I ate/'ve eaten too much.

[nekocat]

I would probably say "I ate too much" simply because of the immediacy of the scenario. If I'm still sitting at the table, this means that I've just finished eating. I lean back, loosen my belt and groan "Oooh, I ate too much".

Conversely, if I leave the restaurant, get in my car and head home, I'd probably say "Oooh, I've eaten too much" as I head to the couch for a nap. This probably sounds odd but time seems to play a factor

This quote is a response to the question "what's the difference between "I've eaten too much" or "I ate too much"?

The poster is AmEn speaker. I don't know the mechanism working in his mind. How should we understand how it works?

 

[Sarapva]

I think they're both basically the same - you could say, "I've eaten too much" even if you were still at the table. "I ate too much" is probably used more with an addition like "I ate too much last night" or "I ate too much the last time I was there", which would actually make it less immediate than "I've eaten".

 

[nekocat]

I see. What strikes me curious is that you (AmEn) can say "I ate too much." immediately after the meal.☝
Thanks Sarapva, you helped me so many times!
金の斧と銀の斧と鉄の斧、どれかを選びたまへ！

 

[nice gaijin]

"I ate too much" is a simple past statement; it can be used anytime after the action is completed (such as in sarapva's examples). "I have eaten too much" is more like "I am in the current state of having eaten too much," which is why it feels more immediate; it refers to one's present state moreso than the action that took place in the past.

 

[bakaKanadajin]

"I ate too much" is a simple past statement; it can be used anytime after the action is completed (such as in sarapva's examples). "I have eaten too much" is more like "I am in the current state of having eaten too much," which is why it feels more immediate; it refers to one's present state moreso than the action that took place in the past.

A very good explanation. The thing with simple vs. perfect clauses is that often either will do if the statement is by itself. As Sarapva pointed out, when adding any modifying clauses like 'last night' or 'lately', then the usage changes.

e.g.

I've eaten too much
I ate too much

I've been eating too much (lately)
I ate too much (last night)

Actually in the above examples with 'lately' we see that the progressive (have been eating) was needed because its an action that has been ongoing and has not yet finished. You began eating too much somewhere in the past, and this trend has not yet ceased, in agreement with 'lately'.

 

[nekocat]

ありがとにゃ！
Thanks a lot!