Author Topic: Can someone help me with this (Read 378 times)

SwordCard0112 · December 02, 2014, 08:12:26 PM

Okay i started learning English long time ago and now i can write it well (not very good speaking it).
But there's something that confuses me; the use of in, on and past verbs.

Which of the following sentences are correct? Could you please explain me why?

He appeared in TV or He appeared on TV?
She didn't make it or She didn't made it?

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Alyx Vance · December 02, 2014, 08:13:49 PM

"He appeared on TV" and "She didn't make it" should be right.

newspeed12 · December 02, 2014, 08:30:51 PM

Quote from: Alyx Vance on December 02, 2014, 08:13:49 PM

"He appeared on TV" and "She didn't make it" should be right.

this

English is a very annoying language that I screw up sometimes despite it being my native tounge

TristanLuigi · December 02, 2014, 08:33:55 PM

"He appeared on TV" is correct.
"She didn't make it" is correct.

He appeared on TV, because he is not literally inside of the TV, he's on the screen.
She didn't make it, because of the "didn't" - that's why it's make. If you would've said "She made it" without the "didn't," you would use make

I checked your profile and I see that you're from Costa Rica, which means your native tongue is Spanish, correct? I happen to know a bit of Spanish, so I could help you a bit.

"In" means "inside." "On" means "on top of." Unfortunately, they're both "en" in Spanish, so there's no good way to translate it back. It's a similar situation with por and para for English speakers learning Spanish.

The second case is a little weird because you're using the present tense, but in the past. Just remember than whenever you're using "did," "didn't," "could," "couldn't," etc. with a verb, you would normally use the present tense, even when referring to the past or future.

SwordCard0112 · December 02, 2014, 08:57:01 PM

Quote from: TristanLuigi on December 02, 2014, 08:33:55 PM

Yes, i think i got confused with the use of in and on because they are both translated en in Spanish.
And you're right with por and para, because they are both translated ''for''.
But i think people learning Spanish will have more trouble learning the verbs.

For example, in English you have Make, Made and Making, while in Spanish we have Hacer, Hago, Hice, Hac�a, Har�, Har�a, Haces, Hiciste, Hac�as, Har�s, Har�as, Hacemos, Hicimos, Hac�amos, Haremos, Har�amos, Hacen, Hicieron, Hac�an, Har�n and Har�an.

Oasis · December 02, 2014, 08:58:03 PM

Quote from: SwordCard0112 on December 02, 2014, 08:57:01 PM

Yes, i think i got confused with the use of in and on because they are both translated en in Spanish.
And you're right with por and para, because they are both translated ''for''.
But i think people learning Spanish will have more trouble learning the verbs.

For example, in English you have Make, Made and Making, while in Spanish we have Hacer, Hago, Hice, Hac�a, Har�, Har�a, Haces, Hiciste, Hac�as, Har�s, Har�as, Hacemos, Hicimos, Hac�amos, Haremos, Har�amos, Hacen, Hicieron, Hac�an, Har�n and Har�an.

Conjugating verbs in spanish is literally worse than Riddler.