In English, both the present perfect and past simple tenses can be used to talk about past experiences, but they convey slightly different meanings. Present Perfect Tense: The present perfect is used to talk about past experiences that have a connection to the present or are relevant to the current moment. When someone describes experiences using the present perfect form, it implies that the experiences are unfinished, ongoing, or have some relevance to the present. It doesn't specify exactly when the experiences occurred but focuses on their impact on the present situation. For example: "I have visited Paris." (implies that you have been to Paris at some point in your life, and the fact that you have been there is relevant now) "He has lived in New York for five years." (implies that he moved to New York in the past and is still living there now) Past Simple Tense: The past simple is used to talk about past experiences that are completed or seen as isolated events with a specific time reference. When someone describes experiences using the past simple form, it implies that the experiences occurred at a definite point in the past and are now finished or no longer ongoing. For example: "I visited Paris last summer." (clearly states the specific time when the visit to Paris happened, and it is considered a completed action) "He lived in New York for five years." (focuses on the period in the past when he lived in New York but doesn't indicate his current situation) In summary, the present perfect tense suggests that the experiences have some relevance to the present and may still be ongoing, while the past simple tense suggests that the experiences are completed and do not have a direct connection to the current moment.

I have been there before. (past action that still has effects in the present) I went there last year.. (past action completed)

The present perfect talks about the present being influenced by something that happened in the past. The past tells you about something that happened in the past but may or may not affect the present. You have to tell from the context. I’ve had the flu and I hope I don’t get it again. (Your current situation is that you had the flu in the past and therefore know what it is like now. That is where your current desire not to get it again comes from) I didn’t go to the concert last year because I had the flu. (It tells you about what happened in the past. I may have the flu again, now. I may not. I’m talking only about a time in the past that I had it.)

Both depend on context. The simple past describes past events, but the effects of those events may linger. A person could say "I joined the choir last year". He's probably still a member of the choir. The sentence doesn't tell you. However, the "joining" was indeed a one-day finished experience. One can even use the word "experience": "My experience of learning French began last year (and continues)". A person could say "I have eaten lobster" even if he only ate it once and never plans to eat it again. You would use this tense to tell of diseases that you have had, but no longer have: "I have had the flu". It means the exact opposite of "I have never had the flu". You wouldn't say "I had the flu" unless you wanted to be specific about one time when you had it.