Question
Updated on
24 Sep 2016
- Japanese
-
English (US)
-
Spanish (Spain)
-
English (UK)
Question about English (US)
What is the difference between it's great seeing you again. and it was great seeing you again ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.
What is the difference between it's great seeing you again. and it was great seeing you again ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.
When I meet a friend of mine I haven't seen for a long time, the meeting finished,and then try to send a mail after saying good bye,which is better?
As fas as I know, if I say"it was",does it indicate "it was nice then but like it's not nice now anymore"?
But also it came to my mind that when I saw the person is in the past,so it's no problem to say"it was".Is this right?
As fas as I know, if I say"it was",does it indicate "it was nice then but like it's not nice now anymore"?
But also it came to my mind that when I saw the person is in the past,so it's no problem to say"it was".Is this right?
Answers
Read more comments
- English (US)
Right. You would use past tense either after the meeting is over, or toward the very end of it. The present form would be used early in the conversation.
Was this answer helpful?
- English (US)
"It's great to see you again" is said when you meet up with someone you haven't seen in a long time, usually at the beginning of the encounter, like "long time no see" or 久しぶり. "It's great seeing you again" sounds slightly less natural but still works in this situation.
"It was great seeing you again" is appropriate at the end of or after the encounter, like in your email. Your friend wouldn't think that it's no longer nice to see them, you're just saying that the past act of seeing them was nice. So you are correct! You could also say "it was great to see you again." In this case it doesn't sound unnatural.
Was this answer helpful?
- Japanese
@r0kus: thank you! ok,I'll use the past form.
But just my concern is that sometime the past form indicates like ,in case of this situation,"it was nice then but like it's not nice now anymore".maybe it often comes to when I use "be-verb".Do you know anything about this kind of thing?
But just my concern is that sometime the past form indicates like ,in case of this situation,"it was nice then but like it's not nice now anymore".maybe it often comes to when I use "be-verb".Do you know anything about this kind of thing?
- Japanese
@invadermle:thank you! ok,I'll use the past form.
But just my concern is that sometime the past form indicates like ,in case of this situation,"it was nice then but like it's not nice now anymore".You say this case is no problem to use the past form,so this case is fine.But I have come across before like "it's better to use present form rather than the past form".Maybe it often comes to when I use "be-verb".Do you know anything about this kind of thing?
But just my concern is that sometime the past form indicates like ,in case of this situation,"it was nice then but like it's not nice now anymore".You say this case is no problem to use the past form,so this case is fine.But I have come across before like "it's better to use present form rather than the past form".Maybe it often comes to when I use "be-verb".Do you know anything about this kind of thing?
- English (US)
@hhhhqqqq Yes, the past tense can be used for "nice then, but not now", especially when spoken. If you wanted to mean it that way, you would change and stress the intonation of the word "was". Something like:
"It wwaaass nice seeing you again."
Normally, the phrase is considered friendly and polite, so changing it to be sarcastic is uncommon. In written form, rather than sarcasm, you would likely be direct:
"Things were going so well until you insulted my wife."
Was this answer helpful?
- English (US)
I think a good rule of thumb is when you're talking about someone's/something's character or qualities, you should use the present tense. When you're talking about past actions, it's okay to use the past tense.
ex: "She is a cool person" vs. "She was a cool person"
The second sentence can imply that she used to be a cool person, but no longer is.
ex: "It is fun to go to Japan" vs. "It was fun to go to Japan"
The second sentence is saying that you have previously gone to Japan, and that it was a fun experience. It doesn't imply that going to Japan is no longer fun.
Was this answer helpful?
- Japanese
@r0kus: ah,I think I found out something,thanks to your answer.The past tence can maybe expess two things basically.One is to express how just past actions is and the other is to show how it used to be THEN indicating NOW it's different with how it used to be THEN. It depends on a question or how I answer (like you taught me when I stress at the place,I can be sarcaistic) which meanings an answer means.Do you think I understand right?
- Japanese
@invadermle:I think I found out something,thanks
to your anwer.The past tence can maybe expess two things basically.One is to express how just past actions is and the other is to show how it used to be THEN indicating NOW it's different with how it used to be THEN. It depends on a question or how I answer (like he taught me when I stress at the place,I can be sarcaistic) which meanings an answer means.
For example,if there
is a question for the answer "it
fun to go to Japan" and the question is like in a inteview
"You said it's fun to go to Japan 3 years ago. Now it's still fun to go?",I can say "it
was fun to go to Japan" indicating "Now not so fun to go to Japan","I just don't know if it's still fun to go to Japan"or such things when I think so.Do you think I understand right?
to your anwer.The past tence can maybe expess two things basically.One is to express how just past actions is and the other is to show how it used to be THEN indicating NOW it's different with how it used to be THEN. It depends on a question or how I answer (like he taught me when I stress at the place,I can be sarcaistic) which meanings an answer means.
For example,if there
is a question for the answer "it
fun to go to Japan" and the question is like in a inteview
"You said it's fun to go to Japan 3 years ago. Now it's still fun to go?",I can say "it
was fun to go to Japan" indicating "Now not so fun to go to Japan","I just don't know if it's still fun to go to Japan"or such things when I think so.Do you think I understand right?
- English (US)
Yes, you're correct. It does depend on context and intonation, so that can be tricky.
It's common for people to use indicators in written (typed) English to stress a word to convey some meaning.
ex: "It *was* fun to go to Japan" (or "/was/")
This makes your intended tone very clear to the other person, that it's no longer fun for some reason.
Or, if you can make your text *bold* or /italic/ (I can't do it here...), it does the same thing. Using the ** or // is less formal than actual bold or italic text.
The negative version is also usually followed by an explanation, such as, "It was fun to go to Japan, until they closed Disneyland." (you would stress the *was* here)
Was this answer helpful?
- English (US)
A point neither @invadermle nor I have yet mentioned is that there is a related tense which specifically handles "then but not now".
- It had been fun to visit Pakistan, but now I think too many of its people dislike Americans.
The word "was" could be substituted, but "had been" locks the meaning down.
- It had been great seeing you again, until the rain started soaking us both.
Let me illustrate audibly the intonation difference mentioned earlier:
Was this answer helpful?
- Japanese
@invadermle: okay,in writing people use the mark to make it sound sarcaistic or indicate that it was in the past,not now.
thank you! Now I totally understand what I have doubt for a long time.
thank you! Now I totally understand what I have doubt for a long time.
- Japanese
@r0kus: thank you for giving me the audio! I totally understand what "was" means.
And it's like "It had been fun..." is equalled to "It was fun to do for a while." plus "lt is not funto do now.",isn't it? Now I understand better about how I use "had p.p" in conversation than before.I just thought it would be mostly used in "if"sentences.realized more chances to use it.
And it's like "It had been fun..." is equalled to "It was fun to do for a while." plus "lt is not funto do now.",isn't it? Now I understand better about how I use "had p.p" in conversation than before.I just thought it would be mostly used in "if"sentences.realized more chances to use it.
- English (US)
@hhhhqqqq Yes. Even if you leave off the second clause of a "had been" sentence, people will understand there is a "not any more" part. Often, context of what has already been discussed or written will provide the details. Even if not, "It had been fun." is a valid sentence on its own, but just a bit mysterious.
Was this answer helpful?
- Japanese
@r0kus: It's okay to write just "it had been fun". But there is one thing that just writing the sentence would make people
want to ask them "why?"or something,so that it sounds a bit mysterious?
want to ask them "why?"or something,so that it sounds a bit mysterious?
- English (US)
You could want to be mysterious to make your friends or kids try to figure out what you meant. Perhaps you want them to ask you. More often, though, context would explain what you mean.
- - - - -
Eight episodes of the same thing, over and over. What were those guys thinking?! The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya had been such a great series.
Was this answer helpful?
[News] Hey you! The one learning a language!
Do you know how to improve your language skills❓ All you have to do is have your writing corrected by a native speaker!
With HiNative, you can have your writing corrected by native speakers for free ✍️✨.
With HiNative, you can have your writing corrected by native speakers for free ✍️✨.
Sign up
Related questions
Similar questions
- What is the difference between Nice to see you and Nice to meet you ?
- What is the difference between see and look ?
- What is the difference between I see. and I got it. ?
Recommended Questions
- What is the difference between I'm older than him and I'm older than he is ?
- What is the difference between cap and baseball cap ?
- What is the difference between Oil and water don't mix. and Oil and water don't blend. ?
- What is the difference between the date that I started to go to China. and the date that I star...
- What is the difference between very and really ?
Topic Questions
- What is the difference between "I'm counting for" and "I'm looking forward to" ?
- What is the difference between I can't help ~ and I can't help but ~ ?
- What is the difference between "the clinic" and "the doctor's office" ?
- What is the difference between May I turn on the air conditioner? and Could I turn on the air con...
- What is the difference between assess and evaluate and estimate ?
Newest Questions
- What is the difference between recognize and acknowledge ?
- What is the difference between defile and tarnish and sully ?
- What is the difference between Autonomy and independen ?
- What is the difference between rough and haggard ?
- What is the difference between I eat a little food. and I eat little food. and I eat a little of ...
Previous question/ Next question
Thank you! Rest assured your feedback will not be shown to other users.
Thank you very much! Your feedback is greatly appreciated.