"Mám to auto jen osm dnů."

[ion1122]

Note the difference here:
1. "I have had the car (for) 8 days " means I got the car 8 days ago and still have it.
2. "I have the car (for) 8 days'" means I have the use of the car for a period of 8 days.

So, for example:
1. I've had the car only 8 days, and already it needs service.
2. We had better start our vacation now, because I have the car only 8 days.

[kowalsky2]

Thanks for your explanation. I got confused by kacenka's answer, but a quick Google search wasn't helpful, and I was too lazy to ask the question on some language forum. Your clarification is appreciated.

[kowalsky2]

Both "I've only had the car for eight days" and "I only have the car for eight days" are accepted, even though there is a big difference in meaning between them. So my question is: Is the Czech sentence really a perfectly fine translation of the simple present, or should it be something like "Mám to auto jen na osm dnů."?

[kacenka9]

Because you specify the time, there is hardly any difference in the English meaning of 'have had' and 'have'. You got the car 8 days ago and you still have it. Most native speaker would use 'have had' here. Czech does not have ability to use tenses and the present is the best translation.

Note: Mám to auto jen NA osm dnů" is not the same thing. That means that you have the car for 8 days only. Today might be day 2. You still have 6 to go.

Mám to auto jen osm dnů" means you got the car 8 days ago, you have only had it for those 8 days (and now it needs service already or so)-

[EinatAdar]

If you say "I have the car for eight days" it implies you can use it for eight days only, not that you got it eight days ago. I was also confused by the English translation.

[kowalsky2]

I thought the simple present would only be used to express the first meaning (with "na") and not be interchangeable with the present perfect. But I'm not a native speaker, I might be wrong. How would you translate "Mám to auto jen na osm dnů" back to English, then?

[CathyBowde1]

I used 'just' for 'jen' - don't see why that shouldn't be accepted.

[VladaFu]

Some sentences with "just" are accepted. We need suggestions/reports of complete sentences.

[Wull14252]

I have had the car for just eight days

[BoneheadBass]

That was missing and has been added, along with some other similar versions.