Alternate form

There are two alternate forms. The first form is a different way of saying (으)ㄴ 적이 있다/없다 and the second form is adding 아보다/어보다/해보다 giving it the feeling of 'have tried/have not tried'.

(으)ㄴ 일이 있다/없다

한국말을 몰라서 실수한 일이 있어요.

I've made a mistake because of my poor Korean.

회사에 지각한 일이 없어요.

I have never been late to work.

한국 음식을 먹어 본 적이 없어요.

I have never tried Korean food.

이탈리아에 가 본 적이 있어요?

Have you ever been to Italy?

Korean Grammar in Use

-(으)ㄴ 적이 있다 expresses having a particular experience in the past and corresponds to 'have done/had' in English. If the verb stem ends in a vowel, -ㄴ 적이 있다 is added, and if the verb stem ends in a consonant, 은 적이 있다 is added.

Details

-(으)ㄴ 적이 있다 is commonly combined with -아/어 보다 to form -아/어 본 적이 있다, which means to have the experience of having tried something.

저는 미국에 가 본 적이 있어요.

I have been (successfully tried to go) to the U.S.

한국 음식을 먹어 본 적이 없어요.

I've never tried (had the experience) Korean food.

Note: -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다 is not used when describing things that are often repeated or are everyday occurrences.

오늘 물을 마신 적이 있어요. ✕

화장실에 간 적이 있어요. ✕

(으)ㄴ 적이 있다/없다 ①

Alternate form

Korean Grammar in Use