have done before (experience)

Past tense plus ことがある states that you have the experience of doing something at least once. The negative たことがない means you have never done it. It is about life experience, not a specific past event, so do not use it with recent or dated actions.

Examples

• 富士山ふじやまに登のぼったことがあります。

  Fujisan ni nobotta koto ga arimasu.

  I have climbed Mt. Fuji before.

• 納豆なっとうを食たべたことがありますか。

  Nattou o tabeta koto ga arimasu ka.

  Have you ever eaten natto?

Vocabulary in these examples

• 登る to climb
• ある to exist (inanimate); to have
• 食べる to eat

Related patterns · Experience and habits

• 〜ことがある there are times when, sometimes
• 〜たばかり have just done
• 〜てばかりいる do nothing but, always be doing