have been in

[Heidi]

Dear teachers,

Please tell me if the sentence below sounds natural?

- I have been in Japanese in the last year.

I know what "I have been to Japanese in the last year" means, but I'm not sure what the above one means. In what kind of situation someone might reply that way?

Thank you!

(I suspect that 'in what kind of situation someone might reply that way' is not a correct question sentence. Please tell me what I should have written. thank you!)

[emsr2d2]

Dear teachers,

Please tell me if the sentence below sounds natural?

- I have been in Japanese in the last year.

I know what "I have been to Japanese in the last year" means, but I'm not sure what the above one means. In what kind of situation someone might reply that way?

Thank you!

(I suspect that 'in what kind of situation someone might reply that way' is not a correct question sentence. Please tell me what I should have written. thank you!)

First - Japanese is the language. Japan is the country.

So:

I have been to Japan in the last year = I have visited Japan during the last 12 months.

I have been in Japan in the last year = I have visited Japan during the last 12 months.

So basically they mean the same thing, but the first is much more natural.

Your question was almost correct. It would have been better as "In what kind of situation might someone reply that way?"

[5jj]

I have been in Japanese in the last year.
The only possible meaning that I can think of for that utterance is: At some time during the last year I have been present in a Japanese language class.

I know what "I have been to Japanese in the last year" means...
The only possible meaning that I can think of for that utterance is: At some time during the last year I have been to a Japanese language class.


I suspect that you want to say is:

I have been in Japan in the last year.
I have been to Japan in the last year.

In practical terms, there is not a great deal of difference in meaning between these two; the first is not very likely, in my opinion.

[Heidi]

Oops! I should have written 'Japan' rather than 'Japanese'.

Thank you for all your help and corrcection.

[Heidi]

I have been in Japan in the last year.
I have been to Japan in the last year.

In practical terms, there is not a great deal of difference in meaning between these two; the first is not very likely, in my opinion.

- I have been in Japan in the last year.

Could you please tell me more about what this sentence might suggest? Is it a little ambiguous?

As being a single sentence, a lot of times I really don't know how to translate that single sentence. The scenario below is what I've imagined. Please tell me if it is appropriate or not.

(I ran into a friend who I hadn't(or haven't ?) seen for a long time)
My friend : Where have you been? I haven't seen you in a long time!
I : I have been in Japan in the last year.
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Or is it better to reply "I have been in Japan for one year"?

[emsr2d2]

- I have been in Japan in the last year.

Could you please tell me more about what this sentence might suggest? Is it a little ambiguous?

As being a single sentence, a lot of times I really don't know how to translate that single sentence. The scenario below is what I've imagined. Please tell me if it is appropriate or not.

(I ran into a friend who I hadn't(or haven't ?) seen for a long time)
My friend : Where have you been? I haven't seen you in a long time!
I : I have been in Japan in the last year.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Or is it better to reply "I have been in Japan for one year"?

It depends what the actual facts are.

I have been in Japan in the last year = I have visited Japan at some point (for an unspecified length of time) during the last twelve months.

I have been in Japan for the last year = I have lived in Japan for the last twelve months (up until very recently).

I have been in Japan for a year = I have lived in Japan for a period of twelve months since the last time I saw you (but there is no suggestion when the time in Japan finished).