~(으)ㄴ/는 적이/일이 있다 / 없다

Structurally this is a modifier + bound-noun + existential construction:

• Modifier: present dynamic ~는 OR state/result ~(으)ㄴ
• Bound noun: 적 or 일 (both mean “event,” “act,” or “experience”)
• Existential: 있- (“exist”) for affirmative, 없- (“not exist”) for negative

Two well-defined uses split by modifier choice. The modifier is the diagnostic; the bound noun is mostly a register/preference choice.

Use 1: State/result ~(으)ㄴ → past experience

With the state/result modifier ~(으)ㄴ, the pattern asks or asserts whether someone has ever had the experience:

• 한국에 가 본 적이 있어요? (Have you ever gone/been to Korea?)
• 막걸리를 마셔 본 적이 있어요. (I have tried makgeolli.)
• 닭발을 먹어 본 일이 없어요. (I have never eaten chicken feet.)

Two refinements for this use:

• 적 is more common than 일 in the past-experience reading. Both are grammatical; pick 적 by default.
• The pattern is frequently preceded by ~아/어 보- (“try”) — the try-experience meaning is so common that ~아/어 본 적이 있다 (“have ever tried…”) is essentially a unit. The literal sense of 보- (“see”) shades into “try” here (per §5.1.8).

The “try-experience” collocation in particular is everyday-Korean essential:

• 김치찌개 먹어 본 적 있어요? (Have you ever tried kimchi-jjigae?)
• 한복 입어 본 적이 있어요. (I’ve tried wearing a hanbok.)

You can drop the ~아/어 보- if the verb already implies experience trying — 한국에 간 적 있어요 works without 가 본, though the 가 본 form is more idiomatic for travel/experience questions.

Use 2: Dynamic ~는 → habitual occurrence in daily life

With the dynamic modifier ~는, the pattern asks or asserts whether someone ever does something — or never does it — as part of daily life. This is not a past-experience reading; it’s a habitual / occasional / general-truth reading:

• 극장에 가는 일이 있어요? (Do you ever go to the theater?)
• 나중에 후회하는 일이 있어요. (I sometimes regret things later.)
• 포기하는 일이 없어요. (I never give up.)

Preference flag for this use: 일 is more common than 적. Both are grammatical, but reach for 일 by default in habitual-occurrence sentences.

This use is easy to miss for learners who only know ~(으)ㄴ 적이 있다 — but it’s how Korean naturally expresses “do you ever…?”, “I sometimes…”, “I never…” without committing to a count or specific time. 포기하는 일이 없어요 is more idiomatic than 나는 절대 포기하지 않아요 for “I never give up” as a general life stance.

Modifier × bound noun summary

	적 (less common in habitual)	일 (less common in past-experience)
~(으)ㄴ (state/result → past experience)	✓ default for “have you ever…?“	possible but less common
~는 (dynamic → habitual)	possible but less common	✓ default for “do you ever…?”

The diagonals (~(으)ㄴ + 적 / ~는 + 일) are the two natural pairings. The off-diagonals work but feel less idiomatic.

How to attach it

• ~(으)ㄴ 적/일이 있다/없다 (past experience):

  • Vowel stem: 가다 → 간, 보다 → 본, 마시다 → 마신
  • Consonant stem: 먹다 → 먹은, 읽다 → 읽은
  • With ~아/어 보-: 가 본, 먹어 본, 마셔 본, 입어 본
  • Examples: 간 적이 있어요, 먹어 본 적이 있어요, 한 적이 없어요

• ~는 적/일이 있다/없다 (habitual):

  • All action-verb stems take ~는 directly: 가다 → 가는, 먹다 → 먹는, 후회하다 → 후회하는
  • ㄹ-stem (drop ㄹ before ~는): 만들다 → 만드는, 살다 → 사는
  • Examples: 가는 일이 있어요, 후회하는 일이 있어요, 포기하는 일이 없어요

Polite/formal endings: ~있어요 / ~있습니다 / ~없어요 / ~없습니다.

Compared to plain past tense

Past experience ~(으)ㄴ 적이 있다 vs. plain past ~았/었어요:

• 한국에 간 적이 있어요. (I have the experience of going to Korea — at some point.)
• 한국에 갔어요. (I went to Korea — narrating the event itself.)

The 적이 있다 form flags the visit as a resume item — something you can claim as having done. The plain past just states it happened. Choose based on whether you’re cataloguing experience or narrating a sequence.

Tip: Two pairings to remember as templates:

• ~아/어 본 적이 있어요? — “Have you ever tried…?” (everyday “have you ever” question)
• ~는 일이 없어요 — “I never (do)…” (general-truth claim about your habits)

Once those are second nature, the rest of the four-way grid (modifier × 적/일) falls out as register variation.