Present perfect: for and since
for y since miden con el present perfect un tramo de tiempo que llega hasta ahora, pero lo miden desde extremos distintos. Aquí fijas la diferencia entre for + duración y since + punto de partida con reglas claras.
Aprendizaje rápido
for y since miden los dos un tramo de tiempo que llega hasta el presente, pero lo miden desde extremos distintos.
Recuerda
- for toma una duración: for three years, for ten minutes.
- since toma un punto de partida: since 2019, since Monday, since I moved.
- Los dos describen algo que todavía es cierto ahora, y por eso el tiempo es perfect y no pasado.
Ejemplos
- 1We have lived in this quiet seaside neighborhood for seven years.
- 2Sarah has worked as a graphic designer at the agency since 2020.
Error común que evitar
since marca un punto incluso cuando ese punto es una oración entera: since I was a child es correcto y for I was a child no lo es.
Profundiza
La regla
Past into present
The Present Perfect connects the past to the present moment. When combined with the time prepositions FOR and SINCE, it describes an action, condition, or state that began in the past and continues uninterrupted up to and including the present time.
Form
Formula: Subject + have / has + past participle (e.g. worked, lived, been, known). Pronoun Concord: I, you, we, they take have / haven't + past participle.
- We have lived here for five years
He, she, it takes has / hasn't + past participle.
- She has worked at the clinic since 2019
For or since
The Critical Contrast: FOR vs. SINCE:
(1) FOR is used with a duration or period of time (answering the question "How long?"): for twenty minutes, for three days, for six months, for four years, for a long time, for centuries.
(2) SINCE is used with a specific starting point in time (answering the question "Since when?"): since Monday, since 9:00 AM, since January, since 2015, since breakfast, since yesterday, since I was a child. The action started at that named moment and continues into the present.
Anatomía de la frase
Frases de esta lección, separadas en sus partes en el orden que exige el inglés.
SujetoWeVerbo auxiliarhaveVerbolivedLugarin this quiet seaside neighborhoodTiempofor seven years.
SujetoSarahVerbo auxiliarhasVerboworkedComplementoas a graphic designerLugarat the agencyTiemposince 2020.
SujetoSheVerbo auxiliarhasNegaciónnotVerboeatenObjetoanythingTiemposince eight o'clock this morning.
Guía visual
How to read this A2 topic
At A2, the challenge is choosing between similar time frames, pronouns, and quantity patterns.
1. Look for the time clue
Yesterday, now, every day, already, and since often decide the tense.
I watched it yesterday.
2. Choose the pattern first
Pick the whole grammar structure before choosing the final word.
I am going to study.
3. Check word position
Adverbs, objects, and pronouns must sit in natural English order.
I know him well.
Perfect aspect
Perfect forms connect one time to another: earlier to now, earlier to a past point, or duration up to a point.
| Form | Pattern | Core use | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| present perfect | have / has + past participle | past result or experience now | I have finished. |
| present perfect continuous | have / has been + -ing | duration up to now | She has been studying. |
| past perfect | had + past participle | earlier than another past event | They had left before noon. |
| past perfect continuous | had been + -ing | duration before a past point | I had been waiting. |
Contrasts that often decide the answer
Event or background
Simple forms move events forward; continuous forms show an action in progress.
I left while she was talking.
Fact or stance
Modals, hedges, and reporting structures show how certain or responsible the speaker sounds.
This may indicate a problem.
Clause or compressed phrase
Advanced writing often compresses full clauses into participle, noun, or prepositional phrases.
Having reviewed the data, we revised the plan.
Ejemplos
- 1We have lived in this quiet seaside neighborhood for seven years.
- 2Sarah has worked as a graphic designer at the agency since 2020.
- 3I have known my best friend Michael since we were in primary school.
- 4They have been married for fifteen happy years and have two children.
- 5He has studied English grammar every single day since last October.
- 6The historic library building has stood on this corner for over a century.
- 7She has not eaten anything since eight o'clock this morning.
- 8How long have you lived in this sunny southern European city?
- 9My brother has had this reliable red bicycle for more than three years.
- 10We haven't heard from our old university classmates since graduation day.
Excepciones
Cross-Linguistic Tense Transfer: In languages like French, German, Spanish, and Turkish, an ongoing duration starting in the past is often expressed with the present simple. English strictly requires the Present Perfect: say "I have lived here for two years", never "I live here for two years". Clause Anchors with Since: Since can introduce a past simple clause that serves as a specific time anchor: "We have been close friends since we met at university."
Errores frecuentes
Using present simple for ongoing periods
Error
I work here since three years.
Correcto
I have worked here for three years.
Ongoing periods require present perfect with for.
Swapping for and since
Error
She has been sick since three days.
Correcto
She has been sick for three days.
Durations require for.
Using since with durations
Error
since two hours
Correcto
for two hours.
Since demands a starting point.
Repaso
Lo esencial de la lección en una tarjeta, antes de ponerte a prueba.
Recuerda
- for toma una duración: for three years, for ten minutes.
- since toma un punto de partida: since 2019, since Monday, since I moved.
- Los dos describen algo que todavía es cierto ahora, y por eso el tiempo es perfect y no pasado.
Errores frecuentes
Error: I work here since three years.
Correcto: I have worked here for three years.Error: She has been sick since three days.
Correcto: She has been sick for three days.Error: since two hours
Correcto: for two hours.
Ponte a prueba
Escribe tres frases verdaderas sobre ti con for y tres con since, y luego practica.
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