If I were you...

[bagzi94]

Why is not: If I am you...? ;-)

 

[Allen165]

Why is not: If I am you...? ;-)

NOT A TEACHER.

More context would be of help, of course, but it's "If I were you" because I am not you; we are talking about an imaginary situation.

 

[Andi Pangeran]

Why is not : "If I was you" ? :roll:

Thanks

 

[bhaisahab]

Why is not : "If I was you" ? :roll:

Thanks

Why do you think it could be?

 

[5jj]

Why do you think it could be?

Come.come, bhai. I think there is a touch of the faux-naif there. You and I , and millions of others, say, "If I were you, ..."; philo would almost certainly claim that it it was (?) the only correct form. However, millions of others, especially in Britain, happily say, "If I was you, ...".

 

[bagzi94]

NOT A TEACHER.

More context would be of help, of course, but it's "If I were you" because I am not you; we are talking about an imaginary situation.

I understand what it means, I just wonder would you
understand If someone would say: "I wouldn't do that, If I am you (Present)."

 

[Rover_KE]

I understand what it means, I just wonder would you
understand If someone would say: "I wouldn't do that, If I am you (Present)."

I would understand it, but it's still wrong.

Rover

 

[Allen165]

I understand what it means, I just wonder would you
understand If someone would say: "I wouldn't do that, If I am you (Present)."

In certain situations I think it would be ok to say "If I'm you," but certainly not in formal English.

 

[TheParser]

I understand what it means, I just wonder would you
understand If someone would say: "I wouldn't do that, If I am you (Present)."

NOT A TEACHER


(1) I found this in Google books:

"You are not the first to be saying this, my friend. But if I am you, I am not saying it

so loudly. Dragonstone crawls with these queen's men, oh yes, and they have sharp

ears and sharper knives."

Source: A Storm of Swords, George R. Martin (2003).

(2) Probably 99% of native speakers today would say: "But if I were/was you, I

would not be saying it so loudly."

(3) How do we account for the "If I am you" in Mr. Martin's fantasy novel?

(a) It may mean something like:

Let's say that I am you for the sake of discussion. Well, I am certainly not

going to say it so loudly.

This is not my idea. It comes from a teacher named "Albeit" who posted

a somewhat similar explanation on usingenglish. com on September 25, 2009.

 

[Allen165]

X: That hot chick just asked me to come over to her place. I dunno man; do I really wanna cheat on Andrea?
Y: Dude, if I'm you, I'm definitely tappin' that ass.

I apologize for the lewd language, but I think that in a situation such as that above "if I'm you" sounds just fine.

 

[bhaisahab]

Come.come, bhai. I think there is a touch of the faux-naif there. You and I , and millions of others, say, "If I were you, ..."; philo would almost certainly claim that it it was (?) the only correct form. However, millions of others, especially in Britain, happily say, "If I was you, ...".

Well, Allen165 had already answered the question.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bagzi94
Why is not: If I am you...? ;-)

NOT A TEACHER.

More context would be of help, of course, but it's "If I were you" because I am not you; we are talking about an imaginary situation.