Give me some water VS Get me some water

hirashin

Sempai

Donor

8 Apr 2004

2,721

63

• 15 Oct 2019

• #1

Hello, native English speakers,
What's the difference between (a) and (b)?
(a) Will you give me some water?
(b) Will you get me some water?

Hirashin

 

joadbres

八方凡人

19 Sep 2016

733

277

• 15 Oct 2019

• #2

"get me 物" usually implies that the person receiving the request will have to go somewhere else to obtain the item (for example, to another room). Perhaps it is similar to 持ってきてくれる in Japanese.

"give me 物" does not have this implication.

 

hirashin

Sempai

Donor

8 Apr 2004

2,721

63

• 15 Oct 2019

• Thread starter
• #3

I see. Thanks for the help, joadbres.

 

S

seaDonkey

後輩

25 Jun 2018

83

12

• 16 Oct 2019

• #4

Student of Genki here. Buntaro told me to follow hirashin because I wanted to repay the 英語勉強フォーラム for the help I got on the Learning Japanese forum.

To give is transferring posession. If person B's water is given to person A, it is now person A's water.

A：Bさんの水ください。
(gives the water)
A：ありがとう、これは私の水。

To get is posessive too.

A：あの水は持ちます。
(goes to get the water)
A：これは私の水。

'Get me' changes the meaning
(b) means 'Will you get ( and then give ) me some water.

 

Buntaro

運動不足

Twenty-year veteran

27 Dec 2003

2,855

2,105

• 16 Oct 2019

• #5

Hirashin,

The English word "get" has many, many meanings. One meaning is "go then take then bring". In your example, "Please get me some water" means "please go to the water place, take some water in a cup or bottle, and bring the water to me."

But "Please give me some water" only means "please give me some water"

 

Buntaro

運動不足

Twenty-year veteran

27 Dec 2003

2,855

2,105

• 17 Oct 2019

• #6

seaDonkey said:

I wanted to repay the 英語勉強フォーラム for the help I got

Click to expand...

Hey SD, thanks for jumping in and helping Hirashin out.

 

S

seaDonkey

後輩

25 Jun 2018

83

12

• 17 Oct 2019

• #7

Buntaro said:

Hey SD, thanks for jumping in and helping Hirashin out

Click to expand...

Glad I could help. If I can help without confusing people then I think it is a good thing. My example for 'get' was not 100% on the examples meaning so I have learned a lesson.

 

Buntaro

運動不足

Twenty-year veteran

27 Dec 2003

2,855

2,105

• 17 Oct 2019

• #8

SD,

You will be fine. You are a native English speaker, and you will be able to help Hirashin learn English a lot.