JLPTMainichi JLPT
English
JLPT N4 · Sentence patterns

ことがある (koto ga aru)

～ことがある — “there are times when ～”

In short · With the dictionary or ない form of a verb, ことがある says that something happens sometimes, though not always. It is a different pattern from the past-form ～たことがある, which talks about experience.
A free study page from Mainichi JLPT — the app has 429+ grammar points, plus vocabulary and mock exams.See the app

Pattern

  • 動詞辞書形 ＋ ことがある 抜く → 抜くことがある
  • 動詞ない形 ＋ ことがある 食べない → 食べないことがある

Where it comes from

The nominalizing こと plus ある (“exist”) literally means “such a thing exists.” It expresses events or habits that occur from time to time. The polite form is ことがあります.

When to use it

Use it for something that is not frequent but does happen, as in 忙しくて、昼ご飯を抜くことがある. It often appears with たまに and 時々.

Difference from ～たことがある

The dictionary or ない form means “it happens sometimes”; the past form means “I have had the experience.” 日本へ行くことがある means “I sometimes go to Japan,” while 日本へ行ったことがある means “I have been to Japan.”

Examples

  • たまに朝（あさ）ご飯（はん）を食（た）べないことがあります。

    Tamani asagohan o tabenai koto ga arimasu.

    There are times when I skip breakfast.

  • 忙（いそが）しくて、昼（ひる）ご飯（はん）を抜（ぬ）くことがある。

    Isogashikute, hirugohan o nuku koto ga aru.

    There are times when I'm so busy that I skip lunch.

  • 夜（よる）、急（きゅう）に不安（ふあん）になることがある。

    Yoru, kyū ni fuan ni naru koto ga aru.

    There are times at night when I suddenly feel uneasy.

Common mistakes

  • Changing to the past form changes the meaning: use the dictionary form for “sometimes,” ～たことがある for experience.
  • Do not use it for things that always happen; daily habits use plain ～ます or ～ている.

More grammar points

Practice this in the app

Mainichi JLPT turns these grammar points into daily quizzes and a readiness gauge — 100% free, no sign-up.

Download on theApp StoreGet it onGoogle Play

See the app