～たことがあるHave done before

使い方・接続

Verb［た］+ こと + が + ある
Verb［た］+ こと + が + ない

詳細

品詞
表現
単語の種類
動詞
使用域
一般

「たことがある」の情報

たことがある is a set expression in Japanese that is used for saying that 'there has been a time that I have done (A)'.

The auxiliary verb た will be added to the verb indicating what you have done, followed by こと - が - ある. Like の, こと is regularly used for nominalization (creating a noun-like phrase). However, の cannot replace こと in this particular grammar pattern.

From these examples, we can see that ない (the negative equivalent of ある) may also be used, when you want to express that you have 'never' done something.

Caution

Just like English, many set phrases cannot be adjusted in Japanese (in the same way that こと cannot be swapped with の in this expression).

Fun Fact

In expressions where こと is followed by a verb phrase, の may not be used. When used for nominalization, の is almost always followed by a noun or adjective phrase. Here are some examples.

例文

--:--

ここでサッカーをしたことがありますか。

Have you ever played soccer here before?

日本(にほん)に行(い)ったことがありますか。

Have you ever been to Japan before?

この本(ほん)を読(よ)んだことがある。

I have read this book before.

私(わたし)の家(いえ)を見(み)たことがありますか。

Have you ever seen my house before?

６(ろく)時(じ)前(まえ)に起(お)きたことがない。

I have never woken up before six o'clock.

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オンライン
- Experiences
  Tae Kim
- Expressions with こと
  Imabi
- Have been / done たことがある
  Japanese Ammo
- Talking about Past Experience using 〜たことがある
  PuniPuni

オフライン
- [DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
  Page 196
- Genki I
  Page 216
- Genki I 2nd Edition
  Page 256
- Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
  Page 236
- みんなの日本語 I
  Page 122 [CH 19]
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「たことがある」に関する文法ディスカッション

最近の返信 (合計19件)

Jake
have done before
Structure
- Verb[た] + こと・が・ある
View on Bunpro
madmalkav
Why is this sentence:

あそこの公園（こうえん）に あそびにいったことがない でしょう。

This option is not valid?

あそこの公園（こうえん）に あそびにいったことがありません でしょう
mrnoone
Hey

It is not valid because でしょう follows short forms. By people younger than 50-60 years old it will be considered unnatural.

So, あそこの公園に あそびにいったことがない でしょう。
and あそこの公園に **あそびにいったことがありません(no でしょう)。 are correct.

More here: がいる and がいます
madmalkav
Thanks for the clarification. The でしょう entry doesn’t seems to especify that and I didn’t thought oj compare with the external resources.
mrnoone
No problem

I will write a warning about it in the でしょう lesson.
JohnnyMufgo
Hi, just echoing madmalkav’s point above.

I ran into this issue this evening, but couldn’t find any mention of the warning on the でしょう entry.
Pushindawood
Sorry about that! We have added a note in でしょう’s structure that indicates that でしょう follows the short form of a verb. Thank you for your patience! Cheers!
Mangor
Hey, I don’t quite understand the nuance between using just the past tense and adding こと・が・ある

To me the meaning seems to be the same, if you only use the past tense, doesn’t it already implies that you’ve done (or not) said action ? What does using こと・が・ある add to what you’re saying ?
mrnoone
Hey

たことがある expresses that someone has (ever) experienced doing something before. It also implies that the event is not fresh, happened further in past.

The difference is easier to notice if we think about it from a wider perspective:

ことがある and normal た form answer to different questions.

日本に行ったことがある？
Have you ever gone to Japan?

うん、日本に行ったことがある。
Yes, I have experienced going to Japan.
Yes, there was a time when I went to Japan.

日本に行った？
Did you go to Japan?

うん、日本に行った。
Yes, I went to Japan.

Is it a bit more clear now?
Mangor
Yes, I think I got a better grasp on the nuance.

Thanks again mrnoone !
Lilalas
This is another grammar point where you should probably also mention the 漢字 spelling:

た事がある
mrnoone
Hey

Rather than in たことがある or ることがある construction, 事 is used most of the time when refering to some untangible “thing”.

日本語を自分で学ぶことがよくある。
I often study Japanese by myself.

おじちゃんからまだ学事がある。
There are still things I can learn from grandpa.
seanblue
For the negative sentences, should ことはない be accepted in addition to ことがない?
mrnoone
Sorry for being super late with answer!

The answer is yes, は is very often used with negatives since it expresses contrast and therefore puts more emphasis.

For example：

While
あそこの公園にあそびにいったことがないでしょう。
would be statement:
You have never gone to play at that park over there, have you.
あそこの公園にあそびにいったことはないでしょう。
Would have nuance:
You have never gone to play at that park over there, have you
seanblue
Can you add that as an alternate answer to the relevant sentences then?
mrnoone
I added those before writing the answer
aenzed
Hi, I’ve a question to make sure I understand this bit.

In “I have read this book before (この本を読んだことがある)” I thought it could be この本を前に読んだ. But as I now understand 前に is more specifically used when it’s before X in time or space, correct? So in this instance it’d be like saying “I have read this book before …” where you end your sentence with some kind of cliffhanger.
Matt_RWR
During my reviews, this sentence came up.
‘結婚けっこんしたことがありますか’

Fair enough.
But my answer of
結婚けっこんをしたことがありますか

This was rejected. Am I missing something? I thought you could use an を after a suru noun.

Have I misunderstood something?
mrnoone
@Matt_RWR
Hey Matt,
I have added it as an alternative answer.
The meaning is the same.

The difference is that when you use するVerb + する you cannot modify (describe) the するverb with noun or adjective, with するVerbを + する you can.

Example:
数学の勉強する not natural
数学の勉強をする natural

幸せな結婚する not natural
幸せな結婚をする natural

But you can say:
数学を勉強をする natural

Cheers
Matt_RWR
Ah - I never knew that. Thanks for the info and for adding the alternative!