Seen it, tried it
Sama asks if you've ever been to Busan. "I went there once" and "I've been there" are two different sentences in Korean, and only one of them won't make you sound like a confused time traveler.
Prove I've lived a littleThe words — Seen it, tried it
Sama at the sea, running a full background check on your life choices.
Meaningsaw / have seen
바다를 봤어요. 바다가 정말 커요!
I saw the sea. The sea is really big!
Meaninghave been / have tried eating / have tried doing
부산에 가 봤어요. 김치를 먹어 봤어요. 수영해 봤어요?
I've been to Busan. I've tried kimchi. Have you tried swimming?
Meaninghave tried (eating)
부산에서 김치를 먹어 봤어요. 맛있어요!
I tried kimchi in Busan. It's delicious!
Meaningit's my first time
수영해 봤어요? 아니요, 처음이에요! 바다가 너무 커요.
Have you tried swimming? No, it's my first time! The sea is too big.
The scene — Seen it, tried it
Nujoom has appointed himself Official Beach Historian and is now cross-examining everyone about their life choices.
- 바다를 봤어요?Have you seen the sea?
- 네, 봤어요! 부산에 가 봤어요.Yes, I've seen it! I've been to Busan.
- 수영해 봤어요?Have you tried swimming?
- 서울에 가 봤어요?Have you been to Seoul?
- 아니요, 안 가 봤어요.No, I haven't been there.
The idea — Seen it, tried it
Add 봤어요 to a verb stem (가 봤어요, 먹어 봤어요, 해 봤어요) to say you've had the experience of doing something, not just that you did it once.
Now when someone asks what you've been up to, you can answer with your whole life, not just today.
Questions about Seen it, tried it
How do you say 'I've been to' in Korean?
Add 봤어요 to the verb stem, as in 가 봤어요 (I've been / gone), to say you've had that experience before.
What is the difference between 'went once' and 'have been' in Korean?
봤어요 added to a verb stem marks a life experience (have tried/been), while a plain past tense only states a single completed action.
How do you say 'I've tried kimchi' in Korean?
You say 김치를 먹어 봤어요 (gimchireul meogeo bwasseoyo), meaning 'I've tried eating kimchi.'
How do you say 'it's my first time' in Korean?
Say 처음이에요 (cheoeumieyo) to tell someone this is your first time doing something.
You've seen the idea. Now make it stick.
The journey continues in Zeeza — free to start, made to adapt to how you learn.
- Hear it and choose
- Build the sentence
- Say it after the voice
- …and more, adapted to you