Learn French 100% free Get 1 free lesson per week // Add a new lesson
Log in!

> Log in <
New account
Millions of accounts created on our sites.
JOIN our free club and learn French now!




Get a free French lesson every week!

  • Home
  • Contact
  • Print
  • Guestbook
  • Report a bug


  •  



    I wish I had never been born (1)

    << English only || Bottom

    This topic is now closed. You can't post a new reply.


    I wish I had never been born
    Message from nutmeg1906 posted on 27-11-2010 at 19:08:55
    Hello,
    It is not a moment of depression but just an example of "wish" + past perfect tense (past meaning) vs + past tense (present meaning).
    I think that "I wish I had never been born" is the only correct form, but I heard the expression "I wish I wasn't born" used by some English-speaking people.
    Is it correct?
    If so, what's the difference between the two?
    Thank you!

    -------------------
    Edited by lucile83 on 27-11-2010 19:12



    -------------------
    Edited by lucile83 on 07-12-2010 09:25



    Re: I wish I had never been born by dolfine56, posted on 27-11-2010 at 23:03:51
    Bonsoir,
    Il me semble que les deux phrases sont correctes, et se traduisent ,toutes les deux par :
    je souhaiterais ne jamais être né.

    d'autres avis pour confirmer...ou pas...---

    -------------------
    Edited by lucile83 on 07-12-2010 09:24
    This is the English Only Forum


    Re: I wish I had never been born by notrepere, posted on 28-11-2010 at 02:58:37
    Hello!

    With "I wish...", you use the past perfect to express a regret, or that you want a situation in the past to be different.

    So only the first one is correct. You can say "I was born on May 1st, 1992" or "I wasn't born yesterday!" [idiom], but in this situation, "I wish I wasn't born" is technically incorrect.

    Have a look at this:

    Lien Internet


    and:

    Lien Internet


    I hope this helps.




    Re: I wish I had never been born by dsmith, posted on 28-11-2010 at 03:31:05
    Hello,
    I wish I wasn't born is incorrect. The correct way to say it is I wish I hadn't been born.

    -------------------
    Edited by lucile83 on 28-11-2010 09:10



    Re: I wish I had never been born by the7sisters, posted on 07-12-2010 at 08:42:58
    hi everyone,

    Si seulement je pouvais parler Anglais ( pour le présent, au moment où l'on parle)

    I wish I could speak English ( preterit utilisé dans le présent)

    Si seulement j'avais étudié l'Anglais ( dans le passé, avec des regrets)

    I wish I had studied English ( pluperfect utilisé dans le passé)

    got it? Sure !
    have a nice day
    Andrew = the 7 sisters

    -------------------
    Edited by lucile83 on 07-12-2010 09:21
    This is the English Only Forum.




    This topic is now closed. You can't post a new topic.