Thread: a phrase

How would you translate "where have you been?" into Russian? It would be something you ask someone when they are late, or if they haven't been around for a while.

Где ты был/вы были? - lit. where you were?

That just seems kind of narrow in meaning. I don't want to ask "where were you", because that is to literal of a question. I fell like there should be an imperfective verb for this or something. Myabe "где ты находился"?

No, i see no narrowing there. You can say "где ты находился" it's correct and understandable but natives always say "где ты был". In present tense we use "где ты находишься" but I guess more common is "где ты сейчас" or even "где ты".

Originally Posted by Geoduck

How would you translate "where have you been?" into Russian? It would be something you ask someone when they are late.

Где ты был?

Originally Posted by Geoduck

or if they haven't been around for a while.

Где ты пропадал?

Где ты пропадал is where have you been lost.

Originally Posted by JJ

Где ты пропадал is where have you been lost.

Never doubting about that

Где ты шлялся / шлялась? (very nformal). The verb reminds of 'linger'.