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[irmamar]

Puede que diga que tenemos que volver a casa.
She may say that we have to go home.

Wouldn't it be better saying "go back" (volver) instead of "go" (ir)?

Thanks.

[pjt33]

I think "home" is a special case. "To go home" is a set phrase; "to return home" sounds fine; but "to go back home" sounds odd to me.

In contrast, "to go to the office", "to return to the office", "to go back to the office" all sound fine.

[irmamar]

That's curious. I didn't know it. Thanks.

By the way, would you say "at Tom's house" or "at Tom's home"?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

That's curious. I didn't know it. Thanks.

By the way, would you say "at Tom's house" or "at Tom's home"?

I think it would always be "at Tom's house". You could also say chez Tom

[laepelba]

I'm going to contradict pjt - at least here in the United States, "to go back home" doesn't sound at all odd to me. "I forgot my cell phone (eek!). I'm going to go back home and get it!"

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Puede que diga que tenemos que volver a casa.
She may say that we have to go home.

Wouldn't it be better saying "go back" (volver) instead of "go" (ir)?

Thanks.

Irmamar.
It's correct to say go back.
And I have to back.

I mean, if you want to say, I believe that I can't teach you something, because literally you know more than me in the language.

But I can say.
Necesito volver temprano a casa.
I need to come back to house early.
I need to go back to house early.
I need back to house early.

I don't know if my examples are correct.
But if they're bad wrote, please you correcting me soon.

But well just I use them very consecutive in my English in the company and my day and day.

Good bye.

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by laepelba

I'm going to contradict pjt - at least here in the United States, "to go back home" doesn't sound at all odd to me. "I forgot my cell phone (eek!). I'm going to go back home and get it!"

Estoy de acuerdo que "To be back home and ..." suena regular; pero "to go back home" (punto) me suena raro.

[LibraryLady]

Originally Posted by Perikles

I think it would always be "at Tom's house". You could also say chez Tom

Home refers to someone's place of residence be it a house, apartment, condo or something else.
House is a specific type of dwelling
So if Tom's home was a house you could say "Tom's house" or "Tom's home" but if Tom lived in an apartment you could say "Tom's apartment" or "Tom's home"

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by LibraryLady

Home refers to someone's place of residence be it a house, apartment, condo or something else.

I'm not sure that's strictly true. I'm sure a lot of people would agree that that's what it means, but if you analyse the way they use it I think it's less about residence and more about emotional attachment; and that there's an extent to which it's not about the physical location so much as the environment - to the point that some people might reject the label "home" for their house when their family is away even though they apply it happily when the family is present.

In reference to the place where Tom lives, I would probably tend to say "Tom's place" and sometimes "Tom's house" but, like Perikles, I don't think I would say "Tom's home". It just sounds marked.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by pjt33

I'm not sure that's strictly true. I'm sure a lot of people would agree that that's what it means, but if you analyse the way they use it I think it's less about residence and more about emotional attachment; and that there's an extent to which it's not about the physical location so much as the environment - to the point that some people might reject the label "home" for their house when their family is away even though they apply it happily when the family is present.

In reference to the place where Tom lives, I would probably tend to say "Tom's place" and sometimes "Tom's house" but, like Perikles, I don't think I would say "Tom's home". It just sounds marked.

Yes it's true.

The phrase Tom's place is acceptable.
And also it could be as you said it.
Tom's house.
But well just it more used the second choice. There isn't important the label of the house the important is mention the place and time that the phrase should be used in the verbal time.

[chileno]

Let's consider this. I am from Chile living in the US.

I go home every night.

I would go back home if I could.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by chileno

Let's consider this. I am from Chile living in the US.

I go home every night.

I would go back home if I could.

Correct - as an emotional concept, home can refer to a region or country or even a continent. An astronaut lost in space might even 'want to go home' referring to the planet Earth.

[xchic]

Originally Posted by pjt33

I'm not sure that's strictly true. I'm sure a lot of people would agree that that's what it means, but if you analyse the way they use it I think it's less about residence and more about emotional attachment; and that there's an extent to which it's not about the physical location so much as the environment - to the point that some people might reject the label "home" for their house when their family is away even though they apply it happily when the family is present.

In reference to the place where Tom lives, I would probably tend to say "Tom's place" and sometimes "Tom's house" but, like Perikles, I don't think I would say "Tom's home". It just sounds marked.

"Home is where the heart is".

To many people 'home' is their country/place of birth - many British people living in Spain (or elsewhere abroad) think of the UK as home.

I imagine the same can be said for people of any nationality living abroad, as Perikles says.

To me, Tom's home sounds stilted.

I think also in BrE to go back home sounds strange - to me it would be referring to someone's home country or town, rather than the building in which they live.

[Elaina]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Puede que diga que tenemos que volver a casa.
She may say that we have to go home.

Wouldn't it be better saying "go back" (volver) instead of "go" (ir)?

Thanks.

To "go back" implies we were there and just left ... and because we (let's say) forgot something we have to go back home to get whatever we forgot.

We have to go home.........implies you haven't been home for a while (maybe just got out of school) and you went with you friends to the mall and you see your mother who says........"Go home!"

Unless of course you use the expression for emotional reasons.... I just want to go home (you are living in another country and something bad happens).