18 Comments
We have more words for the same thing, e.g. tomorrow for next day in English. Előző nap - tegnap : last day, yesterday. Múlt évben - tavaly : last year
Perhaps this one would be better translated as "where did you meet in the last year", while the "tavaly" version would be "where did you meet last year"?
It might be that I'm just saying that both work in English also. (There is a subtle difference, but I'm struggling to explain it!)
80
what is this supposed to mean? Is it I met someone last year and this is asking me where did we meet?
- 218
Yep. For instance, you attend an annual gathering of some sort, and someone who wasn't there last time approaches you and asks where the meeting has been last year.
- 218
Does it even make a difference in English whether you say "Did you meet" or "Have you met"? The translation is fine. Hungarian only has a single past tense, so all of the English ones should be applicable.
In your example, both of your questions are possible, and have slightly different meanings.
However, at least in my dialect (and I think in standard English in general), "have you met last year" is not possible -- in general, perfect tense (e.g. "have met") + time (e.g. "last year") does not go together, since perfect tense is about experience (has this ever happened) and not about a specific point or region in time.
- 218
Ah, yes. It struck me as a little odd, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Thanks for clearing that up. :)
"Have you met" is used to ask if two (or more) people are acquianted with one another or if a group has held meetings at a certain place (which would then include "here" or the name of the place).
Depending on the situation - eg time adv of past = past tense is necessary!
Yes, I believe it is wrong - perfect tense + time expression usually does not go together.
