Hanamaruhanamaru
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Say you've done something before

Says you have done something at least once before in your life.

JLPTN5
verb (plain past) + ことがあります~ [verb ta-form] + koto ga arimasu

I have done [something] before / I've had the experience of [doing something]

Take the plain past form of a verb and add ことがあります to talk about an experience. It focuses on whether something has ever happened, not when it happened, so you don't pin it to a specific date. The casual ending is ことがある.

Tips and Common Traps

Hana· Key point

This is perfect for conversation starters — 食べたことがありますか？たべたことがありますか？ (Have you ever tried it?) is a natural way to ask about someone's experiences.

Maru· Common trap

The verb must be in the plain past (た) form, not the ます form. 食べましたたべました → 食べたたべた → 食べたことがありますたべたことがあります (have eaten before).

Related

[verb] + たverb (て-form) + いる