could have done用法解析

■山東  羅  芳

英語中 could have done 是一種常見的固定句式，表示“未曾實現的……”，下面將詳細介紹下could have done的用法。

一、could have done 表示未曾實現的選擇

could have done 表示過去本來可以有機會選擇做某事，但實際上沒有那樣做，通常譯為“本來可以”。如：

You needn’t have typed it twice. You could have used a carbon. 你沒必要打兩遍的，你當時本可以用復寫紙打。

You needn’t have walked up; you could have taken the lift. 你沒必要走著上去，你本來可以乘電梯的。

I could have lent you the money. Why didn’t you ask me? 我本來可以借這筆錢給你的。你為什么不向我提出?

You needn’t have cooked it. We could have eaten it raw. 你其實可以不煮熟(它)，我們 (本來)可以生吃。

二、could have done 表示未曾實現的想法

could have done 表示過去本來有做某事的打算或意圖，但實際上沒有實現，通常譯為“本來可以”。如：

I could have lent you the money. Why didn’t you ask me? 我本來可以借這筆錢給你的。你為什么不向我提出？

I could have given you some hints, but I suppose you thought yourself too grand. 我本可以給你點提示的，但是我認為你太自負了。

三、could have done 表示未實現的可能性

could have done 表示過去本來可能發生情況，而實際上沒有發生，通常譯為“本來可以”“本來可能”等。如：

She could have been seriously injured. 她本來可能傷得很重的。

It’s difficult enough, but it could have been worse. 這事情夠困難的了，本來可能會更糟呢。

有時也可根據語境譯為“好在沒有”“差點”，尤其是當談論的是“不好”的情況時。如：

She felt miserable. She could have cried. 她感到很痛苦，她差點哭了。

Why did you throw the bottle out of the window? Somebody could have been hurt. 你為什么把瓶子扔出窗外呢？好在沒有砸傷人。

四、could have done 表示未曾實現的能力

could have done 可以表示過去本來有能力可以做某事的，但實際上沒有那樣去做，通常譯為“本來可以”“本來能力”等。如：

The worst of it is that I could have prevented the accident. 最糟糕的是我本來可以防止這次事故的。

I could have passed my examination easily but I made too many stupid mistakes. 我本可以輕易通過考試，但我犯了太多不該犯的錯誤。

有時用于反語。如：

You’ve broken my pen—thanks for nothing, I could have done that for myself. 你把我的筆給弄壞了——你得了吧，就那我自己也會弄。