中国. I've never been to China.


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## YangMuye

Rockx said:


> 我 *从来没*/*从未* 游过泳.  I never go swimming.


I'm afraid it should be “我从(来)不游泳”, but I might be wrong.


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## stelingo

我 *从来没*/*从未* 游过泳.  I never go swimming

Rockx, wouldn't this sentence mean I've never been swimming, past tense?


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## mrdrx

我从来不游泳 or 我从不游泳 sounds more idiomatic to native chinese speakers


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## SuperXW

mrdrx said:


> 我从来不游泳 or 我从不游泳 sounds more idiomatic to native chinese speakers



Agreed. 
I never go swimming. 我从来不游泳 or 我从不游泳。
I've never be swimming. 我从来没游过泳 or something like that.

But remember, English tense is very different to Chinese "tense". 
For Chinese, there isn't such a difference to say 我从来不游泳 or 我从来没游过泳。
Either way, we are claiming the fact basing on the past.


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## xiaolijie

> 我从来没游*过*泳


Just a question out of curiosity: is it possible also to say: "我从来没游泳*过*" ?


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## Rockx

stelingo said:


> 我 *从来没*/*从未* 游过泳.  I never go swimming
> 
> Rockx, wouldn't this sentence mean I've never been swimming, past tense?



You're right. Technically, It's more accurate to say
"我从未游过泳"/"我从(来)没游过泳" for "I've never been swimming." 
"我从(来)不去游泳" for "I never go swimming."


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## Rockx

xiaolijie said:


> Just a question out of curiosity: is it possible also to say: "我从来没游泳*过*" ?



It's okay, but I believe "我从来没游过泳" is a better choice.


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## YangMuye

xiaolijie said:


> Just a question out of curiosity: is it possible also to say: "我从来没游泳*过*" ?


It sounds a little strange. As 游泳 can be regarded as a verb, it's not unacceptable.
But 他从来没失望/伤心过 seems to be more common than 他从来没失过望/伤过心. It's hard to explain why.
Maybe 失望 and 伤心 are more abstract and are less likely to be analysed as “verb-object” pattern.


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## viajero_canjeado

Another perhaps more colloquial option for "I never go swimming" could be:
我都不會去游泳。


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