Learn Hardcore Chinese: wǒ hái méi qù guo Běijīng, wǒ xiǎng qù. - I haven’t been to Beijing yet; I want to go.

Here 还 means yet/still in a negative context. 我还没去过北京 = “I haven’t been to Beijing yet,” implying the possibility/expectation of going in the future. If you omit it (我没去过北京), it’s a neutral “I haven’t been to Beijing,” often understood as “I’ve never been.” To make “never” explicit, you can say 我从来没去过北京.

Why is 没 (méi) used instead of 不 (bù)?

Use 没(有) to negate past/experienced actions and anything involving 过/了/有. 不 negates habitual, future, or volitional actions. Compare:

我不去北京 = I’m not going to Beijing (I won’t go).
我没去北京 = I didn’t go to Beijing / I haven’t gone.
Don’t say 我还不去过北京 (incorrect).

What does 过 (guo) after the verb indicate, and how is it different from 了 (le)?

过 marks experiential aspect: you’ve done something at least once at some (unspecified) time. 了 marks a completed action/event, usually tied to a specific time.

我去过北京两次。 I’ve been to Beijing twice. (experience)
去年我去了北京。 I went to Beijing last year. (completed event)

How is 过 pronounced here, and why does it often appear without a tone mark?

As the experiential particle, 过 is pronounced with a neutral tone: guo (light, unstressed). The fourth-tone guò is for the full verb “to pass/cross” (e.g., 过马路) or other non-aspect uses. In many learning materials, the aspect particle is written as guo without a tone mark to signal the neutral tone.

Can I say 还没有 instead of 还没? Any difference?

Yes. 还没有 and 还没 both mean “not yet.” 还没有 can feel a bit more formal or slightly more emphatic. Both are natural: 我还没/还没有去过北京.

What’s the difference between 还没去过北京 and 还没去北京?

还没去过北京: “Haven’t been to Beijing yet” in the experiential sense (ever, up to now).
还没去北京: “Haven’t gone to Beijing yet” (often about a specific, expected trip that hasn’t happened yet).
If you mean “I’ve never been (yet),” use 去过.

What’s the typical word order with 还没 … 过?

Pattern: Subject + 还 + 没(有) + Verb + 过 + Object.
Examples:

他还没吃过四川菜。 He hasn’t tried Sichuan food yet.
我们还没看过那部电影。 We haven’t seen that movie yet.

Can I drop the second 我 in the sentence?

Yes. Chinese often omits repeated subjects when clear from context. 我还没去过北京，想去。 is natural and a bit more concise than repeating 我.

Do I need to repeat 北京 in the second clause?

No. 我想去 is fine because “Beijing” is already clear from the first clause. If you want to be explicit, 我想去北京 is also perfectly natural.

Is the comma between the two clauses okay, or should I use 所以?

A comma is fine; Chinese often places related clauses side by side. If you want to make the causal link explicit, use 所以: 我还没去过北京，所以我想去。

How do I ask “Have you been to Beijing?” naturally?

Common options:

你去过北京吗？
你去过北京没有？ (colloquial)
你去没去过北京？ (A-not-A pattern)
Possible answers: 去过。/ 没去过。/ 我还没去过。/ 去过一次。

What’s the difference between 想, 要, and 打算 in “I want to go”?

想去: “would like to/feel like going” (soft desire; polite).
要去: “am going to/plan or determination to go” (stronger intent or arrangement).
打算去: “plan to go” (explicit planning).
For a polite wish, use 我想去; for a firm plan, 我要去/我打算去.

Can I say 我已经去过北京? And can 过 and 了 appear together?

Yes: 我已经去过北京 = I’ve already been to Beijing. You can also say 我已经去过北京了 with sentence-final 了 to highlight a new/current state. Avoid putting 了 right after the verb when 过 is there (e.g., avoid 去过了北京 as a learner).

Could I use 到 instead of 去, as in 我还没到过北京?

Yes. 到过北京 emphasizes arrival (“have arrived in/have been to Beijing”). 去过北京 is more common in everyday speech. Avoid 去到过北京; it sounds awkward.

Should I add 呢 at the end to express “not yet”?

Adding 呢 gives an “it’s still the case right now” feeling: 我还没去过北京呢。 It emphasizes the ongoing “not yet” status, but it’s optional.

How can I make “I’ve never been” more emphatic?

我从来没(有)去过北京。 I have never been to Beijing.
我一次都没去过北京。 I haven’t been even once.
These make the “never” meaning crystal clear.

What are some common mistakes to avoid with this pattern?

Using 不 with 过: don’t say 不去过; use 没(有)去过.
Misplacing 过: it follows the verb and precedes the object (去过北京, not “过去北京” for experience).
Saying 去到过北京: unnatural; prefer 去过北京 or 到过北京.
Forgetting 过 when asking about experience: use 你去过北京吗？ rather than 你去北京吗？ if you mean “Have you been?”.