Some Things Become
Part of Our Story.
Some things are still ahead of us. Others have already happened — and now belong to our experience.
Have done.
Have not done.
Have you ever?
Japanese can now talk about experiences that belong somewhere in your life — without saying exactly when they happened.
あります。
ありません。
ありますか。
Something happened.
Something became experience.
行きました tells us about an event. 行ったことがあります tells us that going there is part of your experience.
A past event answers “what happened?”
Experience answers “have you ever?”
For this lesson, treat the whole pattern 〜たことがあります as one useful unit. We will keep the focus on experience rather than turning this into a large conjugation lesson.
Where have you been?
Ordinary things
become experiences too.
Have you ever
been there?
Have you ever
eaten it?
What have you
experienced?
Yes and no are useful. But open questions let another person tell you more.
Some things we have done.
Some things we still want to do.
Ask.
Listen.
Discover someone's story.
Each main exchange uses two different voices: a female speaker and a male speaker.
“At first, Japan is made of things you have not done. Slowly, those same things become part of your story.”
A train you once did not know how to board. Food you had never tried. A place you had never visited. A conversation you could not yet have. Experience quietly changes the language around you.
You can now speak about
more than the present moment.
Each Foundation lesson has added another dimension. IJ-0087 adds personal experience.
WHAT → WHERE → WHEN → WITH WHOM → HOW → HOW OFTEN → HOW LONG → FROM / TO → WHY / REASON → WANT / INTENTION → EXPERIENCE
Find three things
already in your story.
Think about your own experience. Choose a place, a food and one activity.
You do not need an impressive answer. Ordinary experience is real experience.
Things We
Have Done.
A station you once could not navigate. Food you once could not name. A conversation you once could not have.
Slowly, unfamiliar things become things you have done.