What perfume are you wearing?

[Nathan Mckane]

What's the difference between these two sentences?

What perfume do you wear?

What perfume are you wearing?

What perfume have you worn?

I have heard and used the second sentence but regarding the other two I'm not sure how and in which occasions I can use them.

Thanks.

 

[emsr2d2]

What's the difference between these two sentences?

What perfume do you wear?

You are asking about a habit. You want to know what perfume the person normally wears. They may or not be wearing it at the time of the question.

What perfume are you wearing?

You want to know what perfume the person is wearing right now, at the time of the question.

What perfume have you worn?

You want to know what perfume(s) the person has used in the past.

I have heard and used the second sentence but regarding the other two I'm not sure how and in which occasions I can use them.

Thanks.

See above.

 

[apiz]

Just want to add.
You can say that the first statement is based on Simple Present Tense.You use Simple Present to say/talk about something which is generally true.
Am I right?

 

[emsr2d2]

Just want to add.
You can say that the first statement is based on Simple Present Tense.You use Simple Present to say/talk about something which is generally true.
Am I right?

Yes, when talking about a habit or a general truth, then we use the simple present.

What temperature does water boil at?
I start work at 7am.
What time do you finish school?
He reads science fiction books.

 

[BobK]

:up: In addition. I'd say that 'wearing perfume' is a rather formal way of expressing it. I think the more colloquial choice of words would use the phrasal verb 'to have/get/put on':

Habitual: 'What perfume do you usually put on when you're going clubbing?'

Temporary: 'What's that perfume you've got on?'

b

PS You could also use a pronoun rather than a preposition: 'You must tell me where you got your perfume.' (The response is 'Harrods', rather than 'chopping the firewood' ;-)) Or just say 'Where did you get that perfume' - it's obvious from the context which perfume you're talking about.)

 

[euncu]

:up: In addition. I'd say that 'wearing perfume' is a rather formal way of expressing it. I think the more colloquial choice of words would use the phrasal verb 'to have/get/put on':

Habitual: 'What perfume do you usually put on when you're going clubbing?'

Temporary: 'What's that perfume you've got on?'

Is there a difference between "put on" and "have/get on" here as in the one between put on and wear (clothes)? I mean, do we use put on when one apply the perfume on the skin?

 

[emsr2d2]

Is there a difference between "put on" and "have/get on" here as in the one between put on and wear (clothes)? I mean, do we use put on when one apply the perfume on the skin?

Yes, you "put on" perfume. That's the act of actually spraying it on your body. Once you're wearing it, then you "have it on". We wouldn't use "get" with regard to perfume.

But they're used in exactly the same way as they are with clothes.

Put on your clothes.
What clothes are you wearing tonight?

Put on some perfume.
What perfume are you wearing?

 

[BobK]

... We wouldn't use "get" with regard to perfume.

...

That's the exclusive 'we', I suppose ;-) (I do, as the example I gave demonstrates; and I'm not alone.)

b

 

[emsr2d2]

That's the exclusive 'we', I suppose ;-) (I do, as the example I gave demonstrates; and I'm not alone.)

b

Apologies for the Royal "WE"!!! However, I thought the question specifically referred to the putting on and the wearing of perfume, so with specific regard to those, I couldn't see how one would use "get", in the present tense! In the past, absolutely - "What perfume have you got on?" but I couldn't imagine anyone saying "I get the same perfume on every day" or anything similar.

Of course, if we use "get" to mean "buy", then one would say "Where did you get that perfume?"