"I have been looking for you" or "I have looked for you"

Question

Hi everyone,Right now I'm a bit confused with present perfect and present perfect continuous. For example, there is a situation where I have been looking for my friend and finally I find her. What should I say when I meet her?a. I have been looking for u. Where have you been?b. I have looked for u. Where have you been?Which one is the right one. I used to think that "I have been looking for u" was the right one. But then I realised that when I say that, I have already found my friend. So, is it correct to use present simple continuous when I'm no longer doing that? Or, is it possible to say "I was looking for u"? Is there any difference in meaning?I've been thinking about it but still I cant answer it by myself. Please help.Thanks in advance.

Canadian45 · Accepted Answer

lawn2llawn2Hi everyone,

Right now I'm a bit confused with present perfect and present perfect continuous. For example, there is a situation where I have been looking for my friend and finally I find her. What should I say when I meet her?

a. I have been looking for u. Where have you been? [Y]
b. I have looked for u. Where have you been? [N]

Which one is the right one. I used to think that "I have been looking for u" was the right one. But then I realised that when I say that, I have already found my friend. So, is it correct to use present simple continuous when I'm no longer doing that? Yes, you still can say a. if you say it very soon after you find your friend.

Or, is it possible to say 1) "I was looking for u"? Is there any difference in meaning? Yes, you can and there is no difference in meaning. You could also say 2) 'I had been looking for you.'

Since you are no longer looking, 1) and 2) are logically most correct, but 'I have been looking.....' is probably most common and is correct if said very soon. '...had been looking....' is probably least common.

Thanks in advance.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

Technically, with the described situation, it should be "I had been looking for you..." because you have already found her. The "looking" process had been completed.

Lawn2llawn2 · Answer

thanks a lot!

Lawn2llawn2 · Answer

dimsum express,

so how do you usually say? I had been looking for u?

Thanks

Dimsumexpress · Answer

lawn2llawn2so how do you usually say? I had been looking for u?

That's how I would say it.

Lawn2llawn2 · Answer

thanks <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

"I have been looking for you" or "I have looked for you"

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