Did you/have you

Question

Did you see my glass?Have you seen my glass?Do "did you" and "have you" have the same meaning when asking a questions? Thanks.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

whatchadoinDo "did you" and "have you" have the same meaning when asking a questions?

The meaning is different, and not only when asking a question. Whether it's a question has nothing to do with it.

X = the present moment.

..........[Did you?]............................X...........
............(then)

< -------------- Have you? ------------ ]X..........
...........(at any time before now)

"Did you?" is restricted to a narrow time period in the past. "Have you?" spreads out into all past time.

CJ

AlpheccaStars · Answer

whatchadoinDid you see my glass?Have you seen my glass?Do "did you" and "have you" have the same meaning when asking a question? Thanks.

Yes. Here are two common examples where people use them as per personal preferences:.

1) I misplaced my glasses:

Have you seen my glasses? I've been looking everywhere for them. (This is my preference, though others may ask:
Did you see my glasses?)

2) I bought a new pair of sunglasses, and I am not wearing them.

Did you see my new sunglasses? They are the latest style. (This is my preference, though others may ask:
Have you seen my new sunglasses?)

Whatchadoin · Answer

Wait, wait. One of you said I could use them interchangeably when asking questions and the other said they had different meanings.

Here's how I use them.

Have you ever done this? - I always use 'have' or 'has' in such cases because I don't know whether the speaker has done that or not. - Can I use 'did' here?

______

Did you get it? - I'd use this one if I knew that the speaker intended to get it sometime earlier in the past. - Can I use 'have' here?

____

To sum things up. I use 'did' with events that happened in the past and I know something about them.

Am I wrong?

CalifJim · Answer

whatchadoinHave you ever done this? - I always use 'have' or 'has' in such cases because I don't know whether the speaker has done that or not. - Can I use 'did' here?

'have' and 'has' go with 'ever', so I don't advise using 'did'.

whatchadoinDid you get it? - I'd use this one if I knew that the speaker intended to get it sometime earlier in the past. - Can I use 'have' here?

Your choice of 'did' is fine.

'have' is also possible; it implies 'yet'. Have you gotten it (yet)? Using the form with 'have' suggests that you have been waiting for them to get it.

CJ

Whatchadoin · Answer

CalifJim'have' and 'has' go with 'ever', so I don't advise using 'did'.

As far as I know native speakers do use 'did' with 'ever'.

Did you ever wax your chest? - I think that the questioner here is using 'did' because he knew that the other speaker intended to wax their chest sometime in the past?

Why did you say that the meaning between 'have', 'has' and 'did' when asking questions was different and the other volunteer said it was OK to use both interchangeably?

CalifJim · Answer

whatchadoinDid you ever wax your chest? - I think that the questioner here is using 'did' because he knew that the other speaker intended to wax their chest sometime in the past?

Yes. That's right. You can use it that way.

whatchadoinWhy did you say that the meaning between 'have', 'has' and 'did' when asking questions was different and the other volunteer said it was OK to use both interchangeably?

It seems to me that you're smart enough to answer that question. The two of us have different opinions.

CJ

Whatchadoin · Answer

CalifJimt seems to me that you're smart enough to answer that question.

Well, if I were smart, I wouldn't be on here asking all these questions.

In what cases do you ask questions with 'have', 'has' and in what with 'did'?

CalifJim · Answer

whatchadoinWell, if I were smart, I wouldn't be on here asking all these questions.

You misunderstand which question I think you are smart enough to answer. In fact I answered it for you.

You: Why did you say that the meaning between 'have', 'has' and 'did' when asking questions was different and the other volunteer said it was OK to use both interchangeably?

Me: It seems to me that you're smart enough to answer that question. The two of us have different opinions.
_________________________________

Not everyone has the same opinion. The different people who answer your questions may have different opinions about what the correct answer is. This is especially true when you ask about the interchangeability of expressions. Some speakers see slight differences and say, "No, those are not interchangeable". Other speakers find the differences so slight that they are hardly worth discussing and say, "Yes, those are interchangeable".

whatchadoinIn what cases do you ask questions with 'have', 'has' and in what with 'did'?

That is the subject of a whole grammar book, so it's not something that can be answered in a forum post.

CJ

Whatchadoin · Answer

Do you find it incorrect if someone uses 'have' or 'has' to ask a question about an event that clearly took place in the past. As in:

Have you had breakfast?
- Yes.
- What did you have?

Is it incorrect to use 'have' here?
____

BTW, Are "Did you have breakfast?" and "Have you had breakfast?" interchangeable?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

This conversation is completely natural:

Have you had breakfast?
- Yes.
- What did you have?

What have you had? - I've rarely heard anyone ask the question this way.

One possible situation:
A group of tourists traveling together are straggling in to the buffet breakfast bar. Someone gets there when others have already had their first visit to the bar. The newcomer asks "What have you had already? (Meaning, I see that you're not yet finished eating but what do you recommend?)

whatchadoinBTW, Are "Did you have breakfast?" and "Have you had breakfast?" interchangeable?

For me, yes.

Did you/have you

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