Thread: Дать или давать ?

Hello

I know this is a trivial question but I can't answer it by myself and won't see my teachers for the next two weeks. I want to ask : "Did she give you the book ?". Which aspect should I use ?
If I wanted to ask "Did you read the book ?" i should go for imperfective, otherwise it would mean "Did you finish the book which I know you started reading already ?" or something like that. So I would bet "Она тебе давала книгу ?" but I really am not confident ...

Many thanks !

Originally Posted by Zubr

otherwise it would mean "Did you finish the book which I know you started reading already ?" or something like that.

I wouldn't say so. "Она тебе дала книгу?" would mean that I told her do give you the book and now I want to know if she did.
The question "Она тебе давала книгу?" is more polysemantic... It also could mean the same as the first sentence, but like I told her that long ago, and now I recall it, maybe even accidentally.

So it seems that both are possible, depending on the context ... Lacking it, one should choose "давать" I guess ? Anyway, thanks ! I really have a hard time grasping this aspect thing, I can't but hope to get used to it eventually.

Bye

Originally Posted by Zubr

So it seems that both are possible, depending on the context ... Lacking it, one should choose "давать" I guess ?

Yes, I think so.
Unfortunally, in this case, like it often happens in Russian, it is a question of feeling, not of rules or logic. But maybe I am wrong, and someone can explain it better.

Она дала тебе книгу, наконец? (=Perfect?)

Она давала когда-нибудь тебе книгу? (=Indefinite?)

Ok I think it is starting to make sense.
Here is a similar one, please correct me if I am wrong. "Ты ел мёд ?" would mean "have you ever eaten honey ?" whereas "Ты съел мёд ?" is what you'd say if you bro finished your honey pot.
Is it right ?

Originally Posted by Zubr

Ok I think it is starting to make sense.
Here is a similar one, please correct me if I am wrong. "Ты ел мёд ?" would mean "have you ever eaten honey ?" whereas "Ты съел мёд ?" is what you'd say if you bro finished your honey pot.
Is it right ?

Right. But also:
"Your mouth is sweet. Ты ел мёд ?" (=Continuous?)