Never and ever

[Zhongwei]

Hello everyone

A simple question here:
Could someone please tell me what's the difference between never and ever?

I was recently asked by a friend and I could not answer in a clear and easy to understand way. I would really appreciate any help here.

thanks

 

[David L.]

Perhaps I can help posters to this enquiry understand why the confusion occurs down that way, having lived there 40 odd years.
Top end of the world, a person would ask, "Have you ever been skiing?"
An Aussie would ask (and apparently the Kiwis too), "Have you never been skiing?"