Give me some water VS Get me some water

[hirashin]

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]

"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]

I see. Thanks for the help, joadbres.

 

[seaDonkey]

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]

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]

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

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

 

[seaDonkey]

Hey SD, thanks for jumping in and helping Hirashin out

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]

SD,

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