we will see what we...

[navi tasan]

A says: I am better than you at chess. You'll see.

B replies:
1) Let's play a couple of games and we'll see what we see.
2) Let's play a couple of games and we'll see what we'll see.
3) Let's play a couple of games and see what we see.
4) Let's play a couple of games and see what we'll see.

Which of the sentences 1-4 are correct in this context?

 

[tedmc]

I'd write: Let's play a couple of games and (we'll) see.

I don't think it makes any difference to repeat "see".

 

[Tarheel]

I might say: "Let's play a couple of games, and we'll find out who's better."

 

[Skrej]

"We'll see what we see" doesn't really work in this context. Typically we take "we'll see what we see" to refer to something that's unknown, out of our control, unspecified, or up to happenstance. 'We will (or shall) see' is a noncommittal way of countering somebody's claim or statement.

For example, I'm going to take a road trip, but I don't really have any specific itinerary or plans. I'm just going to drive towards a general destination, and I'll see what I (can) see. It's almost like an experiment.

In the context of a superiority claim as in your example, a natural response from B would be something like "Let's play and see" or simply "Let's see". Ted's suggestion also works.

Your examples see to be asking about using the simple future versus simple present for the 'see what we see' construction. Although the construction doesn't work for the given context, the tense question is mostly moot. Of your four examples #2 is my least favorite, although I can't strictly rule it out. Given a different context, all might work.

 

[jutfrank]

Don't you mean this?;

B: Let's play a couple of games and we'll see what I'll see.

This makes sense since A has said "You'll see."

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you all very much,

Jutfrank, I made up a context to use the sentences 'we will see what we see' and 'we will see what we will see' and to see if they meant the same. But now that I think about it, your sentence makes much more sense in that context.

What do you think of this one?

Let's play a couple of games and we'll see what I see.

Is the meaning the same as that of your sentence?

 

[jutfrank]

I made up a context to use the sentences 'we will see what we see' and 'we will see what we will see' and to see if they meant the same.

I don't follow this at all. Can you explain further?

What do you think of this one?

Let's play a couple of games and we'll see what I see.

Is the meaning the same as that of your sentence?

If person A says "You'll see", then person B has to say "We'll see what I'll see" because he's quoting (indirectly) person A's words. If A says, 'will', then B says 'will' too. Isn't that what you mean?

 

[Tarheel]

I am a chess player. So to me this is a possible real life situation. If somebody says he's better than me I might say, "Let's play a game. We'll see."

We wouldn't get into all that deep analysis, that's for sure. We would either play or not.

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you both very much,

Jutfrank, what I meant was that I invented a context just to see whether I should use 'we'll see what we'll see' or 'we'll see what we see'. However my invented context was not good.