Have Loved and Loved

Have Loved and Loved

by Min Zaw Win
(Myammar)

Hello,

What is the difference between "I have loved him before," and "I loved him"? How to use them?

Thanks.

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May 28, 2013
Answer
by: Chelsey

I have loved him before and I loved him have basically the same meanings, but they are written in differentEnglish tenses.

I HAVE LOVED HIM BEFORE is written in present perfect tense.

I LOVED HIM is written in simple past tense.

In my opinion, these sentences are very similar. To native English speakers, there is not much difference.

However, they are a little different because of the tenses.

I have loved him before has a more specific meaning and shows importance to the speaker while I loved him is simply stating a fact.

Let us look at each one separately.

I HAVE LOVED HIM BEFORE is written in present perfect tense.

Present perfect means the action was completed before the present time. Present perfect includes actions that happened at an unspecified time before the present.

I have loved him before means that I loved him at an unspecified time before the present. I loved him sometime before now. You do not know when I loved him, just that I loved him in the past. The action is complete and I do not love him anymore, but I could possibly love him again.

I have loved him before. I might love him in the future.

I LOVED HIM is written in simple past tense.

Simple past shows an action that happened in the past. It does not give any other information. It simply states a fact. That is why it is called "simple."

I loved him means that I loved him in the past. There is not a specified time, but the time period is usually understood from context.

I loved him yesterday/last year/when we were married…

I loved him. I do not love him now.

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