Why have you done it vs Why did you do it.

[farhankhan2007]

Hello All,

Need some help in understanding the possible difference between these 2 senteces.
1) Why have you done it?
2) Why did you do it?

I mean I am aware that the first one is a present perfect and the later one is simple past. Trying to understand which one would be appropriate to use in the below scenario.
Example. Someone closed a deal with a client at some point in the past and now(today) I need to ask him/her why they did that. So which one would be appropriate as far as I understand the 2nd one should be fine. Considering the action was completed in the past.

Thanks in advance.

 

[GoesStation]

The first is in the present perfect.

Someone closed a deal with a client at some point in the past and now(today) I need to ask him/her why they did that.

You used the right tense in your question to the forum. Use the same one when you ask the client.

 

[farhankhan2007]

Correction made in reference to present perfect.
Just one more question if I may ask?

Would this rule be applied to a person who left a place at some point in past during the same day?
Can I ask, did he leave? Or shall I ask, has he left?

 

[GoesStation]

Correction made in reference to present perfect.
Just one more question if I may. [STRIKE]ask?[/STRIKE]

Would this rule be applied to a person who left a place at some point in the past during the same day?
Can I ask, "did he leave?" Or should [STRIKE]shall[/STRIKE] I ask, "has he left?"

Either is possible. Strictly speaking, with the simple past, you're asking about whether an action took place; with the past perfect, you're asking whether he is no longer present. What the speaker is thinking about may influence the choice. The speaker is more likely to choose the simple past if they're considering the time the other person left, and the present perfect if they're thinking about where the person is.

 

[emsr2d2]

Hello all,

I need some help in understanding the possible difference between these 2 sentences.

1) Why have you done it?
2) Why did you do it?

I mean I am aware that the first one is [STRIKE]a[/STRIKE] present perfect and the [STRIKE]later[/STRIKE] second one is simple past. I am trying to understand which one would be appropriate to use in the below scenario.

[STRIKE]Example.[/STRIKE] Someone closed a deal with a client at some point in the past and now (space required before an opening bracket) (today) I need to ask him/her why they did that.

So which one would be appropriate? As [STRIKE]far as[/STRIKE] it, I understand the [STRIKE]2nd[/STRIKE] second one should be fine considering the action was completed in the past.

Thanks in advance.

Note my corrections above.