Help an idiot

[biru]

Hello, I am an idiot.

I confuse in and on very often. I know in bed is between the sheets and on the bed is over it... right? ...

See what my problem is?

Please do clarify with examples of big things like... "in the sales"... sorry for a stupid thread but I guess it's better to try and understand what I don't at the moment with the help of english speaking people than to slam my head with a hammer at once without even trying.

Thank you.

 

[Dave]

you are right, in is "inside", generally, and on is more like "on top off".

 

[The Cat's Mother]

Hello, I am an idiot.

I confuse in and on very often. I know in bed is between the sheets and on the bed is over it... right? ...

See what my problem is?

Please do clarify with examples of big things like... "in the sales"... sorry for a stupid thread but I guess it's better to try and understand what I don't at the moment with the help of english speaking people than to slam my head with a hammer at once without even trying.

Thank you.

You mean things like "on the bus" as opposed to "in the car"?

 

[prisoner77]

On the loo, in the shower..

 

[j funk]

'On sale'
'In the sales'

I can see why foreigners often interchange prepositions too freely.

 

[The Cat's Mother]

On the loo, in the shower..

But you could be in the loo if you were not sitting down on the toilet, e.g having a stand-up pee or being sick.

 

[bored]

From Forgetting Sarah Marshall...

Brian: You don't need to put your P in a V right now.
Peter Bretter: No, I need to B my L on someone's T's.

 

[biru]

You mean things like "on the bus" as opposed to "in the car"?

yes.. why not in the bus? I mean.. I'm inside it.

 

[EPbabe]

yes.. why not in the bus? I mean.. I'm inside it.

Because you are "on board"?

 

[Wichita Lineman]

yes.. why not in the bus? I mean.. I'm inside it.

One of the joys of language learning is learning the intracacies and exceptions to each rule.

 

[Girl-with-the-Thorn]

This thread has made me realise how complicated and confusing the English language actually is.

 

[biru]

Because you are "on board"?

And you're not on board when it comes to the car? It's like a boat.. I'm on a boat... but if you're in there, sleeping, you could be in a boat... that's what I get at least...

I was a 20/20 English student my whole life, somehow I dodged those goddamn problems on tests, but this past week I was writing something and I kept erasing the in and puting an on instead and vice-versa a couple of times. That's why I asked. I think I may buy a grammar now... *feels like a true idiot*

 

[biru]

'On sale'
'In the sales'

I can see why foreigners often interchange prepositions too freely.

Our language is totally different... in some ways it is soooooo much harder but then the English language has it's hidden complications and I lose myself there.

 

[EPbabe]

And you're not on board when it comes to the car? It's like a boat.. I'm on a boat... but if you're in there, sleeping, you could be in a boat... that's what I get at least...

I was a 20/20 English student my whole life, somehow I dodged those goddamn problems on tests, but this past week I was writing something and I kept erasing the in and puting an on instead and vice-versa a couple of times. That's why I asked. I think I may buy a grammar now... *feels like a true idiot*

I think when you get up on a vehicle, it's on (as in boat, plane, bus etc.), and when you get into a vehicle, it's in (car?). But it may be just a crappy explanation and not even logical. (We make a difference in Hungarian as well, so it's pretty logical to me.)

But what about a tram or a metro, for example?

 

[Hellie]

I can never get my head around the French and German feminine and masculine nouns.

 

[Wichita Lineman]

I can never get my head around the French and German feminine and masculine nouns.

It's not that hard.

 

[yesitis]

shouldn't the boob be on the other side of the bee?

also, i like that boob.

oh man, i'm slow. i blame the sickness. i was thinking boob-bee. even though it says beat it right underneath...

 

[Hellie]

It's not that hard.

Oh well. I'm obviously a thick tit.Whereas you are just a big one.

 

[Wichita Lineman]

Oh well. I'm obviously a thick tit.Whereas you are just a big one.

Obviously. But it really isn't that hard. Some words are masculine, some are feminine. You don't need to know why, just accept that they are, and language learning immediately becomes infinitely easier.

 

[Hellie]

shouldn't the boob be on the other side of the bee?

also, i like that boob.

oh man, i'm slow. i blame the sickness. i was thinking boob-bee. even though it says beat it right underneath...

That's sharp!!

Your brain isn't as addled as you think it is.