Word
침대에서 책을 읽어 본 적이 있어요.chimdaeeseo chaegeul ilgeo bon jeogi isseoyo.
Meaning
I’ve tried reading a book in bed before.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
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Questions & Answers about chimdaeeseo chaegeul ilgeo bon jeogi isseoyo.
What does the grammar pattern -어/아 본 적이 있다/없다 mean, and how is it formed?
-어/아 본 적이 있다 literally breaks down as:
• V-stem + 어/아 보다 (“to try doing V”) in its attributive form (어/아 본)
• 적 (“occasion” or “experience”)
• 이 있다/없다 (“there is/there is not”)
Put together, it means “to have the experience of trying to V.” In English we usually translate it “have you ever …?” or “I have tried …,” and with 없다 it becomes “have never ….”
Why is 본 used after 읽어 in 읽어 본 적이 있어요?
본 is the adjective form of the verb 보다 when it’s used as an auxiliary meaning “to try.” You start with 읽어 보다 (“to try reading”), then turn 보다 into its modifier form 본 so you can attach 적:
읽다 (to read) → 읽어 보다 (try reading) → 읽어 본 적 (the occasion of having tried reading)
What does 적 mean in 읽어 본 적이 있어요?
Here 적 means “occasion” or “experience.” It turns the action into a noun phrase “the experience of having tried V.” When you say 적이 있어요, you’re saying “there is such an experience,” i.e. “I’ve had that experience.”
Why is the particle 에서 used with 침대 instead of 에?