ever & already

[bieasy]

Hi,

Is there a difference between:

"Have you ever been to New York"

and

"Have you already been to New York"

?

 

[Raymott]

Hi,

Is there a difference between:

"Have you ever been to New York"

and

"Have you already been to New York"

?

Yes. What do you think might be the difference in usage?

 

[bieasy]

Yes. What do you think might be the difference in usage?

Ever refers to a lifetime and already to a short term?

 

[Atchan]

Ever refers to a lifetime and already to a short term?

*** Not A Teacher ***

ever: at any time at all.
always: every time.

 

[SoothingDave]

Not a teacher.

I think it's very subtle. You would ask "have you already been?" to someone who is planning to go.

"Have you ever been?" is a more general question.

 

[konungursvia]

I agree with Dave.

 

[Rover_KE]

I don't think I'd ever say 'Have you already been?'

If somebody told me they were planning to go to New York I might say 'Have you been before?'

(Atchan - 'always' is not under discussion.)

Rover

 

[Atchan]

Oh!

 

[konungursvia]

I don't think I'd ever say 'Have you already been?'

If somebody told me they were planning to go to New York I might say 'Have you been before?'

(Atchan - 'always' is not under discussion.)

Rover

Well, you do if you knew the trip was planned and are asking if the plan has been carried out.

 

[Raymott]

Ever refers to a lifetime and already to a short term?

Hmm, I would have thought Portuguese had cognate words as most European languages do. Something like:
Italian: Hai giáandato a Nuova York? / Hai mai andato a Nuova York?
Spanish: Ya has ido a Nueva York? / Has jamás (alguna vez) ido a Nueva York?

Try these:
1. Let's say I was planning to go to New York to buy a Cadillac, and I told my friend about it one day. The next he sees me driving around our small town in the Cadillac.
Friend: Have you _____ been to New York?

2. Let's say my friend didn't know me well, and he wanted to know if I had been to New York at any time in my life before.
Friend: Have you _____ been to New York?

What adverbs would you use in Portuguese? How do they translate?

PS: The difference might be subtle if you were trying to define the difference between the two words. But the difference in usage is not similar at all (to me).

 

[konungursvia]

Portuguese does have such a cognate Ray: Ja fui para Nova York?

 

[bieasy]

Hmm, I would have thought Portuguese had cognate words as most European languages do. Something like:
Italian: Hai giáandato a Nuova York? / Hai mai andato a Nuova York?
Spanish: Ya has ido a Nueva York? / Has jamás (alguna vez) ido a Nueva York?

Try these:
1. Let's say I was planning to go to New York to buy a Cadillac, and I told my friend about it one day. The next he sees me driving around our small town in the Cadillac.
Friend: Have you _____ been to New York?

2. Let's say my friend didn't know me well, and he wanted to know if I had been to New York at any time in my life before.
Friend: Have you _____ been to New York?

What adverbs would you use in Portuguese? How do they translate?

PS: The difference might be subtle if you were trying to define the difference between the two words. But the difference in usage is not similar at all (to me).

1. Let's say I was planning to go to New York to buy a Cadillac, and I told my friend about it one day. The next he sees me driving around our small town in the Cadillac.
Friend: Have you already been to New York?

2. Let's say my friend didn't know me well, and he wanted to know if I had been to New York at any time in my life before.
Friend: Have you ever been to New York?

 

[bieasy]

Portuguese: Você já foi para Nova Iorque? (already)
Você já esteve em Nova Iorque? (ever)

French: Tu es déjà allé à New York? (already)
Tu as déjà été à New York? (ever)

NOT A FRENCH NOR A PORTUGUESE TEACHER.........

 

[Raymott]

1. Let's say I was planning to go to New York to buy a Cadillac, and I told my friend about it one day. The next he sees me driving around our small town in the Cadillac.
Friend: Have you already been to New York?

2. Let's say my friend didn't know me well, and he wanted to know if I had been to New York at any time in my life before.
Friend: Have you ever been to New York?

OK, now you know. ;-)

 

[bieasy]

OK, now you know. ;-)

Thank you teacher!