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"How long have you lived here" and "How long have you been living here"?
Are they 2 different ways of asking the same thing or have they different meanings?
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They're pretty close in meaning. If there is a difference, I'd say "how long have you lived here" suggests "so far" or "up till now", and "how long have you been living here" suggests the action will continue into the future.
I think only if the listener were about to move house would the difference be noticeable.
I think only if the listener were about to move house would the difference be noticeable.
Some people see a difference:
1. How long have you lived here? You might ask this question of someone who is a permanent resident. She or he might answer: I have lived here for 50 years. And I plan to die here.
2. How long have you been living here? You might ask this question of someone who is only there on a temporary basis. For example, you know that someone studying in Los Angeles plans to return to her country after graduating from a local university. So she might answer: I have been living here for six months, and I really enjoy it. But I miss my country and am eager to return as soon as possible.
1. How long have you lived here? You might ask this question of someone who is a permanent resident. She or he might answer: I have lived here for 50 years. And I plan to die here.
2. How long have you been living here? You might ask this question of someone who is only there on a temporary basis. For example, you know that someone studying in Los Angeles plans to return to her country after graduating from a local university. So she might answer: I have been living here for six months, and I really enjoy it. But I miss my country and am eager to return as soon as possible.
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