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1) Почему ты хоть раз в жизни не можешь сделать ... ?!

1+) Почему ты хотя бы один раз в жизни не можешь сделать ... ?!

I wonder how these two phrases are nuanced.

Incidentally, how do the sentences above differ in meaning from:

2) Почему бы тебе хоть раз в жизни не сделать ... ?

2+) Почему бы тебе хотя бы один раз в жизни не сделать ... ?

Do you use the first construction in an accusing tone, while the second one is for making a suggestion?

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  • I'd expect those plus-versions to actually be plussed variants of the non-plussed phrases. They express MORE of the same emotions. It is kind of, if I bothered to add more words into the already understandable phrase, then my emotions are more strong and needed more words to be expressed.
    – Arioch
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 9:45

4 Answers 4

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1. One other iteration would be Почему ты хоть один раз в жизни не можешь сделать?

2. 1+) is probably just a little bit more emotive, maybe due to verbosity

3. Yes, интонация возмущения in the first pair

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  • "хоть раз в жизни": I wonder if the "з" sound preceding "в" is a voiceless consonant or otherwise?
    – Con-gras-tue-les-chiens
    Commented May 13, 2018 at 8:03
  • "хоть бы": In the same vein, does the "т" preceding "б" sound like the voiced "d"?
    – Con-gras-tue-les-chiens
    Commented May 13, 2018 at 8:16
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    @Alone-zee yes, voiceless, the pronunciation is хоть раC вжизни, the В is a bit less voiced than usual but short of Ф; хоть бы conversely is pronounced хоДьбы, here again, Д is probably somewhat less voiced than the authentic one
    – Баян Купи-ка
    Commented May 13, 2018 at 12:50
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The "+" versions refer to an action that is normally done repeatedly.

The non-"+" versions refer to an action that may, or may not be regularly repeated.

"Почему бы тебе хоть раз в жизни не посмотреть 'Звездные войны'?" / "Why don't you see 'Star Wars' just once?" - Implies that this is a movie that everyone should watch, at least once.

"Почему бы тебе хотя бы один раз в жизни не посмотреть 'Звездные войны'?" / "Why don't you see 'Star Wars' at least one time?" - Implies that this is a movie that should be watched repeatedly.

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  • i'd argue that proposed distinction could be true, although not necessarily, if any one of the two expressions didn't contain в жизни
    – Баян Купи-ка
    Commented May 14, 2018 at 20:30
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There's no considerable difference. And both phrases imply some criticism, even said with a friedly tone.

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No difference in meaning, the first phrase just using a contracted form of the expression. Might indicate more hurried or emotional speech, and might not, just speaker's preference. Both phrases rather presuppose an argument with speaking side "offering big advice" (expect this to be met with verbal retaliation).

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