I see that...

Question

John:  If you accept the loan offer, you incur high interest.  If you don't, then you have no capital.Mary:  I see that it's a no win-win situation.1.  In the above exchange, does 'I see that' mean 'I understand that' and this phrase is normally said to let the speaker know that the listener gets what was said to him?2.  Do you think the use of 'I see that...' in confirming one's understanding sounds natural?  Sorry, I just made up the example sentences above.3.  Am I correct in using the simple present tense 'incur' instead of the simple future tense 'will incur'?  If both tenses are possible, what's the difference in meaning?

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

1-- Yes and yes
2-- Yes, quite natural
3-- You can use either. Present tense is the 'universal present', that is, it applies to any time, like 'Water boils at 100 degrees C.'

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks so much Mister Micawber for the answers.  I always appreciate your help and explanations.

Avangi · Answer

Anonymous I see that it's a no win-win situation.

Just an aside:

I'm not sure if you'd call this a mixed metaphor or a mixed idiom.

Often, when we consider the "consequences" of a plan, we say it has an up side and a down side. That is, it has both good and bad consequence.

If it's something which must be done in spite of having no good consequences,
we say "It's a no-win situation." (Nobody wins.)

If, on the other hand, it has no bad consequences,
we say "It's a win-win situation." (Everybody wins.)

But I don't think we use the expression "a no-win-win situation."

You may ask, "Why would we do something which has no good consequences?"

I'll tell you: I don't know.

I see that...

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