# I have gone / went to the supermarket



## Vega003

Hello,
I came across these 2 sentences:
*"I have gone to the supermarket this weekend"
"I went to the supermarket this weekend"
*Supposedly, only one is correct, but I'm not sure. I would say, because of the "this" the present perfect, however, I don´t know if you can say also with the past simple. Maybe it's one of these things that, in spoken language at least, both are ok.
What do you think?


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## Yaaay!Words!

"I went to the supermarket this weekend"
OR
"I have already gone to the supermarket this weekend"

La primera frase indica que fuiste al supermercado. La seconda dice que ya has ido al supermercado. Espero que entiendas mi explicación >< estoy aprendiendo el español.


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## Vega003

Yaaay!Words! said:


> "I went to the supermarket this weekend"
> OR
> "I have already gone to the supermarket this weekend"
> 
> La primera frase indica que fuiste al supermercado. La *segunda* dice que ya has ido al supermercado. Espero que entiendas mi explicación >< estoy aprendiendo el español.



Perfectamente. Entonces, "I have gone to the supermarket this weekend" , sin already, ¿no está bien (gramaticalmente hablando)?


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## SolAguila

Hola,
I have gone to the supermarket this weekend... Este fin de semana he ido al supermercado (Present Perfect Tense)
I went to the supermarket this weekend... Me fui al supermercado este fin de semana (Pretérito perfecto simple o Pretérito).
Creo que en España se usa más el uso del participio con la forma conjugada de verbo haber (Haber + participio) y en América Latina se emplea más el uso de Pretérito de un hecho ya en pasado en un tiempo específico.


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## Yaaay!Words!

"I have gone to the supermarket this weekend" no me suena bien. "I have gone" indica que ya has ido así que falta la palabra "already".


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## Vega003

Yaaay!Words! said:


> "I have gone to the supermarket this weekend" no me suena bien. "I have gone" indica que ya has ido así que falta la palabra "already".



OK, cool. thanks a lot.


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## Yaaay!Words!

De nada


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## juan082937

When the simple past is used the 'markers' are ago, last year, last month, last weekend, at one particular time in the past. It began and ended in the past, so :
*I went to the supermarket last weekend
I have gone to the supermarket this weekend*. recent past but related with the present moment.


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## Lis48

juan082937 said:


> When the simple past is used the 'markers' are ago, last year, last month, last weekend, at one particular time in the past. It began and ended in the past, so :
> *I went to the supermarket last weekend
> I have gone to the supermarket this weekend*. recent past but related with the present moment.


"I have gone to the supermarket this weekend" sounds very wrong to me and a mistake that many foreigners make.
We would always say: _I have* been *to the supermarket this weekend.
Have been_ refers to the experience of going not the action so sounds alright e.g. I have been to Madrid many times.

*"I have gone to the supermarket this weekend" 
"I went to the supermarket this weekend"
"I have been to the supermarket this weekend." *


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## neal41

The simple past tense focuses on a specific act in the past as in "I went to the supermarket this weekend".

The present perfect tense focuses on the result in present time of a past action as in "I have often gone to that supermarket".  This sentence suggests that the speaker is familiar with the supermarket as a result of having been there often.  Ordinarily you cannot use an indicator of specific time with the present perfect.  'This weekend', 'last year', 'on Tuesday' are examples of such indicators.  Thus in most cases "I have gone to the supermarket this weekend" would not be correct.

However, if you are in fact focusing on the result of a past action or of past actions, the last sentence can be correct.  Consider "I have already gone to the supermarket 3 times this weekend".  The added words make it clear that you are focusing on result.  "I have gone to the supermarket this weekend" could be interpreted to be an expression of result, especially if 'gone' is emphasized in the spoken language.  Similarly "I have taken my medicine this morning".

I cannot think of any context in which *"I have gone to the supermarket last weekend" would be correct.  You have to say "I went to the supermarket last weekend".

For me there is no significant difference between "I have gone to the supermarket this weekend" and "I have been to the supermarket this weekend".


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## Yaaay!Words!

Lis48 said:


> "I have gone to the supermarket this weekend" sounds very wrong to me and a mistake that many foreigners make.
> We would always say: _I have* been *to the supermarket this weekend.
> Have been_ refers to the experience of going not the action so sounds alright e.g. I have been to Madrid many times.
> 
> *"I have gone to the supermarket this weekend"
> "I went to the supermarket this weekend"
> "I have been to the supermarket this weekend." *



That's what I was trying to think of! "I have been to the supermarket this weekend". Both "I have been" and "I went" are correct, as you stated.


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## inib

I agree with Lis 100%, and differ from Neal in his last comment:





> *neal41* For me there is no significant difference between "I have gone to the supermarket this weekend" and "I have been to the supermarket this weekend".


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## cremaynata

The use of "have gone" means that the person is still there. For example: "where is your mother?" "She has gone to the supermarket". On the other hand, "have been to" means that he or she has come back. As for the past or perfect, I believe it has to do with the phrase "this weekend". If it is still weekend we use present perfect but if the conversation takes place on Monday then we use past.


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## flyingcabbage

*"I went to the supermarket this weekend"* quiere decir que fui y regresé, es una acción terminada.

"*I have gone to the supermarket*" sí se puede decir, pero en unos contextos más específicos.

(i) Se puede dejar un mensaje para alguién: *"I have gone to the supermarket, I will be back in twenty minutes*." (_He ido al supermercado, regresaré dentro de veinte minutos)_

(ii) Cuando añades "this weekend", sólo puedes decir "I have gone to the supermarket this weekend" si aún es el fin de semana (puedes decirlo el domingo, pero sonaría rarísima si lo dijeras el martes, por ejemplo). El perfecto se usa cuando el acción se repercuta en el presente. No me suena mal decir algo como:
*A: "We have no milk left! **I thought you were going to go to supermarket this weekend?."*
*B: "I have gone to the supermarket this weekend! There was no milk left, so I couldn't buy some."* *(con enfasís en "have")*

(iii) En contexto de un listo de lo que has hecho durante la fin de semana, tiene sentido (sólo si aún es la fin de semana) - "*This weekend, I have gone to the supermarket, washed the clothes, tidied my room, watched a film, visited a friend...etc." *(_Este fin de semana, he ido al supermercado, he lavado la ropa, he limpiado mi dormitorio, he mirado una película, he visitado a un amigo...etc.)_


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## inib

Flyingcabbage, I coincide with you in your example (i), but in (ii) and (iii) I prefer "been".


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## NadyaA

What about this case then? 
I have gone to this museum twice. Let’s go somewhere else. 
or
I went to this museum twice. Let’s go somewhere else. 
Are both correct?


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## Chasint

NadyaA said:


> What about this case then?
> I have gone to this museum twice. Let’s go somewhere else.
> or
> I went to this museum twice. Let’s go somewhere else.
> Are both correct?


British English: 

_I have been to this museum twice . Let's go somewhere else._

or

_I've already been to this museum twice . Let's go somewhere else._


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## JennyTW

If the time expression refers to a finished time (yesterday, last week, this morning, if it's now the afternoon) we use past simple (went). 
If it refers to an unfinished, on-going time ( today, this week, this morning, if it's still this morning) we use present perfect (have been/gone). 

Been = went there and returned
Gone = not here ( probably still there)

We can't use "have gone" with I, you or we, because, by definition, all those subjects are here. (The only exception to this is when we leave a note, as mentioned before, because we are communicating here, although we aren't here). That is why we have to substitute "been" in these cases. 

So, as far as Im concerned, all the examples with "I have gone" (except the written note) are incorrect (in BE, at least).


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## Archilochus

"I have gone to the supermarket this weekend" sounds very wrong to me and a mistake that many foreigners make.
 We would always say: I have been to the supermarket this weekend.

Hmmm. Scene from a marriage (with failure on the horizon):

"What have you done this weekend. Not much as far as I can see."
"What have I done this weekend? I have gone to the supermarket this weekend. I have bought that stupid present for your stupid brother this weekend. I have taken the dog to the vet this weekend. I have slaved over this stove to make you a nice dinner every night this weekend. _What have I done this weekend_?????"


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## inib

Archilochus said:


> "I have gone to the supermarket this weekend" sounds very wrong to me and a mistake that many foreigners make.
> We would always say: I have been to the supermarket this weekend.
> 
> Hmmm. Scene from a marriage (with failure on the horizon):
> 
> "What have you done this weekend. Not much as far as I can see."
> "What have I done this weekend? I have gone to the supermarket this weekend. I have bought that stupid present for your stupid brother this weekend. I have taken the dog to the vet this weekend. I have slaved over this stove to make you a nice dinner every night this weekend. _What have I done this weekend_?????"


I don't understand. Why wouldn't you use "been" in your failing marriage scene?


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## Archilochus

Why wouldn't you use "been" in your failing marriage scene?

Because her repetition of the construction emphasizes her anger.

(Or his anger. We are living in enlightened times...)


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## Chasint

Archilochus said:


> Why wouldn't you use "been" in your failing marriage scene?
> 
> Because her repetition of the construction emphasizes her anger.
> 
> (Or his anger. We are living in enlightened times...)


That doesn't quite make sense. The repetition of the "I have" structure is there whether you use 'gone' or 'been'.

A. "What have I done this weekend? I have _gone_ to the supermarket this weekend. I have bought that stupid present for your stupid brother this weekend. etc. 

B. "What have I done this weekend? I have _been_ to the supermarket this weekend. I have bought that stupid present for your stupid brother this weekend. etc.

I agree with those who say only B is correct in this context.


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## Chasint

Here's a demonstration of the different contexts for 'have' and 'been'.

Mary comes home and finds a note on the refrigerator:

Scenario 1. The note from John says, "I have been to the supermarket".   Mary thinks "Oh good, That means I don't have to go." She looks in the cupboards to see what John bought.

Scenario 2. The note from John says, "I have gone to the supermarket".  Mary thinks "I hope John returns from the supermarket soon, I'm hungry." She calls John on his mobile to see what he is buying.


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## Archilochus

Well, not to get testy, but you guys write dialog the way you want, and I'll write it the way I want. OK?


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## Chasint

Archilochus said:


> Well, not to get testy, but you guys write dialog the way you want, and I'll write it the way I want. OK?


You are of course free to write dialog any way you want. However when we are answering questions on a language forum, I think there is a responsibility to give accurate and reasoned answers. I was merely pointing out that your reasoning was at fault.

It would be a sad day for the forum if we weren't allowed to argue.  I prefer to argue amicably and logically.


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## JennyTW

Biffo said:


> Here's a demonstartion of the different contexts for 'have' and 'been'.
> 
> Mary comes home and finds a note on the refrigerator:
> 
> Scenario 1. The note from John says, "I have been to the supermarket".   Mary thinks "Oh good, That means I don't have to go." She looks in the cupboards to see what John bought.
> 
> Scenario 2. The note from John says, "I have gone to the supermarket".  Mary thinks "I hope John returns from the supermarket soon, I'm hungry." She calls John on his mobile to see what he is buying.


I LOVE this example!


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## juan2937

JennyTW said:


> I LOVE this example!



*To be or not to be that's the question*
I agree with your explanation!! Bifo.


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## Forero

Archilochus said:


> Why wouldn't you use "been" in your failing marriage scene?
> 
> Because her repetition of the construction emphasizes her anger.
> 
> (Or his anger. We are living in enlightened times...)


"What have I done? I have gone ...." makes perfect sense to me. Going somewhere is doing something; being somewhere is not.

And "I have gone to the supermarket" does not imply I am still there.


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