Question
Updated on
27 Nov 2022
- Japanese
-
English (US)
-
Spanish (Spain)
Question about English (US)
What is the difference between seeing is believing and to see is to believe ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.
What is the difference between seeing is believing and to see is to believe ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.
Answers
27 Nov 2022
Featured answer
- English (US)
@YDST I don't think that's accurate at all. The infinitive has a lot of different uses. Some examples:
"I like to play the piano" (combined with the present tense, talking about an ongoing state)
"I was afraid to try skydiving." (combined with the past tense)
"It could be difficult to find parking." (talking about a possible situation in the future)
In the case of "To see is to believe," there isn't a tense at all, just the infinitive, because this phrase is talking about an abstract state, an idea.
Highly-rated answerer
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- English (US)
- English (US)
They mean the same thing, but "Seeing is believing" is a common expression, and the other isn't.
Highly-rated answerer
- Japanese
I have a few questions.
In my school,I'm taught that the infinitive form(such as "to see") is used for things that haven't been done yet, or are going to happen in the future.
For example,
if I say "I want to study abroad.", "to study abroad" haven't been done yet .
Do you think this is right?
Seeing "to see is to believe" , Do you feel like "to see" haven't been done yet ?
In my school,I'm taught that the infinitive form(such as "to see") is used for things that haven't been done yet, or are going to happen in the future.
For example,
if I say "I want to study abroad.", "to study abroad" haven't been done yet .
Do you think this is right?
Seeing "to see is to believe" , Do you feel like "to see" haven't been done yet ?
- English (US)
@YDST I don't think that's accurate at all. The infinitive has a lot of different uses. Some examples:
"I like to play the piano" (combined with the present tense, talking about an ongoing state)
"I was afraid to try skydiving." (combined with the past tense)
"It could be difficult to find parking." (talking about a possible situation in the future)
In the case of "To see is to believe," there isn't a tense at all, just the infinitive, because this phrase is talking about an abstract state, an idea.
Highly-rated answerer
- Japanese

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