What do these mean?
1. Have you been there before? (Is this asking about if you have been there in the past?)
2. Have you been there?
I reply back with:
3. I have not been there before. (Does this mean that you haven't been there before? And now you have?)
4. I have not been there. (What does this mean?)
1. and 2. are synonymous, and 3. and 4. are synonymous.
'before' is implied by the use of the perfect structure 'have been'.
Q: Have you been there (before; i.e., in the past)?
A: No, I haven't (been there (before)).
A: Yes, I have (been there (before)).
With 'yet', the speaker assumes that you made plans to go, and s/he wants to know if you actually went or not.
Q: Have you been there, yet?
A: No, I haven't (been there (yet)).
A: Yes, I have (been there). *'yet' is not required with a positive reply.
Let's say I'm at that place right now and I say:
1. I have not been there before. (So does this also implies that I have been there now?)Q: Have you been there (before; i.e., in the past)?
Last edited by jack; 04-Dec-2004 at 15:55.
if you are currently at the place you are discussing, you would say "Have you (ever) been HERE before?". Here, not there, and the 'before' is no longer optional.
possible responses:
"Yes, I came here last week"
"Yes, I come here often"
"A couple of times"
"All the time man! I love their chicken wings!"
"Nope, I've never been here before"
In addition, if you are 'there', then use 'here':Originally Posted by jack
Q: I have never been here before, have you?
A: No, I haven't (been here either).
A: Yes, I have (been here before).