Hela  +  530636 Sat, 21 Jun 08 05:34 PM Hello MrP, 1) Would you please tell me the dfference in meaning between "has/had finished" and "finishes/finished" in this sentence? "he called me to say that he is going to Ireland as soon as he finishes / has finished his exams."   2) On se connaît depuis si longtemps, lui et moi. "It has been a such a long time since we have known one another." Not "it has been a such a long time"; perhaps "We have known each other for such a long time".” Why not? Is it because of the verb "to know"? 3) Il n'est pas nécessaire de mettre tout le monde au courant de ce qu'on a envie de faire. Il y a des tas de gens qui rêvent bruyamment d'accomplir de grandes choses et ne sortent jamais de chez eux. Quant à son niveau d'anglais, un séjour de deux mois ne peut que l'améliorer. "you don't have to / you needn’t / there's no need to tell everyone what you’re up to / want to do / feel like doing all the time. Lots of people dream aloud (?) about accomplishing / achieving (?) great things they're going to do and then never give it a try (?) / make it real (?). As for his English, a two-month stay / sojourn (?) in England can but / just (?) improve it. That's a bit too difficult to answer, in that form – there are so many permutations!”   Ok, I'll do it again  You needn't / There's no need to tell everybody what you feel like doing all the time. Lots of people dream aloud / out loud (?) about accomplishing / achieving great things and then never try to make them real (??). As for his English, a two month's stay can but/only (?) improve it.  Thank you very much for your patience.  Hela Hela Joined on Mon, Nov 15 2004 Tunisia Regular Member 831 Verbs, Translation

	MrPedantic  +  531235 Mon, 23 Jun 08 06:33 AM Hello Hela,   Hela “ Would you please tell me the dfference in meaning between "has/had finished" and "finishes/finished" in this sentence? "he called me to say that he is going to Ireland as soon as he finishes / has finished his exams."   ” I would say that "finishes" presents "finishing" as if it were happening now, while "has finished" presents "finishing" as if it had just happened. (To put it more fancifully, "finishes" shows him writing the last word in his exam, and "has finished" shows him laying down his pen.)   MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member 12,592 ...opella forensis / adducit febris... Translation

	MrPedantic  +  531236 Mon, 23 Jun 08 06:35 AM Hela “2) On se connaît depuis si longtemps, lui et moi. "It has been a such a long time since we have known one another." Not "it has been a such a long time"; perhaps "We have known each other for such a long time".” Why not? Is it because of the verb "to know"? ” More because of "since": it implies in your "It has been..." version that the phenomenon of "knowing one other" somehow ceased, after the point in time that "since" designates. Back for #3 later! MrP MrPedantic Verbs, Translation

	MrPedantic  +  531652 Mon, 23 Jun 08 11:36 PM 1. You needn't tell everybody what you feel like doing all the time. ] ok. 2.  There's no need to tell everybody what you feel like doing all the time. ] ok. 3. Lots of people dream aloud / out loud (?) about ] neither really used! 4. accomplishing / achieving great things ] both ok. 5. and then never try to make them real (??) ] dreams "come true". 6.  As for his English, a two month's stay can but/only (?) improve it. ] Yes, both ok! See you later, MrP MrPedantic Translation

	Hela  +  532176 Wed, 25 Jun 08 07:27 AM Thank you so much, MrP 3. Lots of people dream aloud / out loud (?) about ] neither really used!” So how would you translate "rêvent bruyemment d'accomplir de grandes choses..." is your initial proposition "have grandiose ideas about all the important things they're going to do" the only solution? It isn't easy to find, is it? Have a nice day Hela Translation

	MrPedantic  +  532582 Wed, 25 Jun 08 11:00 PM Hela “d'accomplir de grandes choses” That could be "of doing/accomplishing great things". But the natural equivalent of Hela “rêvent bruyemment ” eludes me. Will continue to think... MrPedantic