HSK 5
Correct

已经 vs 曾经

/ yǐ jīng vs céng jīng  /
Strokes
https://i.cchatty2.com/filters:format(webp)/fit-in/684x0/img/202005/已经vs曾经-Chinese-grammar-Cchatty-yyyy-1589851787.jpg

Formula

1
已经……了
2
已经……过……了
3
曾经……过
4
还 + 没(有) + Verb
5
从来 + 没(有) + Verb + 过
6
不 + 曾经 + Verb + 过

Definition

已经 and 曾经 are Adverbs of Time (时间副词),  means [already; yet], and often used before an action verb to indicate something happened in the past.

 

1, 已经 means something "has been done"

 

2, 曾经 means something "was done"

 

3, difeerent negative form

已经 + Verb --> 还 + 没(有) + Verb

曾经 + Verb --> 从来 + 没(有) + Verb + 过

 

已经 HSK 2

曾经 HSK 5

Example

已经 and 曾经, they are different in their semantic meanings.
已经 emphasizes something "has been done",
曾经 emphasizes something "was done", which generally has nothing to do with the present situation.

已经 in the structure "已经……了" emphasizes "have/has done something";
曾经 in the structure "曾经……过" emphasizes "did something".

If the emphasis is on the occurrence and completion of an action, the structure "已经……过……了" is used. A specific time adverbial is often used in such a sentence.
已经……了 已经……过……了 曾经……过
1
jīng
已经
dào
zhōngguó
中国
le
  
  
(
xiànzài
现在
hái
zài
zhōngguó
中国
  
  
)

He has arrived China. (He is still in China now.)

2
céngjīng
曾经
dào
guò
zhōngguó
中国
  
  
(
zhīdào
知道
xiànzài
现在
zài
nǎr  
哪儿
  
,
zhòngyào
重要
  
  
)

He was in China before. (But we do not know where he is now and it does not matter.)

3
Jīntiān
今天
jīng
已经
liàn
练习
guò
tàiquán
太极拳
le
  

He has practiced shadow-boxing today.

已经 and 曾经, their negative forms are different.
已经 + Verb --> 还 + 没(有) + Verb

曾经 + Verb --> 从来 + 没(有) + Verb + 过
不 + 曾经 + Verb + 过
还 + 没(有) + Verb 从来 + 没(有) + Verb + 过 不 + 曾经 + Verb + 过
4
jīng
已经
chībǎo
吃饱
le
  

I am full.

5
Gōngzuò
工作
hòu
以后
háishi
还是
jīngcháng
经常
chàng
唱歌
  

I often go singing after work.

6
Xiǎowáng
小王
céngjīng
曾经
xué
guò
hàn
汉语
  

Xiao wang has learned Chinese before.

已经 is also used to indicate the completion of an action in the future, and 曾经 cannot.
7
Wèilái
未来
de
tiān
  
,
shuōbudìng
说不定
rénlèi
人类
jīng
已经
dào
huǒxīng
火星
shàng
上去
le
  

People may go to Mars one day in the future.

8
Shí
nián
hòu
以后
  
,
děng
jīng
已经
shi
xiǎoháir  
小孩儿
de
shíhou
时候
  
,
jiù
可以
自己
zuō
juédìng
决定
le
  

Ten years later, when I'm no longer a child, I can make a decision by myself.

Exercise

Fill in the blanks with 已经 or 曾经:

 

1. 今天早上他( )到中国了,现在正在房间睡觉。

2. 他说他不想去西安旅行,因为他去年( )去过西安了。

3. 他( )是一位老师,但是现在是一位作家。

4. 今天我18岁,10年后的今天我就( )28岁了。

5. 我( )是个小孩儿,但是现在我( )长大了。

6. 我( )做完作业了。

7. 我( )在青岛住,现在不在那儿住。

8. 我想下个月去上海旅行,听说你( )去过,你有什么建议吗?