0
Eladio Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Somebody is having (somebody) over for dinner
What's the meaning of this sentence:
A Japanese couple is having us over for dinner next week.
Is the Japanese couple inviting us for dinner over the next week?
Wouldn't be better to say? A Japanese couple is having us for dinner over the next week.
A Japanese couple is having us over for dinner next week.
Is the Japanese couple inviting us for dinner over the next week?
Wouldn't be better to say? A Japanese couple is having us for dinner over the next week.
Top answer
It means that it has been arranged that you go to their house for dinner next week. It has gone past the invitation stage. If you just say 'having us for dinner' it sounds as though you are the main course!
- It means that it has been arranged that you go to their house for dinner next week.
- It has gone past the invitation stage.
- If you just say 'having us for dinner' it sounds as though you are the main course!
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
5 Answers
0
It means that it has been arranged that you go to their house for dinner next week. It has gone past the invitation stage.
If you just say 'having us for dinner' it sounds as though you are the main course!
If you just say 'having us for dinner' it sounds as though you are the main course!
00
"to have over" = "to entertain at one's home"
"to be over (at)" = "to be at (someone's home)"
"to go over (to)" = "to go to (someone's home)"
And so on.
The "over" does not go with "the next week". It goes with "have".
Are you busy? No? Then why don't you come over? (come to my place)
Where are you going? I'm going over to Jim's. (going to Jim's
"to be over (at)" = "to be at (someone's home)"
"to go over (to)" = "to go to (someone's home)"
And so on.
The "over" does not go with "the next week". It goes with "have".
Are you busy? No? Then why don't you come over? (come to my place)
Where are you going? I'm going over to Jim's. (going to Jim's
00
Wouldn't be better to say?
A Japanese couple is having us for dinner over the next week.
JT: No, Eladio, you've changed the meaning quite dramatically.
Yours means,
A Japanese couple is having us for dinner for the next seven days.
OR paraphrased,
We are going to have dinner at the {____'s} every night for a week.
A Japanese couple is having us for dinner over the next week.
JT: No, Eladio, you've changed the meaning quite dramatically.
Yours means,
A Japanese couple is having us for dinner for the next seven days.
OR paraphrased,
We are going to have dinner at the {____'s} every night for a week.
00
In BrE, 'having someone for dinner' means eating them, as Nona suggests.
So the meaning JTT mentions wouldn't occur in BrE. There is the phrase 'have someone to tea/dinner', however. For some reason, it sounds better in the past:
'A Japanese couple had us to dinner last week.'
'Couple' plus singular verb is interesting. (I think it's been discussed elsewhere
So the meaning JTT mentions wouldn't occur in BrE. There is the phrase 'have someone to tea/dinner', however. For some reason, it sounds better in the past:
'A Japanese couple had us to dinner last week.'
'Couple' plus singular verb is interesting. (I think it's been discussed elsewhere
00
'Couple' plus singular verb is interesting.
Easy for you Brits to say! To Americans it's dull as dirt because it's our usual way of saying it!
0
Related Questions