which is correct to say have you ever been to kiev or in kiev??????

English translation: Have you ever been to Kiev?

15:38 Jun 29, 2004

English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / sports

English term or phrase: which is correct to say have you ever been to kiev or in kiev??????

which is correct to say have you ever been to kiev or in kiev?????? and why

ga5 (X)

Selected answer:Have you ever been to Kiev?

Explanation:
***

Selected response from:

NGK
United States
Local time: 07:08

Grading comment

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

5 +11

Have you ever been to Kiev?

NGK

5 +6

Just to confuse matters, both are possible...

John Bowden

Discussion entries: 1

Answers

1 min confidence:

peer agreement (net): +11

Have you ever been to Kiev?

Explanation:
***

NGK
United States
Local time: 07:08
Native speaker of:

English,

German
PRO pts in category: 36

13 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +6

Just to confuse matters, both are possible...

Explanation:
If you mean "have you ever visited Kiev", the correct version is "Have you ever been *to* Kiev" - this is the most common, "all-purpose" question.

However, if you wanted to specify some aspect of Kiev, or some experience which Kiev offers, you could say, for example, "Have you ever been *in* Kiev during the New Year celebrations" - i.e. the emphasis is on the experience *in * Kiev, not the journey* to Kiev.

Sometimes both versions would be natural in a conversation, e.g.:

"Have you ever been to Kiev?"

"Yes, I was in Kiev last summer"

In the sentence "HAve you ever been to Kiev", the verb "to be" is acting like a verb of motion (Have you ever flown/travelled to...)

John Bowden
Local time: 13:08
Native speaker of:

English

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which is correct to say have you ever been to kiev or in kiev??????

English translation: Have you ever been to Kiev?

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