ことがある details
write + sometimes do
kaku koto ga aru
sometimes do; there are times when
meaning: sometimes write
あの店、平日でも並ぶことがあるよ。
ano mise, heijitsu demo narabu koto ga aru yo.
You sometimes have to line up at that place even on weekdays. casual
週末は昼まで寝ることがある。
shuumatsu wa hiru made neru koto ga aru.
On weekends, I sometimes sleep until noon. neutral
- polite
Examples
sometimes happens; there are times when — an occasional occurrence, weaker than a habit
あの店、平日でも並ぶことがあるよ。
ano mise, heijitsu demo narabukotogaaru yo.
You sometimes have to line up at that place even on weekdays. casual
週末は昼まで寝ることがある。
shuumatsu wa hiru made nerukotogaaru.
On weekends, I sometimes sleep until noon. neutral
弟は、連絡しても返事が来ないことがある。
otouto wa, renraku shite mo henji ga konai koto ga aru.
Sometimes my little brother doesn't reply even when I message him. neutral
点検のため、エレベーターを停止することがあります。
tenken no tame, erebeetaa o teishi suru koto ga arimasu.
The elevator may be stopped for inspection at times. formal
Formation
{V}ことがあるattaches to dictionary form{V-nai}ことがあるattaches to ない-form
Notes
Related patterns
Similar
Both demote an event from habit to sometimes — 遅れることがある and 遅れたりする can describe the same bus, but ことがある asserts the frequency of that one event ("it does happen at times"), while たり〜たり offers it as a sampled item from a longer, unstated list.
Lookalikes
One verb apart at reading speed — することができる asserts ability, することがある asserts occasional occurrence; skimming past できる/ある flips capability into frequency.
One tense apart, opposite time claims — 行ったことがある reports past experience ("have been, at least once"), 行くことがある reports occasional occurrence ("sometimes go"); dropping the た at reading speed turns a biography into a habit.
Same meaning
have done before; sometimes happens
| Pattern | Attaches to |
|---|---|
| たことがある |