Breakdown of ¿Has vivido alguna vez en el extranjero?
en
in / on / by (means of transport) / about (after pensar)
vivir
to live
alguno
some, any
haber
to have (auxiliary)
Questions & Answers about ¿Has vivido alguna vez en el extranjero?
Why is there an en before el extranjero when English just says abroad?
In Spanish, extranjero acts as a noun here meaning the foreign territory. Because you are talking about being physically located in a place, the verb vivir pairs with the preposition en. You literally say you live in the foreign territory.
In English we put ever in the middle of the verb (have ever lived). Can I say has alguna vez vivido?
No, in Spanish you can never put words between the auxiliary verb (has) and the past participle (vivido). Phrases like alguna vez must go either before or after the complete two-word verb.
Why use has vivido instead of the simple past viviste here?
When asking about general life experiences where the exact time doesn't matter (like asking Have you ever...?), Spanish from Spain strongly prefers the present perfect tense (has vivido). The phrase alguna vez is a major hint that you should use this tense rather than the simple past.
Doesn't el extranjero mean the foreigner?
It can mean both the foreigner (a person) and abroad (a place). The preposition and context clarify the meaning: living en el extranjero means living in a foreign place, while working with un extranjero means working with a foreign person.