Chinese tenses? How Chinese shows time with 了, 过, 在 and 着
Learners often ask how many tenses Chinese has. The answer is none: a Chinese verb never changes its form (Britannica). Instead, Chinese uses time words — yesterday, tomorrow, now — and a handful of particles that show aspect: whether an action is complete, experienced, in progress or continuing. This guide shows the five tools you need. New to Chinese? Read the eight grammar rules first.
Updated · 4 min read
No tenses — aspect instead
Chinese words carry no inflection, and the Sinitic languages use particles placed after verbs for modes and aspects (Britannica). Tense answers “when?”; aspect answers “how does the action unfold?”. In Chinese, “when” is said with a time word, and “how” with a particle.
| Tool | What it shows | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Time word | when | 我明天去 — I’ll go tomorrow |
| 了 le | completed action / new situation | 他是大学生了 — he is a college student now |
| 过 guo | experience: has ever done | 我没去过中国 — I have never been to China |
| 在 zài | in progress | 我在看电视 — I am watching TV |
| 着 zhe | continuing state | 门开着 — the door is open |
1. Time words: the simplest tool
Put a time word near the start of the sentence and the verb stays the same: 我今天去 (I go today), 我明天去 (I’ll go tomorrow), 我昨天去了 (I went yesterday). Learn time words early — today, tomorrow, yesterday, now, last year — among your first 16 words a day.
2. 了 — done, and new situations
了 (le) is a perfective aspect particle: after a verb it presents the action as complete, and it is most often translated by an English past tense; it can also show that one action is finished before another. At the end of a sentence, 了 marks a change of state: 他是大学生了 — “he is a college student now” (Wiktionary).
3. 过 — have you ever?
过 (guo) after a verb marks past experience. It is negated with 没 before the verb: 我没去过中国 (wǒ méi qù guo Zhōngguó) — “I have not been to China” (Wiktionary). Use it where English says “have you ever…?”.
4. 在 — in the middle of doing
在 (zài) before a verb shows progressive aspect: 我在看电视 (wǒ zài kàn diànshì) — “I’m watching TV”; 他在吃米饭 — “he’s eating rice” (Wiktionary).
5. 着 — a state that continues
着 (zhe) after a verb denotes the continuation of an action or the state it leaves (Wiktionary): 门开着 — “the door is (standing) open”. Where 在 stresses the action going on, 着 stresses the lasting state.
Simple rule for beginners: time word for “when”, 了 for “done”, 过 for “ever”, 在 for “right now”. Add 着 once these feel natural. Check where you stand with the free Chinese level test.
Mistakes to avoid
| Not this | But this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Changing the verb for the past | 我昨天去了 | the verb never changes; use a time word and 了 |
| 我不去过 | 我没去过 | 过 is negated with 没, not 不 |
| Forgetting the time word | 我明天去 | without it, 我去 can mean now or later |
Why Chinese works this way goes back to the oldest texts: the language has never inflected its words (A short history of Chinese). The rest of the grammar is in Chinese grammar basics; why it is worth learning, in Why learn Chinese?
Put time words to work
16Word gives you 16 Chinese words a day with active recall, spaced repetition and a short Blocks game between answers — about five minutes, free to start.
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Frequently asked questions
How many tenses does Chinese have?
None in the grammatical sense: Chinese verbs never change form. Time is shown with time words, and aspect with particles such as 了, 过, 在 and 着.
Is 了 the past tense?
Not exactly. 了 is a perfective aspect particle: it shows a completed action and is often translated by an English past, but it can also mark a change of state at the end of a sentence (他是大学生了).
What is the difference between 了 and 过?
了 presents an action as completed; 过 marks experience — that something has happened at some time. 我去过中国 means “I have been to China (at some point)”.
How do I say “I am doing” in Chinese?
Put 在 before the verb: 我在看电视, I’m watching TV.
How do I talk about the future?
Use a time word such as 明天 (tomorrow): 我明天去, I’ll go tomorrow. The verb does not change.
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