Past & Experience Lesson 3
Master the たり〜たり construction to describe representative actions and the ことがある pattern for life experiences.
What did you do on your day off?
Imagine you are catching up with a friend after the weekend. You want to explain that you didn't just do one thing, but a mix of activities like reading, shopping, and resting. In Japanese, simply listing verbs with 'and' doesn't quite capture the nuance of a representative list of actions.
The たり〜たり and ことがある patterns
We use たり〜たり to list representative actions, and ことがある to talk about past experiences.
Tip
Seeing it in action
Here are examples of how to use these structures in daily conversation.
日曜日は本を読んだり、映画を見たりしました。
On Sunday, I read books, watched movies, and did other things.
私は日本料理を食べたことがあります。
I have eaten Japanese food before.
北海道へ行った【こと】があります。
Hint: The noun that turns the verb into an experience.
I have been to Hokkaido.
Nuance and Usage
Understanding when to use these patterns correctly.
た-form vs ことがある
北海道へ行った
I went to Hokkaido (specific time)
先週、北海道へ行った。
北海道へ行ったことがある
I have been to Hokkaido (life experience)
一度、北海道へ行ったことがある。
Which sentence correctly uses the representative action pattern?
- 本を読んだり、映画を見た。
- ✓ 本を読んだり、映画を見たりしました。
- 本を読んだ、映画を見た。
たり〜たり requires the verb します (or した) at the end to be grammatically complete.
Advanced Notes
A few extra details for the curious student.
Can I use more than two actions?
Lesson Wrap-up
You have learned how to list representative actions using たり〜たり and how to describe life experiences using ことがある. These are essential for talking about your past and your hobbies.