从来 + 不 / 没 (never)
A lifetime of zero
- always从来 + not不 / not / haven't没 = "never (at any time)".
- I / me我always从来not / haven't没去过 = "I've never been there."
- With not / haven't没…(experienced)过 it denies any past experience.
always从来 + not不 / not / haven't没(to have / there is有) + Verb
- never从来不 = never (habit); always从来not / haven't没…(experienced)过 = never (experience).
I我never从来haven't没been去过。
- I / me我always从来not / haven't没去过 = "I've never been (there)."
Practice
I've never been there: 我 ____ 没去过。
从来 + 没…过 = have never: 我从来没去过.
Practice
从来 must be followed by a negative (不 / 没).
Yes — 从来不 / 从来没 is the typical pattern.
not不 vs not / haven't没…(experienced)过
- never从来不to drink (alcohol)喝酒 (never drink) vs always从来没喝(experienced)过 (have never drunk).
Explore
Correct or broken?
从来 + negative covers all time: 从来不 for refusals, 从来没…过 for blank experience.
Practice
Which denies a past EXPERIENCE?
没…过 = no experience; 不 = a habitual “never”.
Recap
Key idea
- always从来 + not不 / not / haven't没(to have / there is有) + Verb — "never (at any time)"
- never从来不to drink (alcohol)喝酒 (habit) · always从来not / haven't没去过 (experience)
- not / haven't没 usually takes (experienced)过 for experience
Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Verb phrases.