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How to Say ‘Have you taught before?’ in Simplified Chinese

你以前教过吗？

nǐ yǐ qián jiào guò ma

[nee yǐqián jiāo guo ma]

💬 Usage Tip: 过 after a verb means "have ever done", so it's for asking about experience: 你去过上海吗？ "Have you been to Shanghai?" 以前 "before" just reinforces it.

Phrase Breakdown

你以前

nǐ yǐ qián

you, before / previously

你 (you) + 以前 (yǐqián, before). This sets the time frame in the past.

Example

你以前来过这里吗？

Have you been here before?

Words in this phrase

你

nǐ

[nee]

you

The informal or neutral word for “you,” suitable for peers or casual conversation.

Example

如果对方和你年纪差不多，可以说“认识你”。

If the other person is about your age, you can say “nice to meet you” with 你.

以前

yǐ qián

[yǐqián]

before; prior to

Placed after a time or event to mean 'before' it; alone it can also mean 'in the past'.

Example

请在三点以前到。

Please arrive before three o'clock.

教过吗？

jiào guò ma

have (you) taught?

教过 means 'have taught'. 过 marks past experience, and 吗 turns it into a yes/no question.

Example

你学过中文吗？

Have you studied Chinese?

Words in this phrase

教

jiào

[jiāo]

to teach

To instruct someone in a skill or knowledge.

Example

妈妈教我包饺子。

Mom teaches me to make dumplings.

过

guò

[guo]

(experience particle)

Placed after a verb to show that something has been experienced before.

Example

我吃过北京烤鸭。

I have eaten Peking duck before.

吗

[ma]

question particle

A sentence-final particle used to turn a statement into a yes-no question.

Example

你是第一次来吗？这里的“吗”表示提问。

Is this your first time here? Here, 吗 marks a question.

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