french question

[noodle]

Originally Posted by DAMB

To make sense, they both need a little context, of course.
Same in English: "I had a rabbit"... yeah so?

And no, I'm most definitely not wrong, I'm right, but believe whomever you choose to believe.

..... okay...

[Hisuwashi]

Originally Posted by DAMB

To make sense, they both need a little context, of course.
Same in English: "I had a rabbit"... yeah so?

And no, I'm most definitely not wrong, I'm right, but believe whomever you choose to believe.

I think you are right, but "j'avais" is used more in spoken French. I don't really know this stuff though, I'm just saying from experience.

[chibibecci]

okay thanks.. so only say "J'ai eu..." if I'm going to say a year ago or a time. right??

[Kasomi]

Yes. You say ''J'ai eu'' when you specify when you had the rabbit (or whatever else you had). You say '' J'avais'' when you don't specify it. So, it means that you had a bunny for a while, but it implies literally that now, you don't have it anymore, whereas with ''J'ai eu'', you may still have the rabbit, but it isn't said.

Is it clear enough?

[DAMB]

Originally Posted by Hisuwashi

I think you are right, but "j'avais" is used more in spoken French. I don't really know this stuff though, I'm just saying from experience.

I kinda speak (+ write) French on a daily basis, 'n even get paid to do so.

[DAMB]

By the way, I'm under the impression that some of you are using multiple translations.
It's not "j'ai eu" as in "I was given", in this case.

[noodle]

Originally Posted by DAMB

I kinda speak (+ write) French on a daily basis, 'n even get paid to do so.

I live and study in france.... so i HAVE to speak and write french on a daily basis...That doesn't mean anything!!!!

I fail to understand the reason you're saying "Not true. It depends on the context, but if there's none, it's "j'ai eu un lapin"."

... could you actaully clarify why it's j'ai eu instead of j'avais?? because from what i know and what french teachers have said (yesterday and today), you're not correct... so i'd like to know your explanation!!!!

[DAMB]

This isn't a pissing contest, is it?
(M'enfin, moi aussi, je suis en France, en IDF plus précisément.
Je fais, entre autres, de la traduction et du doublage pour la télévision française.)

Seriously though, you probably will say/write the right thing, but it's the explanation given to Chibibecci that's wrong.

I just wanted to help, but really don't care enough to debate over who had a rabbit and who did not... even though I weally like wabbits, j'en ai eu un, moi aussi.

[DAMB]

Originally Posted by noodle

I live and study in france.... so i HAVE to speak and write french on a daily basis...That doesn't mean anything!!!!

Since I was answering Hisuwashi's post about spoken French, yes it does.

[noodle]

Originally Posted by DAMB

This isn't a pissing contest, is it?
(M'enfin, moi aussi, je suis en France, en IDF plus précisément.
Je fais, entre autres, de la traduction et du doublage pour la télévision française.)

Seriously though, you probably will say/write the right thing, but it's the explanation given to Chibibecci that's wrong.

I just wanted to help, but really don't care enough to debate over who had a rabbit and who did not... even though I weally like wabbits, j'en ai eu un, moi aussi.

c'est genial ce que tu fais, mais moi, je suis toujours un etudiant, donc je n'assume jamais que je comprend tout... c'est pour ca que je demande ton explication car on ma apris autre chose..... Et on plus, je suis sur que j'ai fais des dizaines de fautes...

All in all, i just want to LEARN, its not about making someone look better than the other!!!!