[Idiom] If I were in your shoes

[Will17]

Hello!

Are these expressions formal or informal, please?

-If I were in your shoes

-If I were in your place (in or at? )

Thank you very much for your help

Will

 

[Barb_D]

The expression "If I were in your shoes" would, I think, be considered informal.

If you need to express this idea in a more formal way, try something like "If it were my decision to make" or "If I were in your position."

 

[konungursvia]

The first is more informal; neither is familiar or unacceptably informal.

 

[Allen165]

NOT A TEACHER.

I would say "If I were in your spot" instead of "If I were in your place."

 

[bhaisahab]

NOT A TEACHER.

I would say "If I were in your spot" instead of "If I were in your place."

I've never heard "If I were in your spot".

 

[Allen165]

I've never heard "If I were in your spot".

And I've never heard "If I were in your place." In fact, I thought Will was translating literally from French (si j'étais à ta place) into English.

 

[bhaisahab]

And I've never heard "If I were in your place." In fact, I thought Will was translating literally from French (si j'étais à ta place) into English.

"If I were in your place" is common in BrE.

 

[curates-egg]

=Not a Teacher=

If I were in your shoes.
If I were in your place.

Although some claim that only the subjunctive form "were' is correct in such sentences, many speakers of British English use "was".

 

[freezeframe]

=Not a Teacher=

If I were in your shoes.
If I were in your place.

Although some claim that only the subjunctive form "were' is correct in such sentences, many speakers of British English use "was".

I use both often but with was.

 

[Tdol]

Although some claim that only the subjunctive form "were' is correct in such sentences, many speakers of British English use "was".

Many play safe by teaching that were is the preferred form for formal English, which seems a sensible compromise to me as it keeps the grammar police happy and recognises that was is widely used, so that learners aren't shocked when they hear people using it.

 

[AlexAD]

I'm not a teacher nor a native speaker.

I would rather go for 'If I were you ... '.