chưa từng
- Adverb:
- Never before, not ever: Used to indicate that something has not happened at any time in the past up to the present moment. It emphasizes a complete lack of prior experience or occurrence.
- "Chưa từng" is used to negate an action or state for the entirety of a period leading up to the present. It is stronger than simply "chưa" (not yet) and is equivalent to "never" in English when referring to life experience.
- It is typically placed before the main verb in a sentence.
- Common structure: Subject + Chưa từng + Verb.
Adverb: Tôi chưa từng đến Paris. (I have never been to Paris.)
"Chưa từng... bao giờ": This is an emphatic form, reinforcing the meaning of "never ever." The word "bao giờ" (ever) can be added at the end of the clause for emphasis. Anh ấy chưa từng thất bại bao giờ. (He has never ever failed.)
Used in contrast with "đã từng" (have ever/have done before) to highlight a new or unprecedented experience. Trước đây tôi đã từng thử, nhưng lần này thì chưa từng có cảm giác như vậy. (I had tried it before, but I have never felt like this before.)
Chưa (adv): Not yet. Indicates something has not happened but may happen in the future. Tôi chưa ăn tối. (I haven't had dinner yet.)
Đã từng (adv): Have ever (done something). Used to express past experience. Tôi đã từng sống ở đây. (I have lived here before.)
Không bao giờ (adv): Never (in a general or future sense). Often used for strong assertions or promises about the future. Tôi không bao giờ làm thế. (I will never do that.)
- Chẳng bao giờ (adv): Never (more colloquial and emphatic than "không bao giờ").
- Chả bao giờ (adv): Never (very colloquial/slang variant of "chẳng bao giờ").
- Chưa một lần: Not even once. Used for strong emphasis on the zero frequency of an event. (I have not regretted it even once.)
- Chưa từng thấy: Never seen before; unprecedented. (An unprecedented sight / A sight never seen before.)