Learn English – Are the phrases “I’ve had an experience” and “I’m experienced” equivalent

phrases

Is there any difference between

I've had an experience in something

and

I'm experienced in something

?

Best Answer

SHORT VERSION:

Only if you change the first statement to

I have experience in something

does it have the same meaning as the second statement.

LONG VERSION:

Make sure you understand the difference between (2) and (3) in the treatment of the noun here:

2.

a. Active participation in events or activities, leading to the accumulation of knowledge or skill . . .

b. The knowledge or skill so derived.

3.

a. An event or a series of events participated in or lived through.

as well as the difference between the adjective experienced:

  1. Having had experience in an activity or in life in general: a highly experienced traveler.
  2. Skilled or knowledgeable as the result of active participation or practice: consulted an experienced investment counselor.

and the past tense of the verb, experience(d) (below the noun entries linked above):

To participate in personally; undergo; experience a great adventure; experienced loneliness

Now to address your examples:

"I've had an experience in something"

is unusual phrasing. It looks like an awkward cross between "I had an experience" (noun, 3) and "I have experience with _____" (noun, 2).

Normally, "an experience" specifies one event or occasion, as in definition 3a above. This is singular and therefore distinct from the idea of ongoing experience.

But experience "in something" suggests practical exposure, as in definition 2a.

"I'm experienced in something"

This is much clearer than your previous phrase, because the adjective experienced only corresponds to Definition 2 of the noun; there is no equivalent adjective "experienced" that corresponds to the noun's Definition 3.

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