When to use seen?
When to use saw?
I seen you yesterday, I saw you yesterday.
2007-07-03 09:29:06 · 7 answers · asked by mobiledj_1 5 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
saying "i seen you yesterday" is not proper english
typically you only use "seen" when it is preceded by the word "have""has""had"... or any other form of that word, positive or negative
"I saw you yesterday" is proper
"I have seen you walking around town" is proper
2007-07-03 09:36:32 · answer #1 · answered by I run... 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I seen the movie is not correct usage. You could say, "I have seen the movie." Or, "Have you seen the movie?" Basically seen is past perfect tense, not past tense. If you are just using regular past tense, it would be, "I saw the movie."
p.s. Don't feel bad. I hear people say seen instead of saw on an almost daily basis, it is a very common error. But, it does driive me crazy. Thanks for asking.
2007-07-03 16:38:00 · answer #2 · answered by Kristy M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
'See' is the active present form:
I see you are going. I see the boy running. I see blue-birds.
'Seen' is the passive past form:
The boy was seen. The movie was seen by all. We were seen leaving.
'Saw' is the past tense form:
I saw you yesterday. I saw the sun setting. I saw him leave.
2007-07-03 16:38:24 · answer #3 · answered by Robert S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I saw = past tense
I have seen = past participle
I seen = doesn't make sense
Use 'seen' only when you use 'have' before it :)
I like to tell my students this:
Use 'I saw' when you are talking about the immediate past
"I saw Mickey Mouse yesterday."
Use 'I have seen' when you are talking about something in the distant past or something you have ever done/seen
"I have seen Mickey Mouse." (as in, in your life)
2007-07-03 16:41:21 · answer #4 · answered by AlwaysCurious 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure what the rule is exactly, I just know when to use it.
" I seen the movie" --This is incorrect
If you changed it to " I'VE seen" , then that would be right.
Or change to " I saw"
2007-07-03 16:38:39 · answer #5 · answered by phxchik07 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I saw you yesterday.
See is present tense: I see you.
Saw is past tense: I saw what you did.
Have seen is past participle: I have seen you before.
2007-07-03 16:33:04 · answer #6 · answered by ♂ ♫ Timberwolf 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
when you say seen you have to say 'have seen'.
try it-don't you think it sounds a lot more correct.
that is the only rule
2007-07-03 16:33:08 · answer #7 · answered by sarah.sazaroo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋