i have never been to Hong Kong vs I had never been in Hong Kong before

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "I have never been to Hong Kong" is used to express that the speaker has not visited Hong Kong at any point in their life. On the other hand, "I had never been in Hong Kong before" is used to convey that the speaker had not visited Hong Kong up to a specific point in the past.

Last updated: March 31, 2024 • 3549 views

i have never been to Hong Kong

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express that the speaker has not visited Hong Kong at any point in their life.

This phrase is used to convey the fact that the speaker has not had the experience of visiting Hong Kong. It is typically used in present perfect tense to emphasize the current state of not having visited the place.

Examples:

I have never been to Hong Kong, but I hope to visit someday.
She has never been to Hong Kong, so this trip is very exciting for her.

Show examples from the web [+]

The plane never made it to Hong Kong.
We never make Hong Kong with old iron boiler.
I've been to Hong Kong once.
I haven't been to Hong Kong for ages.
Have you been to Hong Kong, sir?
Have you ever been to Hong Kong?
He exported goods to Hong Kong.
She went to Hong Kong to clear her head.
I have never been deplaned before.
Mother comes to Hong Kong to be a maid...
And that's why I came to Hong Kong.
I was invited to Hong Kong.
A Thai guy will come to Hong Kong on Sunday.
Now they've all fled to Hong Kong or Malaysia.
Better confirm that flight to Hong Kong for me.
Have a nice flight back to Hong Kong.
Flew to Hong Kong for her 12th birthday.
He's going to Hong Kong on his boat.
Visa-free access should be given to Hong Kong's passport-holders without any preconditions.
So Jenny is actually coming with me to Hong Kong.

Alternatives:

I've never visited Hong Kong.
I've never traveled to Hong Kong.
I've never been to that city.
I've never set foot in Hong Kong.

I had never been in Hong Kong before

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express that the speaker had not visited Hong Kong up to a specific point in the past.

This phrase is used to indicate that the speaker had not experienced being in Hong Kong before a particular time in the past. It is typically used in past perfect tense to emphasize the timeline of events.

Examples:

I had never been in Hong Kong before last year's trip.
She had never been in Hong Kong before she moved there for work.

Show examples from the web [+]

I've been in Hong Kong for a long time.
I've been in Hong Kong for 3 months.
How Long have you been in Hong Kong?
I haven't been in Hong Kong much these last two years.
I swear, if I run into the same trouble I had with you in Hong Kong...
He'll never forgive himself for last year in Tangier, or the year before in Hong Kong.
Dad became ambassador in Hong Kong.
RMB deposits in Hong Kong are growing exponentially.
We have to leave Hong-Kong before the police find us.
Like Pascal Lamy, I had hoped that in Hong Kong we would be able to complete two thirds of the work of the round, notably by agreeing full modalities in the main areas of negotiation.
We need to stop Martin and wrap out of Hong Kong before things get a whole lot worse.
Although these refugees were housed in Hong Kong...
My daughter worries about the situation in Hong Kong. l don't want to leave.
This is my last day in Hong Kong.
It's from a friend in Hong Kong.
It's not easy to make a living in Hong Kong.
Our reputation is one of the best in Hong Kong.
You'll have trouble, not knowing English in Hong Kong.
There are many schools in Hong Kong...
You are my best friend in Hong Kong.

Alternatives:

I had never visited Hong Kong before.
I had never traveled to Hong Kong before.
I had never been to that city before.
I had never set foot in Hong Kong before.

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i have never been to Hong Kong vs I had never been in Hong Kong before