Experience action marker

Previous post was about double negative.
(T) Verb + 過 不 少
(S) Verb + 过 不 少
(pinyin) Verb + guò bù shǎo
Translation: Verb + [experience action marker] not few

You may be wondering about the character 過(T) 过 (S) [guò].
Is there a change to the meaning if it were 得 (T/S) [dé]?  YES!


If you use 過(T) 过 (S) [guò], you are implying that the task has been completed awhile ago and is done.

If you use 得 (T/S) [dé], you are implying that the task has been done but the task may also not be completed.

So if you replace with 吃(T/S) [chī]
using
T: 吃 過 不 少
S: 吃 过 不 少
Pinyin: chī guò bù shǎo
Translation and meaning: Ate a lot already and is done eating

T/S: 吃 得 不 少
Pinyin: chī dé bù shǎo
Translation and meaning: Ate a lot already and may continue to eat