Simple present

[Jesus]

Hello! How are you?

I hesitate about using "PAY" as a simple present
in this sentence:

"I hope you?ll pay the same price they PAY"

Maybe I need to say the action
is happening at this moment:

"I hope you?ll pay the price they pay at present"

Not?

I really know that the following sentence is right:
"I hope you?ll pay the price they PAID"

But what about using a simple present instead
of a simple past?

Thanks in advance!

Have a marvellous Sunday!

[Pamela]

Hello, Jesus!IMHO I think that in case of the present moment you may use"I hope you?ll pay the same price they're paying now or at a present moment" or " "I hope you?ll pay the same price they've paid" only if they have already paid.
Enjoy your weekend too!

[Yankee]

Hi Jesus

Here's my input:

1. "I hope you?ll pay the same price they PAY" --> This sentence talks about a price that 'they' usually/always pay. In other words, 'they' have probably bought (and paid for whatever it is) more than once and the price is always the same.

2. "I hope you?ll pay the price they pay at present" --> This is similar to your first sentence, but the "at present" gives a feeling that the price could change in the future or has already changed at some point in the past.

3. "I hope you?ll pay the price they PAID" --> This sentence is OK, but here I would probably assume that you're referring to only one single payment/purchase that "they" made in the past.

4. "I hope you?ll pay the same price they've paid" (Pamela's suggestion) --> This sentence could also refer to one price "they" paid in the recent past or the price they've always paid up til now..

5. "I hope you?ll pay the same price they're paying" --> This could refer to one purchase (a current transaction that's not yet complete). Or it could refer to more than one purchase. For example, at the moment they're buying something every week and every week the price is the same. But, in this case, there is the feeling that the current price could change ('are paying' = only at the moment).

Have a marvelous Monday! ;)

Amy
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