Have you ever been abroad?

Hey everyone, today we will be talking about the word abroad. This word simply means out of your own country or in a foreign country. Now, many Japanese English speakers often say:

I went to abroad.

BUT this is INCORRECT~! We used to when talking about a SPECIFIC PLACE. Abroad is anywhere outside your own country, it is NOT a specific place.

I went to (a specific place).

I went to Tokyo.

I went to Isetan.

I went to the post office.

BUT

I went abroad.

Without to~! Also because abroad is not a specific place you CAN'T use it with the adverb THERE.

A: Have you lived in Korea?
B: Yeah, I have.
A: When did you live there?
B: I lived there 3 years ago.

Here the adverb there specifies the action(to live) took place in Korea. There is used to show an action took place in/at a specific place or, to/towards a specific place.

A: Have you been abroad?
B: Yeah, I have.
A: When did you go abroad?
B: I went abroad last month.

So because abroad is NOT a specific place it is VERY strange to use it with to or there.

Have a nice week,

Phil