The Present Perfect Tense I

(for, since, and how long?)

 

The present perfect tense -- I have done, etc. -- is commonly used to refer to a period of time which began at some point in the past and continues into the present. Such a construction often contains for or since; in questions, it will often contain how long. These cases are difficult for speakers of many other languages, Spanish, French and German among them, which tend to use the present simple tense in equivalent cases.

Examples of the Present Perfect tense with their Spanish and French Equivalents

I have lived in London for five years.*  Vivo en Londres desde hace cinco años. 
J'habite Londres depuis cinq ans. 
How long have you been here?  ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que estás aquí? 
Tu es ici depuis combien de temps? 
I haven't seen her for years.  Hace años que no la veo. 
Cela fait des années que je ne l'ai pas vue. 
Mary has been sick since last Tuesday.  María está enferma desde el martes pasado. 
Marie est malade depuis mardi dernier. 
* Non-native speakers make mistakes here very often. For example, a Spanish, French, or German speaker will often make the mistake of saying: I live in London since five years.

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