Thread: Difference in meaning

Я сказал, что сегодня утром он мне звонил

My course says: I said that he rang me today. It is a completed action

Я сказал, что сегодня утром он мне позвонил

then! I don't understand the difference with the sentence with the perfective verb

It may be close to simple past/present perfect in English

"Он звонил мне" is a plain constatation, "он позвонил мне" means it was a resulting action, which had some consequences

Originally Posted by Indra

It may be close to simple past/present perfect in English

"Он звонил мне" is a plain constatation, "он позвонил мне" means it was a resulting action, which had some consequences

consequences in the present

позвонил emphasizes that he's called once
звонил could be once or several times, it's not important. The important thing is that he called you (and you talked, exchanged info).

In most situations the sentences are practically equivalent

btw утром means in the morning.

Originally Posted by adoc

позвонил emphasizes that he's called once
звонил could be once or several times, it's not important. The important thing is that he called you (and you talked, exchanged info).

In most situations the sentences are practically equivalent

btw утром means in the morning.

Yes. Позвонил is like "he called me, I answered, we talked, the convo ended" (Success in calling).

Звонил is just like "he called, maybe I didn't even answer, I might not have been in", etc.

Originally Posted by TATY

Yes. Позвонил is like "he called me, I answered, we talked, the convo ended" (Success in calling).

Звонил is just like "he called, maybe I didn't even answer, I might not have been in", etc.

Not necessarily

Он позвонил мне сегодня утром, но меня не было дома - it works.

There is a grain of truth in what you said, but context is required.

"Звонил" - долго.
Телефон звонил в течение двух минут.

"Позвонил" - один раз. Потом еще раз позвонил

Originally Posted by TATY

Yes. Позвонил is like "he called me, I answered, we talked, the convo ended" (Success in calling).

Звонил is just like "he called, maybe I didn't even answer, I might not have been in", etc.

Mmm, I thought about it again and this is probably where it comes from:

Позвонил => called definitely once => probably successfully (or did not bother too much with it)

звонил => called or called repetitively => could be unsuccessfully

Originally Posted by adoc

Позвонил => called definitely once => probably successfully (or did not bother too much with it)

звонил => called or called repetitively => could be unsuccessfully

Yes, absolutely correct.