たことがある
🃏 Flashcard
たことがある
ta koto ga aru
Tap to reveal usage
to have done something before
N5
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N5
Beginner · Basic sentence structures
Reading
ta koto ga aru
Post ID
50663
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
to have done something before
📖 How to use it
Says you have experienced doing something at least once in the past.
Attaches to
Attach to the plain past (た-form) of a verb, e.g., 食べた, 行った, 見た.
This pattern expresses past experience, meaning 'have done something before.' The verb changes to its た-form, then add ことがある. The こと here is a nominalizer, turning the action into a nominal concept, and ある indicates existence of that experience. So it literally means 'there is the thing of having done.' When the experience is not recent, it's often used with 前に or 一度.
日本に行ったことがあります。
Nihon ni itta koto ga arimasu.
I have been to Japan.
すしを食べたことがありますか。
Sushi o tabeta koto ga arimasu ka.
Have you ever eaten sushi?
私は富士山を見たことがありません。
Watashi wa Fujisan o mita koto ga arimasen.
I have never seen Mount Fuji.
Not たところだ
たことがある is for past experience (ever), while たところだ means 'just did something' and refers to a very recent action, not experience.
Register
Neutral; used in both speech and writing. The polite form あります is common in conversation.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
たことがある
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat たことがある three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using たことがある. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N5 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern たことがある mean?
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To have done something before
What JLPT level is たことがある?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N5 — Beginner · Basic sentence structures. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use たことがある in a sentence?
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Attach たことがある (ta koto ga aru) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is たことがある formal or casual Japanese?
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たことがある is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember たことがある long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.