[Grammar] I take two minutes to fix my dinner.

[beachboy]

If I'm not mistaken, I take two minutes to fix my dinner means the same as It takes me two minutes to fix my dinner. I'm not really sure if the first sentence is acceptable, but if it is, I wish to know if it's as common, in everyday English, as the second.

 

[teechar]

Yes, the meaning is practically the same. I much prefer the second, but I do not use "fix" in that sense; I would use something like "make", "cook" or "prepare" instead. By the way, only two minutes seems very little time to make a meal.

 

[beachboy]

I'm not patient enough to cook. Cup noodles helps me a lot, although I know it's not healthy. I'd say three minutes is enough to prepare it. As for the verb to fix, I've seen "fix you a snack" and "fix you a drink", not sure if I've seen "fix my dinner". ;-)

 

[teechar]

I think "fix" in that sense is more common in AmE.

I had a takeaway for dinner tonight - chop suey. That took me zero minutes to prepare.

 

[GoesStation]

As for the verb to fix, I've seen "fix you a snack" and "fix you a drink", not sure if I've seen "fix my dinner". ;-)

That's very common in American English.

In my region and other Appalachian-influenced areas, fixing to (pronounced "fixin' to") is used as an auxiliary meaning "getting ready to, preparing to". This is not related to the "cooking" meaning.

 

[tedmc]

I think "fix" in that sense is more common in AmE.

Is that also true with the phrasal verb"to fix someone"?

 

[GoesStation]

Is that also true with the phrasal verb [space] "to fix someone"?

If you're thinking of the threat "I'll fix you!", that's dated, mobster-type language. Mr. Trump might still use the expression, but it would sound odd from someone younger than 65 or so.

If you're thinking of to fix somebody something (as in "Let me fix you a drink"), that's everyday usage in my region. I don't know how much it's used elsewhere.

 

[J&K Tutoring]

They do not mean the same.

1. It takes me two minutes to fix my dinner.
1a. I have made my dinner many times, and I have noticed that it usually takes (about) two minutes to complete the task.
OR:
1b. I can prepare dinner in 2 minutes.

2. I take two minutes to fix my dinner.
2a. Out of the 1,440 minutes in my day, I allot two of those minutes to the task of preparing my dinner.
OR:
2b. I take two minutes away from whatever I am doing at that time and I use those 'stolen' minutes to prepare my dinner.

 

[emsr2d2]

I wouldn't call pouring boiling water on cup noodles (pot noodles in BrE) "making/fixing/cooking/preparing dinner"!

 

[jutfrank]

I wouldn't call pouring boiling water on cup noodles (pot noodles in BrE) "making/fixing/cooking/preparing dinner"!

I certainly would! (And so would beachboy.)

 

[Tarheel]

I use the microwave. It does the work of heating stuff I want heated. That's my meal prep.

 

[Tarheel]

That's very common in American English.

Not just in Appalachia either.

 

[beachboy]

My mouth is beginning to water, longing for some delicious cup noodles. But it's 9:25 am here....