What Am I Supposed To Do? | WordReference Forums

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You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. What am I supposed to do?

• Thread starter Thread starter Siavash2015
• Start date Start date Sep 22, 2017

Siavash2015

Senior Member

Iranian-Persian Hi everyone, In the TV show" How I Met Your Mother" Ted share an apartment with his friends Marshall and Lilly. Marshall and his fiancee Lilly tried to edge Ted out by taking down his favorite sword that he'd hung up on the wall but Ted confronted them and didn't allow them do so. Ted's friend Barney gives him some advises. Barney: Look, you held off their first advance. That's good. Now, it's time to counterstrike. Ted: What am I supposed to do? Barney: You gotta mark your territory. And I don't mean missing the toilet. What's the meaning of "what am I supposed to do"?

bibliolept

Senior Member

Northern California AE, Español It means the same as asking "What should I do?" He is asking what his "counterstrike" should be.

Siavash2015

Senior Member

Iranian-Persian

bibliolept said: It means the same as asking "What should I do?" He is asking what his "counterstrike" should be. Click to expand...

Hi bibliolept, Doesn't it mean like: What do you suppose/think I should do?

bibliolept

Senior Member

Northern California AE, Español Yes, it means that. In this context, all these would mean about the same thing.

Siavash2015

Senior Member

Iranian-Persian

bibliolept said: Yes, it means that. In this context, all these would mean about the same thing. Click to expand...

Thanks a million for your help. Sorry one more question. Is the following sentence correct? Say I had a problem and I'd ask my friend next to me, "what am I supposed to do"? (Meaning: what do you think/suppose I should do"?)

GreenWhiteBlue

Banned

The City of New York USA - English

Siavash2015 said: Doesn't it mean like: What do you suppose/think I should do? Click to expand...

No, it does not mean that. When you speak of being supposed to do something, you are not literally speaking of what someone else supposes or thinks. Instead, it refers to a duty, or an obligation, or a requirement, or an expectation of some kind. For example: I was supposed to be at work at 9 o'clock, so I took the early train in order to have enough time. This sentence does not mean that anyone else is supposing or thinking of my arrival. Instead, it means that I had an obligation or a duty to be at work at that time.

bibliolept

Senior Member

Northern California AE, Español

GreenWhiteBlue said: No, it does not mean that. Click to expand...

What would you say is the difference in meaning in the context/examples here? I would question whether it might confuse people to talk about a different definition or "suppose," "to think or hold as an opinion" vs. "to expect or require." I would think only the first of those two is applicable here.

Siavash2015

Senior Member

Iranian-Persian So, does "be supposed to" somehow equal "should"? What am I supposed to do"= what should I do"? Would you be so kind as to give an example of "what am I supposed to do"?

srk

Senior Member

South Bend, Indiana English - US

Siavash2015 said: Would you be so kind as to give an example of "what am I supposed to do"? Click to expand...

"You are supposed to do your homework." This is what you should do, not what people suppose or think you do. I can't read it as you do, bibliolept. I don't understand why you read it that way. Edit: AHD online 3. a. Required: He is supposed to go to the store.

GreenWhiteBlue

Banned

The City of New York USA - English

bibliolept said: What would you say is the difference in meaning in the context/examples here? Click to expand...

Siavash asked if "What am I supposed to do?" means the same thing as "What do you think I should do?" The two sentences do not mean the same thing, and I would be surprised to learn that you, upon reflection, still find the meaning of the two of them to be the same.

I would question whether it might confuse people to talk about a different definition or "suppose," "to think or hold as an opinion" vs. "to expect or require." Click to expand...

I would answer that the question already shows there is confusion, and that by explaining how a word may have more than one meaning, the confusion may be eliminated.

srk said: "You are supposed to do your homework." This is what you should do, not what people suppose or think you do. I can't read it as you do, bibliolept. I don't understand why you read it that way. Edit: AHD online 3. a. Required: He is supposed to go to the store. Click to expand...

I concur completely.

Siavash2015 said: So, does "be supposed to" somehow equal "should"? What am I supposed to do"= what should I do"? Click to expand...

Bibliolept told you that in post #2.

bibliolept

Senior Member

Northern California AE, Español Yes, I was losing track of all the variants! The "suppose" in "What am I supposed to do" is not the same as the "suppose" in "What do you suppose I should do."

Siavash2015

Senior Member

Iranian-Persian Thanks everyone. Is my following sentence correct? Say I had a problem and I'd ask my friend next to me, "what am I supposed to do"?(Meaning what should I do?)

sound shift

Senior Member

Derby (central England) English - England

Siavash2015 said: Thanks everyone. Is my following sentence correct? Say I had a problem and I'd ask my friend next to me, "what am I supposed to do"?(Meaning what should I do?) Click to expand...

No, that would not be a normal way of asking your friend to suggest a solution to your problem.

Siavash2015

Senior Member

Iranian-Persian

sound shift said: No, that would not be a normal way of asking your friend to suggest a solution to your problem. Click to expand...

Hi sound shift, Would you be so kind as to give an example in which "what am I supposed to do"'is used so that it becomes much clearer? You must log in or register to reply here. Share: Bluesky LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Share Link

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