Thread: Perfective and imperfective verbs

Originally Posted by Tovarisch

Yeah, a lot of people, especially younger people (including myself in the past) have used "and me" as it sounds fairly correct, but our grammar teachers were always correcting us to use "and I" instead, as it's essentially the proper phrase, but it probably sounds strange to a non-native speaker, but either phrase should essentially do the job, the point is still the exact same

We, Russians, always say "и я" and never "и меня" when it is the subject. So it doesn't sound strange for us at all.
On the contrary, quite natural. Though it's a very interesting remark of yours.

Originally Posted by Tovarisch

As for the"Went home" and "come home", it's no big problem, you could even change one letter and say 'Came home" and it still make sense.

There is a big difference between come and go. It's about directions. I shouldn't have confused them.

Originally Posted by Tovarisch

As for your last quote, it's perfectly fine, since you learnt about Michael Jackson's death when you returned from the holiday, although he actually died while you were on the holiday. Your English really is great overall, honestly if I didn't know that you weren't a native speaker I would never have even realized

Great! I'm working my way around that theory. It works.

And one thing more. What would you say about the situation described in my previous post which is a little above the first one?
It is of the 5th of November, 02:57 PM, in the blue colour.

Correction in reds, personal flavor in green

Eugene and I have spent a month-long holiday on the island. Jackson died on the second day of our stay there. Then we arrived to the airport, took a bus and came back home. I got the mail out from the mailbox. We sat down at the table and I was looking through the newspaper during lunch/breakfast/dinner. Then I exclaimed, "Can you imagine? Michael jackson died." (I dunno why, it never sounded natural to me to add "has" before died.)

Originally Posted by Valda

Correction in reds, personal flavor in green

Eugene and I have spent a month-long holiday on the island. Jackson died on the second day of our stay there. Then we arrived to the airport, took a bus and came back home. I got the mail out from the mailbox. We sat down at the table and I was looking through the newspaper during lunch/breakfast/dinner. Then I exclaimed, "Can you imagine? Michael jackson died." (I dunno why, it never sounded natural to me to add "has" before died.)

And if it were "Can you imagine? Michael jackson married"? Could it be "has married"?

For "married" most natural way is "got married". If it's "has married" you'd normally say to who... as in "Michael Jackson has married his mom", for instance.

Originally Posted by Valda

For "married" most natural way is "got married". If it's "has married" you'd normally say to who... as in "Michael Jackson has married his mom", for instance.

Lol. Ok, let's say he bought a new house. Can it be "Michael Jackson has bought a new house"?

Yes You can, the "has" just adds a time component. We're looking at the difference between past participle form (I forgot the name of the tense..maybe past perfect) and simple past. In simple past ("he bought a house") time is irrelevant. He bought a house, completed action. With the past participle form ("He has bought a house") it indicates a time component... so you can leave the specific time unsaid, or add "he has bought a house recently/finally"... it can also be indicative of the duration of the time of the buy "he has bought the house after plenty of haggling over the price"...

But, to be more accurate, Michael Jackson didn't "buy the house", he "bought the farm" :P

I just wanted to note I wrote "past perfect" instead of "SIMPLE PAST"...sorry to whoever got confused. Call it a "typo"... Edited it

I'm amazed more and more at how much nuance in meaning most any language has, depending on how one is brought up. I guess we do it and don't even think about it. It's really interesting to consider, though, don't you think?

Thank you, guys. I have a lot to think about.

не вникайте сильно, Helen... грамматика иногда просто странно.

I cannot. Otherwise I feel myself helpless and uncertain.

Originally Posted by Helenej

I cannot. Otherwise I feel myself helpless and uncertain.

Oh, you'll get it sooner or later Helene...lol....you're well on your way already

I'd prefer sooner. Thanks for encouraging, anyway.