never been to/in the States

[o santareno]

Uso da preposição ''to'' em vez de ''in'' em frases que é dito, ter estado num país ou nunca ter estado nesse país. Uma ajuda
I have never been to the states or I have never been in the states
Which is correct?

 

[machadinho]

to

 

[Archimec]

I have never been to the states or I have never been in the states

I have never been to the states: Nunca estive(visitei) os EU.
I have never been in the states (I never was in the states): Nunca estive(vivi) nos EU.

“Been to” quando duma visita ou estadia curta: I have been to the US twice.
I came to the US last week (significa que vim para os US, e que ainda estou nos US).
“Been in” refere-se a uma estadia prolongada.

 

[o santareno]

I have never been to the states: Nunca estive(visitei) os EU.
I have never been in the states (I never was in the states): Nunca estive(vivi) nos EU.

“Been to” quando duma visita ou estadia curta: I have been to the US twice.
I came to the US last week (significa que vim para os US, e que ainda estou nos US).
“Been in” refere-se a uma estadia prolongada.

Thanks. Couldn't be more enlightening

 

[elroy]

"I've never been in the United States" is grammatical and meaningful, but for some reason, it's vastly more idiomatic to say "I've never been to the United States." In some cases, "in" or a similar locative preposition works well; for example: "I've never been anywhere in the United States" or "I've never been on American soil."

"I've never been to..." focuses on movement from outside the US to the US.
"I've never been in..." focuses on location within the US.
The former is how the idea is generally expressed in English.

 

[o santareno]

"I've never been in the United States" is grammatical and meaningful, but for some reason, it's vastly more idiomatic to say "I've never been to the United States." In some cases, "in" or a similar locative preposition works well; for example: "I've never been anywhere in the United States" or "I've never been on American soil."

"I've never been to..." focuses on movement from outside the US to the US.
"I've never been in..." focuses on location within the US.
The former is how the idea is generally expressed in English.

OK. I get it! Very grateful.