Meaning and usage of ~적이 있다/없다

I learnt this grammar for the first time about 3-4 weeks ago xD but it wasn’t hard to grasp the meaning and the way to use it!!~ but a few days ago I got an email from a Korean friend and she used this in her email so much I realised how versatile this grammar point actually can be despite the fact that it looks like it can be a bit one sided in its meaning  ~ ㅎㅎ

Meaning of  –  (으) ㄴ적이 있다/없다

• this structure is used to express past experiences (or lack thereof) with ‘적’ meaning ‘time’ or ‘experience’  and ‘있다’ and ‘없다’ meaning ‘to have’ and ‘to have not’

Structure ~

The structure is actually really simple its just [Verb Stem + -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다/없다] depending on if your sentence is negative or positive you change the 있다 (positive/ have seen) or 없다 (negative / to not have seen)

보다  to see
보  – verb stem
보 + -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다 = 본 적이 있다
보 + -(으)ㄴ 적이 없다 = 본 적이 없다
본 적이 있어요 I’ve seen it before.
본 적이 없어요  I’ve never seen it before.

Examples ~

저는 ‘넌 내게 반했어’ 본 적이 있어요. I have seen the drama “You’ve Fallen For Me”

그 드라마 본 적이 없지만 시간 있으면 꼭 볼 거예요! I haven’t seen those dramas but if I have time I will certainly see them!

수업 늦은 적이 있어요. I have been late for class before.

본 적이 없어요. I’ve never seen it/that before.

Extra ~

Often times the ‘이’ particle is dropped in colloquial situations so if you see a sentence written without the 이 don’t get confused sometimes its easily dropped and added ^^ just depending on person and its does not change (so afar as I have seen) the nuance of the sentence at all!

Leave a comment using this 적이 있다 ㅎㅎㅎ

좋은 하루 보내세요!! ^^