'I've been to Singapore' vs 'I was in Singapore.'

[Ashraful Haque]

I know we say "I've been to China" to let someone know that you had visited a place. I met someone and he said he's from Singapore and I said:
"Ohh I've been to Singapore just last month."

For some reason I feel like I should've said "I was in Singapore just last month" specially because I added 'just last month.'

What's the difference between "I've been to....." and "I was in...."

 

[tedmc]

I know we say "I've been to China" to let someone know that you had visited a place.
That is right.

I met someone and he said he's from Singapore and I said:
"Ohh I've been to Singapore just last month."
"Have been to" followed by the time marker "last month" is not correct.

For some reason I feel like I should've said "I was in Singapore just last month" specially because I added 'just last month.'
You are correct.

What's the difference between "I've been to....." and "I was in...."

The first is in the prefent perfect tense talking about what you have done in the past that is relevant to the present.
The second is a statement of what happened at a point in time in the past.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

The first is in the prefent perfect tense talking about what you have done in the past that is relevant to the present.
The second is a statement of what happened at a point in time in the past.

I understand that part. But in this context are both of the sentences correct?
As far as I know we usually say 'I was' when talking about an incident in the past like "I was in China when the virus was discovered." But which one's more appropriate in this context where I just want to let him know that I've visited his country just one month ago.

 

[jutfrank]

We've already answered your question. Only was is correct.

 

[tedmc]

I understand that part. But in this context are both of the sentences correct?
As far as I know we usually say 'I was' when talking about an incident in the past like "I was in China when the virus was discovered." But which one's more appropriate in this context where I just want to let him know that I've visited his country just one month ago.

You could say, "I 've been to Singapore once. That was just a month ago." The present perfect tense does not go with a time marker - a very common mistake.

 

[emsr2d2]

I understand that part. But in this context are both of the sentences correct?

"Have been to" followed by the time marker "last month" is not correct.

tedmc's post made it very clear that "have been to" with "last month" is not correct.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

You could say, "I 've been to Singapore once. That was just a month ago." The present perfect tense does not go with a time marker - a very common mistake.

So either that or "I was in Singapore just last month?"

As far as I remember there's another thread where I asked a similar question. I was talking to a guy from Mumbai (India) and when he said that he was from Mumbai I said- "I've been to Mumbai" and everyone said that I said it correctly.
This is very confusing. Is it because I added 'just last month' here?

'Just last month' doesn't work with the present perfect tense because it's referring to a time in the past and the PPT talks about the time leading up to now.

 

[GoesStation]

I said- "I've been to Mumbai" and everyone said that I said it correctly.
This is very confusing. Is it because I added 'just last month' here?

Yes.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

tedmc's post made it very clear that "have been to" with "last month" is not correct.

Thanks. I think I get it. So I could either say "I was in Singapore just last month/a few days ago/just an hour ago" or "I've been to Singapore several times/once."
The present perfect tense cannot have a specific time in the past. And the other statement has to be entirely in the past.