-은 적이 있다
-은 적이 있다: Have You Ever — Experience
Have (ever) done — marks that an experience exists (or, with 없다, does not).
How to form it
| When | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb stem ends in a consonant (not ㄹ) | -은 적이 있다 | 먹다 → 먹은 적이 있다 / 읽다 → 읽은 적이 있다 |
| Verb stem ends in a vowel or ㄹ | -ㄴ 적이 있다 | 가다 → 간 적이 있다 / 살다 → 산 적이 있다 |
| Negative experience | -은/-ㄴ 적이 없다 | 한국에 가 본 적이 없어요 / 먹어 본 적이 없어요 |
-은 적이 있다 is Korean for that has happened (to me) at least once — experience on the record, not a dated story.
휴가를 어떻게 보내기로 했어요? sits in the same unit as plans; this pattern is the have you ever… half of travel small talk.
Forms
| Stem | Shape |
|---|---|
| Consonant (not ㄹ) | -은 적이 있다 — 먹은 적이 있어요 |
| Vowel or ㄹ | -ㄴ 적이 있다 — 간 적이 있어요, 산 적이 있어요 |
| Negative / never | -은 적이 없다 — 가 본 적이 없어요 |
한국에 가 본 적이 있어요? Have you (ever) been to Korea?
불고기를 먹은 적이 있어요. I’ve eaten bulgogi (before).
스키를 탄 적이 없어요. I’ve never skied.Experience ≠ simple past
| Pattern | Job |
|---|---|
| -았-/-었- -었- | a past event you are narrating |
| -은 적이 있다 | whether such an occasion exists |
어제 병원에 갔어요 tells yesterday’s trip. 병원에 간 적이 있어요? asks if hospital-going is in your life history.
With -어 보다
-어 보다 in the past (가 봤어요) is how Koreans often ask have you tried / have you ever. Speech freely combines them: 가 본 적이 있어요. Learn both; do not delete one as a “duplicate English have.”
적 is a bound noun
우리말샘’s 적 in this use sits after adnominals like -은. Particle 이 on 적이 is normal subject marking (이/가) before 있다/없다.
Same unit as decisions
Vacation unit also teaches -기로 하다 (보내기로 했어요). One asks what you decided; this one asks what you have already lived through.
Do not confuse it with
Taught alongside this
On the jabi learning path, this appears in 휴가를 어떻게 보내기로 했어요? (How did you decide to spend your vacation?) — Beginner Korean 2, Unit 6, on the theme of vacation. These come with it:
Words used above
Quick check
No sign-up, no score saved — just see if it stuck.
1. What is -은 적이 있다 mainly tracking?
2. How does it differ from plain -었어요?
3. Which pairs best with 'try / have you tried'?
Common questions
Do I put -었- before -은 적?
No beginner form like *갔은 적. The adnominal -은/-ㄴ already carries the past/completed flavour before 적.
How do I say 'never'?
Use 없다: 먹은 적이 없어요. English *never + past* is not a license to invent a different Korean template.
Is it only for questions?
No. 제주도에 간 적이 있어요 states your experience; the question form asks for someone else's.
Adjective experience?
Classroom focus is action verbs. Do not freely build *예쁜 적이 있다 without models you have actually heard.