I'm Cav A and I'm Lucy.

Um, you know, covet.

I went to a cafe this morning and I heard a strange question.

What was it?

Did someone ask about your age?

No.

The server asked me Did you want cream for your coffee?

Oh, they use the simple past tense even though they were talking about the present.

The simple past tense is used for actions or situations that happened in the past.

These actions or situations are finished, right?

So why did the server then?

Say, Did you want cream for coffee?

Why didn't they say, Do you want cream for your coffee instead?

Sometimes Americans use the simple past tense off the verbs want and need, even though they're talking about the present.

Some speakers do this even though it goes against traditional grammar rules.

Okay, But I still don't get it.

And others might not either.

This is where culture comes in.

In American culture, it is often considered polite to speak in directly.

One way people speak indirectly is by using a past tense burb when asking about a present desire.

Oh, I see.

So Americans speak indirectly by using the construction did plus wand and did plus nein, right.

Americans don't really do it with other verbs.

It's a strange pattern and speaking, and that's everyday grammar.