that has happened to me vs that had happened to me

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'That has happened to me' is used to talk about a recent event or experience that occurred in the past and has relevance to the present. 'That had happened to me' is used to refer to a past event that took place before another past event or point in time.

Last updated: March 08, 2024 • 910 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to refer to a recent event or experience that occurred in the past and has relevance to the present.

"that has happened to me"

This phrase is used to talk about something that occurred in the past and still has an impact or relevance in the present. It indicates a connection between the past event and the present moment.

Examples:

That has happened to me before, so I know how to deal with it.
I can't believe that has happened to me again!
The situation that has happened to me recently was quite unexpected.

Show examples from the web [+]

And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. English Standard ...
'The most exciting thing that has happened to me'. RSS print email. 25MarFrom One Billion Rising. By Canan Iscan. Attending a youth debate in the Houses of ...
The luckiest thing that has happened to me in a long time and my weight in animals. December 11, 2014. We are just going to rewind back to Tuesday night. 1.
Oct 24, 2014 ... Berta Ribas Ferrer: “EVS was the best thing that has happened to me". Berta Ribas, a Spanish 27 years old girl, decided to change the snow in ...

Alternatives:

that happened to me
that occurred to me
that took place in my life
that I experienced
that befell me

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to refer to a past event that took place before another past event or point in time.

"that had happened to me"

This phrase is used to talk about a past event that occurred before another event or point in time in the past. It indicates a sequence of events in the past.

Examples:

That had happened to me before I moved to this city.
I realized that had happened to me when I was a child.
The incident that had happened to me shaped my future decisions.

Show examples from the web [+]

... jewels, chiefly rubies, hunting big game, painting a little, things for myself only, and trying to forget something very sad that had happened to me long ago.”.
... jewels, chiefly rubies, hunting big game, painting a little, things for myself only, and trying to forget something very sad that had happened to me long ago.”
Some years ago, I was having lunch in Los Angeles with my friend Paul, going over all the horrible things that had happened to me in my life. Suddenly Paul ...
(In a few moments I'll tell you about all the things that had happened to me and my family that left me hungry to find some kind of meaning and how discouraged I ...

Alternatives:

that occurred to me
that took place in my past
that I experienced in the past
that befell me in the past
that I went through

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that has happened to me vs that had happened to me