我吃过了
wǒ chī guò le
The English phrase "I have eaten" is translated into Chinese as 我吃过了 (wǒ chī guò le).
我吃过了 is a statement used to say that you have already consumed a meal. It is commonly used as a polite way to decline an offer of food or a meal. The component 吃过了 specifically indicates that you have already eaten.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 我 (I), 吃 (eat), 过 (past experience marker) and 了 (change of state/completion marker). Literally, it translates to "I eat [aspect marker for past experience] [aspect marker for completed action]."
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 我吃过了, the particle 了 is used to mark the completion of the action. If you remove 过 and use only 我吃了, the focus shifts from the experience of having eaten to the specific completion of the act of eating.
How do you pronounce it?
wǒ chī guò le
When do people say it?
When someone asks 你吃了吗？ (Have you eaten?), a common, concise response is 吃了 (Eaten).
Did you know?
- While 吃 means 'eat', in certain slang contexts it can mean 'to suffer' or 'to take a hit'. For example, the phrase 吃亏 literally means 'to eat loss', referring to being cheated or treated unfairly.
- In many Chinese communities, asking 你吃了吗? is less about your actual hunger and more of a standard social greeting, similar to saying 'How are you?' in English.
- Because meals are the primary way people bond in Chinese culture, saying 我吃过了 can be a subtle social tool to decline an invitation to an event without being rude.
Examples in context
- 我吃过了，谢谢你。Wǒ chīguò le, xièxiè nǐ.I have eaten, thank you.
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a shopping mall.
- 佳怡 Jiayi志强，你想去吃饭吗？Zhìqiáng, nǐ xiǎng qù chīfàn ma?Zhiqiang, do you want to go eat?
- 志强 Zhiqiang不好意思，我吃过了。Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ chīguòle.I'm sorry, I have eaten.
- 佳怡 Jiayi这样啊，那我们去逛逛吧。Zhèyàng a, nà wǒmen qù guàngguang ba.I see, let's go walk around then.
- 志强 Zhiqiang好主意，走吧。Hǎo zhǔyì, zǒu ba.Good idea, let's go.
