Presente Perfecto: For vs. Since (Acciones en Curso)
For indica duración, mientras que since marca el punto de inicio para tus acciones continuas en Presente Perfecto.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'for' for a total duration of time and 'since' for a specific starting point in the past.
- Use 'for' with periods of time like 'two hours' or 'five years'. Example: 'I have lived here for five years.'
- Use 'since' with specific dates, times, or events like 'Monday' or '2010'. Example: 'I have lived here since 2010.'
- Always use the Present Perfect (have/has + past participle) to show the action is still happening now.
Overview
Present Perfect (presente perfecto) representa un desafío fascinante y, a veces, frustrante. ¿Por qué?Vivo en Madrid desde hace tres añoso
Te espero desde las cinco. Sin embargo, si traduces eso literalmente al inglés como
I live in Madrid for three years, estarás cometiendo un error gramatical que puede confundir a tu interlocutor.Present Perfect actúa como un puente temporal. Conecta un punto en el pasado con el momento presente. Cuando añadimos las preposiciones for y since, estamos dándole precisión a ese puente.For nos sirve para medir la duración (el largo del puente), mientras que since nos sirve para identificar el punto de inicio (dónde empieza el puente).for y since con la confianza de un nativo, entendiendo las sutiles diferencias que hacen que el inglés sea un idioma tan preciso en su manejo del tiempo.for y since, primero debemos recordar la esencia del Present Perfect. Este tiempo verbal no se preocupa tanto por *cuándo* ocurrió algo de forma aislada (como el Past Simple), sino por la relevancia o continuidad de esa acción en el ahora.Present Perfect para acciones que continúan en el presente, for y since se convierten en nuestras herramientas de medición. Imagina una línea de tiempo:- 1
For(Durante / Desde hace): Se utiliza para referirse a un periodo de tiempo. No nos importa la fecha exacta en que empezó la acción, sino cuánto tiempo ha transcurrido en total. Es como usar una regla para medir una distancia.
- Ejemplo:
for two hours,for five days,for a long time,for many years. - En español, solemos traducirlo como
desde haceo simplementehace.
- 1
Since(Desde): Se utiliza para referirse a un punto específico en el tiempo. Aquí lo importante es el momento exacto en el que la acción comenzó. Es como poner un alfiler en un mapa cronológico.
- Ejemplo:
since 2010,since Monday,since I was a child,since 8 AM. - En español, su traducción directa es
desde.
for + cantidad de tiempo | desde hace / por | I have studied for 2 hours. |since + momento específico | desde | I have studied since 2 PM. |Present Perfect (have/has + participio) para que la frase tenga sentido de continuidad. Si usas el presente simple (I am here since Monday), un nativo entenderá lo que dices, pero notará de inmediato que estás traduciendo desde el español, porque para ellos, el presente simple solo describe hábitos o verdades generales, no procesos que vienen del pasado.Present Perfect con for y since es bastante regular, lo cual es una gran ventaja frente a la compleja conjugación del español. Solo necesitamos tres elementos: el sujeto, el auxiliar have o has, y el verbo principal en su forma de pasado participio (V3).Sujeto + have/has + Past Participle + for/since + complementoI have lived in Mexico for ten years.(He vivido/Vivo en México desde hace diez años).She has been a teacher since 2015.(Ella ha sido/Es profesora desde 2015).
Sujeto + haven't/hasn't + Past Participle + for/since + complementoWe haven't seen him for ages.(No lo hemos visto/No lo vemos desde hace siglos).They haven't spoken since their argument.(No han hablado/No hablan desde su discusión).
Have/Has + Sujeto + Past Participle + for/since + complemento?Have you worked here for a long time?(¿Has trabajado/Trabajas aquí por mucho tiempo?).Has he been sick since yesterday?(¿Ha estado/Está enfermo desde ayer?).
I have→I'veYou have→You'veHe has→He's(¡Cuidado! No confundir conHe is)She has→She'sIt has→It'sWe have→We'veThey have→They've
-ed (como worked, lived, played). Para los irregulares, tendrás que memorizarlos (como been, gone, known, seen). Como hablante de español, ya estás acostumbrado a lidiar con verbos irregulares mucho más complejos, así que esto te resultará más sencillo de lo que parece.I have been a software engineer for six years.I've worked at this company since January.
I worked there for six years), el reclutador entenderá que ya no trabajas allí. El Present Perfect indica que aún eres parte de la empresa.We've known each other since university.They have been married for 25 years.
Nos conocemos desde la universidad. En inglés, el verbo
know es un stative verb (verbo de estado), por lo que casi siempre se usa en Present Perfect Simple, no en continuo.I've had a headache since I woke up.He's been in the hospital for three days.
I've had this car for a decade.She's owned that apartment since she was 30.
It hasn't rained for months.(La sequía continúa).I haven't checked my email since this morning.
Estoy aquí desde las 9. El error común es decir:
I am here since 9 AM.- ¿Por qué ocurre? Porque traducimos literalmente el
estoy(presente). - La corrección: Debes usar
Present Perfect.I have been here since 9 AM. Recuerda: Si la acción empezó en el pasado y sigue ahora, el presente simple está prohibido en inglés si vas a usarforosince.
For con Since por culpa de Desde:desde es muy versátil. Decimos desde el lunes (punto de inicio) y desde hace dos días(duración).
- El error: Decir
since two days. - ¿Por qué ocurre? Porque nuestro cerebro ve la palabra
desdey automáticamente eligesince. - La regla de oro: Si puedes añadir la palabra
haceen español (desde hace...), entonces en inglés debes usarfor. Si no puedes añadirhace(desde lunes...), entonces usasince.
I have 20 years living here.- ¿Por qué ocurre? En español
tenemosaños. - La corrección: En inglés, el tiempo no se
tiene, seha estado. Lo correcto es:I have been living here for 20 yearsoI have lived here for 20 years.
No he visto a nadie desde hace meses.
- El error:
I haven't seen nobody since months ago. - La corrección: El inglés no permite la doble negación en este contexto. Debes decir:
I haven't seen ANYBODY for months.
Present Perfect con el Past Simple. Esta es la frontera donde muchos estudiantes de nivel B1 se pierden.for/since) | Past Simple (for) |I've lived here for 2 years. (Aún vivo aquí). | I lived there for 2 years. (Ya no vivo allí). |She's been a boss since 2020. (Sigue siendo jefa). | She was a boss for 2 years. (Ya no es jefa). |for con el Past Simple?I studied English for 3 years, significa que estudiaste en el pasado, pero ya no lo haces. Si dices I have studied English for 3 years, significa que empezaste hace tres años y sigues estudiando hoy.since con el Past Simple?Since requiere un ancla en el presente, por lo que casi exclusivamente lo verás con el Present Perfect o el Past Perfect. Usar since con un verbo en pasado simple (ej. I lived there since 2010) es un error gramatical grave en inglés.for y since con el Present Perfect Continuous?I've been working for two hours suena incluso más natural que I've worked for two hours cuando quieres enfatizar el esfuerzo o la actividad en curso. La regla de for (duración) y since (inicio) sigue siendo exactamente la misma.for y ago?For mide la duración de una acción que puede seguir ocurriendo. Ago se usa solo con el Past Simple para decir cuánto tiempo hace que algo terminó.I arrived two hours AGO.(Llegué hace dos horas - Acción terminada).I have been here FOR two hours.(Llevo aquí dos horas - Sigo aquí).
since a long time?desde hace mucho tiempo, en inglés
a long time es una duración, no un punto específico. Por lo tanto, lo correcto es for a long time. Si quieres usar since, tendrías que decir algo como since I can remember (desde que tengo memoria).I haven't seen him in weeks en lugar de for weeks?for por in. I haven't seen him in years es equivalente a I haven't seen him for years. Sin embargo, esto solo suele ocurrir en la negación. En afirmaciones, siempre usa for.Present Perfect + For/Since Structure
| Subject | Auxiliary | Past Participle | Preposition | Time Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
I / You / We / They
|
have
|
lived
|
for
|
six months
|
|
He / She / It
|
has
|
lived
|
since
|
January
|
|
I / You / We / They
|
have not (haven't)
|
seen
|
for
|
ages
|
|
He / She / It
|
has not (hasn't)
|
seen
|
since
|
Monday
|
Common Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
I have
|
I've
|
I've been here for an hour.
|
|
You have
|
You've
|
You've known her since 2010.
|
|
He has
|
He's
|
He's worked here for a week.
|
|
She has
|
She's
|
She's been sick since yesterday.
|
|
We have
|
We've
|
We've lived here for years.
|
|
They have
|
They've
|
They've been friends since school.
|
Meanings
The Present Perfect with 'for' or 'since' describes an action that started in the past and continues into the present moment.
Duration of State
Used with stative verbs (be, know, like) to show how long a situation has existed.
“We have been friends for a long time.”
“I have known him since high school.”
Ongoing Action
Used with dynamic verbs to show an activity that hasn't stopped yet.
“He has played the piano for twenty minutes.”
“It has rained since this morning.”
Negative Duration
Used to express how much time has passed since an event last occurred.
“I haven't seen her for ages.”
“We haven't been to the cinema since March.”
Reference Table
| Expresión de tiempo | Significado | Ejemplo con Presente Perfecto |
|---|---|---|
|
`for five years`
|
Duración (cuánto tiempo)
|
`I have worked here for five years.`
|
|
`since 2018`
|
Punto de inicio (cuándo comenzó)
|
`She has lived here since 2018.`
|
|
`for a long time`
|
Duración general
|
`We haven't met for a long time.`
|
|
`since last Monday`
|
Fecha de inicio específica
|
`He hasn't eaten since last Monday.`
|
|
`for ages`
|
Informal, duración muy larga
|
`I haven't seen you for ages!`
|
|
`since I was a child`
|
Evento pasado específico como inicio
|
`She has loved music since she was a child.`
|
Espectro de formalidad
I have been employed by this firm for six years. (Professional history)
I have worked here for six years. (Professional history)
I've been here for six years. (Professional history)
I've been at this gig for six years. (Professional history)
Presente Perfecto: For vs. Since (Acciones Continuas)
FOR (Duración)
- ¿Cuánto tiempo? Responde '¿Cuánto tiempo?'
- Período de tiempo por ejemplo, 'tres horas', 'muchos años'
- I've studied for two hours. Frase de ejemplo
SINCE (Punto de Inicio)
- ¿Desde cuándo? Responde '¿Desde cuándo?'
- Momento/evento específico por ejemplo, '9 AM', 'el año pasado', 'era un niño'
- She's worked since 2010. Frase de ejemplo
USOS COMUNES
- Todavía sucediendo Acción/estado continúa hasta el presente
- Estados (know, be) A menudo con Presente Perfecto Simple
- Experiencias Conectando el pasado con el ahora
For vs. Since: Un Vistazo Rápido
Cómo elegir 'For' o 'Since' con el Presente Perfecto
¿La acción/estado es continua (empezó en el pasado, continúa ahora)?
¿Estás indicando la *longitud total* de tiempo?
¿Estás indicando el *punto de inicio específico*?
Expresiones de tiempo con For y Since
FOR (Duración)
- • five minutes
- • two hours
- • a week
- • three months
- • several years
- • a long time
- • ages
- • what feels like forever
SINCE (Punto de Inicio)
- • 9 AM
- • yesterday
- • last Monday
- • 2020
- • I was a child
- • he arrived
- • my birthday
- • the accident
Ejemplos por nivel
I have been here for one hour.
I have been here for one hour.
She has lived here since 2022.
She has lived here since 2022.
We have had this car for a week.
We have had this car for a week.
He has been sick since Friday.
He has been sick since Friday.
I haven't seen him for two days.
I haven't seen him for two days.
They have been married since July.
They have been married since July.
How long have you been a teacher?
How long have you been a teacher?
She has known me for a long time.
She has known me for a long time.
I've worked in this office since I finished university.
I've worked in this office since I finished university.
We've been waiting for the bus for over forty minutes.
We've been waiting for the bus for over forty minutes.
Has he lived in London since he was a child?
Has he lived in London since he was a child?
I haven't eaten anything since breakfast.
I haven't eaten anything since breakfast.
The company has owned this property for several decades.
The company has owned this property for several decades.
I've been meaning to call you since we last met.
I've been meaning to call you since we last met.
Prices have risen significantly since the new law was passed.
Prices have risen significantly since the new law was passed.
He hasn't contributed to the project for quite some time.
He hasn't contributed to the project for quite some time.
The tension has been building since the inception of the project.
The tension has been building since the inception of the project.
I haven't seen such a display of talent for many a year.
I haven't seen such a display of talent for many a year.
She has been a pillar of the community since time immemorial.
She has been a pillar of the community since time immemorial.
The law has been in effect for the duration of the crisis.
The law has been in effect for the duration of the crisis.
The manuscript has lain untouched for what must be centuries.
The manuscript has lain untouched for what must be centuries.
Ever since the scandal broke, the senator has been under intense scrutiny.
Ever since the scandal broke, the senator has been under intense scrutiny.
I haven't so much as spoken to him in weeks.
I haven't so much as spoken to him in weeks.
The city has undergone a metamorphosis since the turn of the century.
The city has undergone a metamorphosis since the turn of the century.
Fácil de confundir
Learners use Past Simple for ongoing actions or Present Perfect for finished ones.
Both relate to time, but 'during' is used with nouns to say when something happened, not how long.
Learners use 'from' to mark a start point with the Present Perfect.
Errores comunes
I am here since Monday.
I have been here since Monday.
I have been here for 2010.
I have been here since 2010.
I have lived here since two years.
I have lived here for two years.
I have know him for a long time.
I have known him for a long time.
She has worked here since five months.
She has worked here for five months.
How long you have been here?
How long have you been here?
I haven't seen her since a long time.
I haven't seen her for a long time.
I have been knowing her since 2015.
I have known her since 2015.
I've been here since I have been a child.
I've been here since I was a child.
It's been raining for this morning.
It's been raining since this morning.
I haven't seen him for the last time we met.
I haven't seen him since the last time we met.
Patrones de oraciones
I have known ___ since ___.
She hasn't ___ for ___.
How long have you ___?
Real World Usage
I have worked in sales for over a decade.
I've had this cough since last Tuesday.
We've been together for three years.
I have been on hold for twenty minutes!
Living in NYC since 2015.
I have been in the country for two weeks.
Duración vs. Punto de Inicio
for) o del *momento* en que algo comenzó (since)? Esta pregunta simple te ayuda a saber qué palabra usar. Por ejemplo: I have studied English for three years.o
I have studied English since 2021.
¡No mezcles tiempos verbales!
I have lived here for a decade.
Piensa en 'Hasta Ahora'
I have waited for you since 8 AM.
Suena más natural
Excepción de los verbos de estado
know, be, have, love, understand), usamos el Presente Perfecto Simple, no el Continuo, incluso si la acción es continua. Un ejemplo claro es: I have known her for years.(¡No
I have been knowing her!)
Smart Tips
Stop! If you arrived 2 days ago and are still here, you must use 'I have been'.
Use 'for'. Numbers usually indicate a duration.
Swap 'for' for 'in'.
Always put that verb in the Past Simple.
Pronunciación
Contraction of 'have'
In natural speech, 'have' is almost always contracted to /v/ after pronouns.
Weak form of 'for'
The word 'for' is usually pronounced with a schwa /fə/ unless it is stressed.
Emphasis on duration
I've been waiting for ↘️HOURS.
Conveys frustration or surprise at the length of time.
Memorízalo
Mnemotecnia
FOR is for the length of the floor (duration); SINCE is for the start of the fence (point).
Asociación visual
Imagine 'FOR' as a ruler measuring a piece of string. Imagine 'SINCE' as a push-pin on a calendar marking the exact day you started.
Rhyme
For is for a length of time, Since is for the starting line.
Story
A traveler has been walking 'for' ten days. He hasn't seen a city 'since' he left the mountains. He measures his journey in days (for) but remembers his departure (since).
Word Web
Desafío
Write three sentences about your life: one using 'for', one using 'since' with a year, and one using 'since' with a past event (e.g., 'since I was a child').
Notas culturales
British speakers are very strict about using the Present Perfect with 'for' and 'since'. Using the Past Simple instead (e.g., 'I didn't see him since Monday') sounds very incorrect to them.
While the Present Perfect is standard, in informal American speech, you might occasionally hear the Past Simple used with 'since', though it is technically non-standard.
Using 'for' and 'since' correctly is a marker of professional English proficiency. It is often tested in exams like IELTS or TOEFL because it shows a grasp of complex time relationships.
The Present Perfect evolved from Old English 'habban' (to have) + a past participle, originally meaning 'I possess a finished thing'. Over time, it shifted to describe the state resulting from that action.
Inicios de conversación
How long have you lived in your current city?
What is something you have owned since you were a child?
How long have you been studying English, and what has been the hardest part?
Have you known your best friend for a long time?
Temas para diario
Errores comunes
Test Yourself
I haven't seen my best friend ___ last summer.
since.Find and fix the mistake:
She works here for ten years.
for para indicar duración.Translate into English: 'Hemos vivido en esta ciudad desde 2015.'
Answer starts with: ["W...
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
for indicando duración.Score: /4
Ejercicios de practica
8 exercisesI have lived in this apartment ___ 2010.
They have been married ___ forty years.
Find and fix the mistake:
I am a teacher since three years.
I started working here in January. (I have...)
1. ___ ages, 2. ___ I was a child, 3. ___ a long time, 4. ___ last night
A: How long have you had that dog? B: I've had him ___.
We use 'since' with a period of time, like 'five days'.
Which ones go with 'For'?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThey haven't visited their grandparents ___ Christmas.
How long ___ you been learning French?
We know him since 2010.
I haven't eaten for I woke up.
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Él ha estado esperando el autobús durante veinte minutos.'
Translate into English: 'No he comido chocolate desde que era niño.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match each time expression with the correct word:
Match the beginnings with the correct endings:
Score: /12
Preguntas frecuentes (8)
Yes, but it means the action is finished. `I lived there for two years` means you don't live there now. `I have lived there for two years` means you still do.
No, 'since' is almost exclusively used with the Present Perfect (or Past Perfect) in English to show a connection to a later time.
It is always `for a long time`. 'A long time' is a duration, not a specific point.
`For` tells you how long (duration). `During` tells you when (within a named event). Example: 'I slept for two hours during the flight.'
Technically yes, but it is much more natural to say `for five years`. 'Since' is better with dates or events.
Yes, for this specific rule of duration, the Present Perfect `have/has + past participle` is required.
Yes! `Ever since` is a common way to emphasize that something has been true from a specific point until now. 'I've loved pizza ever since I was a kid.'
In negative sentences, `in` is a common and natural substitute for `for` in informal English.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Presente + hace / desde
Spanish uses present tense; English uses present perfect.
Présent + depuis
French uses present tense for ongoing actions.
Präsens + seit
German uses one word (seit) for both points and durations.
~te iru + kara/aida
Japanese relies on aspect markers rather than a specific perfect tense.
Mudari' (Present) + mundhu
Arabic uses the present tense where English uses the perfect.
Verb + le + duration
Chinese uses aspect particles and word order instead of prepositions.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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