[General] I wasn't by the computer when getting your email

[Silverobama]

Hi.

My friend was mad at me because he thought I deliberately not to reply to him soon. When I received his messages, I was on my way home. If I need to reply him, I must use a computer. I said to him "I wasn't by the computer when getting your email".

I don't think my sentence is natural. Would you please help me?

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi.

My friend was mad at me because he thought I deliberately [STRIKE]not to[/STRIKE] didn't reply to him [STRIKE]soon[/STRIKE] quickly. When I received his messages, I was on my way home. [STRIKE]If I need[/STRIKE] To reply him, I must use a computer. I said to him "I wasn't by the computer when [STRIKE]getting[/STRIKE] I got your emails".

I don't think my sentence is natural. Would you please help me?

See above. You used "messages" and then "email". Use the singular or the plural. Use either "messages/emails" or "message/email".

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hi.

My friend was mad at me because he thought I deliberately did not to reply to him quickly. When I received his messages, I was on my way home. If I need to reply him, I must use a computer. I said to him "I wasn't at the computer when I got your email".

I don't think my sentence is natural. Would you please help me?

This means you got the messages while you were traveling but couldn't reply until you were at your computer.

Is that right? Just checking.

(Cross-post.)

 

[Silverobama]

This means you got the messages while you were traveling but couldn't reply until you were at your computer.

Is that right? Just checking.

(Cross-post.)

I have an App on my phone. Each time someone sends me an email, I get an alter. Today I got the alter but I couldn't reply to him.

You used "messages" and then "email". Use the singular or the plural. Use either "messages/emails" or "message/email".

I see. Thank you so much, emsr2d2. I made a mistake. It should have been "a message" or "an email".

 

[emsr2d2]

I have an app on my phone. Each time someone sends me an email, I get an alter. Today I got the alter but I couldn't reply to him.

"alter" is not the word you need. What do you mean?

 

[Silverobama]

"alter" is not the word you need. What do you mean?

Oops. It was a typo. It should have been "alert" or "notification". Let's say someone replies to my threads here and I will receive notifications or alerts on my phone.

I have another question about the corrected sentences. Is it also natural to say "I wasn't on the computer when I got your email"? I thought "by the computer" was wrong.

 

[SoothingDave]

"Reply to him," not "reply him."

 

[emsr2d2]

"I wasn't by the computer" is possible. It means you weren't near it. "I wasn't at/on the computer" mean that you weren't sitting in front of the screen, actually using the computer. You could solve the issue by simply saying "I wasn't at home when I got your email". Presumably, your friend knows you can't reply to emails on your phone.