jabi-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 |
| 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
In the Sejong course this appears in 휴가를 어떻게 보내기로 했어요? — Sejong Korean 2, Unit 6, on the theme of 휴가. 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.