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Questions & Answers about taeksireul tabon jeogeun issjiman beoseujeongryujangeseo gidaryeo bon jeogeun eobseoyo.
What does the structure Verb-stem + 아/어 본 적(이) 있다/없다 mean?
This pattern expresses personal experience.
- Verb-stem + 아/어 본 적이 있다 → “have had the experience of doing …”
- Verb-stem + 아/어 본 적이 없다 → “have never had the experience of doing …”
In our sentence:
- 택시를 타본 적은 있지만 → “I have taken a taxi before”
- 버스정류장에서 기다려 본 적은 없어요 → “I’ve never waited at a bus stop”
Why are there 적은 있지만 and 적은 없어요 instead of just 적이 있지만/없어요?
The noun 적 (“occasion/instance”) takes a topic/contrast marker -은/는 to highlight a comparison:
- ~적은 있지만 = “As for the experience …, there is (lit. exists) …, but …”
- ~적은 없어요 = “As for the experience …, there isn’t (lit. exists not) …”
Using -은/는 instead of -이/가 emphasizes the contrast between the two clauses.
What role does 지만 play in 택시를 타본 적은 있지만?
지만 is a conjunction meaning “but” or “although.” It attaches directly to a clause to introduce a contrasting or qualifying statement. Here it connects:
“… I have taken a taxi, but I have never waited at a bus stop.”
Why is the object marked 택시를 with 를, but the location marked 버스정류장에서 with 에서?
- 를 marks the direct object of a verb (here 택시 is the thing you “ride”).
- 에서 marks the place where an action occurs (here 버스정류장 is where you “wait”).
Why do we see 기다려 본 instead of 기다리어 본?
When attaching 보다 (“to try”) in modern Korean, you apply the 아/어 rule directly to the verb stem:
기다리 + 어 + 보다 → 기다려 보다
The older form 기다리어 보다 is rare in contemporary speech and writing.
Both 기다려 본 적은 없어요 and 기다려 본 적이 없어요 seem possible. Why choose -은/는 here?
Using -은/는 instead of -이/가:
- Highlights the contrast with the first clause
- Makes the sentence feel more natural and conversational
Omitting the 이 in spoken Korean is also common, so 기다려 본 적은 없어요 sounds smooth and emphasizes “no experience of waiting” as opposed to “taxi-taking.”
What politeness level is conveyed by 없어요?
없어요 is in the polite informal style (해요체). It’s appropriate for casual conversations with people you don’t know that well or want to be respectful to without sounding overly formal.