Podcast: Errors native speakers make that we should learn II.

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In our last Podcast we talked about some mistakes native speakers of English make when speaking or writing and how that influences our way of studying, as there are some things they say that we should learn, whether they’re grammatically wrong or not.

We also saw how people tend to say the words could have – coulda or could uhv – and why that leads to spelling confusion.

And now, we’re going to take a closer look at the combination of the two words “would have”, which, in spoken English, are often shortened to the contracted form “would’ve”, or even “woulda”.

However, what really matters to us here is to know how and when to use that.

So, let’s start by listening to some sentences in Portuguese:

…E isso é o que eu teria dito!

Ele disse que teria sido impossível ganhar aquele jogo sem ele.

Se tivesse chovido, o chão estaria molhado.

Se eu soubesse que ela estava no hospital, eu teria ido visitá-la.

Se ele não tivesse sido pego em flagrante, ele teria negado.

Se eu tivesse levado a máquina, eu teria tirado muitas fotos!

Eu teria te ajudado, se você tivesse me pedido.

Eu teria feito o mesmo.

Well, now listen to the same sentences in English and observe how would have is usually used and said:

…And that’s what I would’ve said.

He said it would’ve been impossible to win the game without him.

If it had rained, the floor would’ve been wet.

If I’d known she was at the hospital, I would’ve visited her.

If he hadn’t been caught red handed, he would’ve denied.

If I had taken the camera, I would’ve taken lots of pictures!

I would’ve helped you, if you had asked me.

I would’ve done the same.

There are also some fixed sentences using “would have” that are usually said in the same way and became ‘sort of’ expressions in English. They’re certainly worth learning ‘cause they have different equivalents from what we would naturally assume as Portuguese speakers. Listen up:

Who would’ve thought it? Quem diria?!

Who would’ve guessed it? Quem poderia imaginar?!

I never would’ve guessed. Eu nunca imaginei. / Eu nunca imaginaria.

And to finish off today’s podcast with some fun, there’s one last thing we’d like to show you, guys. If you’ve watched “Chicago”, the musical, you’ll definitely remember the Cell Block Tango (He had it coming). This song is sung in a very particular way. If you pay attention to how they pronounce the words in the chorus, you’ll realize that there’s a contraction form of a contraction. When listening, all you get is:

If you “da” been there, If you “da” seen it, I betcha you would have done the same.

Funny thing here. People tend to contract some words in English, but the contraction here is taken to extremes! “you da” is a contraction of “you’d’ve” which is already a contraction of “you would’ve“, which, in turn, is a contraction of “you would have“.

That leads us to another way of studying English: by listening to what native speakers say and accepting that they pronounce words like we do, that is, not the same way they write!

Anyway, watch the video and have some fun singing along! Bye for now!

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