Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'for' to measure the length of time and 'since' to pinpoint the exact moment something started.
- Use 'for' + a period of time (e.g., for 3 hours, for a decade).
- Use 'since' + a specific point in time (e.g., since 9:00, since Monday).
- Always use the Present Perfect (have/has + V3) to connect that past time to now.
Overview
Present Perfect라고 불러요. 하지만 이 쇼의 진짜 주인공은 for와 since라는 아주 작은 두 단어예요. 이 친구들은 여러분이 시간의 덩어리(기간)를 재고 있는지, 아니면 달력의 특정 날짜를 가리키고 있는지를 알려줘요.for를 써요. 만약 어떤 인디 밴드의 첫 틱톡 영상이 떴을 때부터 팬이었다면 since를 쓰고요. 이걸 헷갈리는 건 마치 신발을 좌우 바꿔 신는 것과 같아요.How This Grammar Works
for는 스톱워치, since는 달력이라고 생각해보세요.for는 duration(기간)을 재요. 시간의 양을 나타내죠. 총 몇 분, 몇 시간, 며칠, 몇 년인지를 말해줘요.since는 starting time(시작 시점)을 가리켜요. 과거에 행동이 시작된 바로 그 순간을 말하죠.
I have been here for fifteen minutes.(스톱워치 합계).
I have been here since 2:00 PM.(달력/시계 시작점).
for를 써요.forthree days (3일 동안)forsix months (6개월 동안)fora long time (오랫동안)
since를 쓰세요.sinceMonday (월요일부터)sincelast Christmas (지난 크리스마스부터)sinceI graduated (졸업한 이후로)
for라는 단어 때문에 «목적(~을 위하여)»이라고 착각하면 안 돼요. «이건 너를 위한(for) 거야»라고 하는 게 아니에요. «이건 얼마 동안(for) 지속됐어»라고 하는 거죠. 순전히 시계 이야기예요. 그리고 기억하세요, 이 단어들은 Present Perfect (have + past participle)와 함께 써야 해요. 단순 현재(simple present)랑 같이 쓰는 건 나중에 고쳐야 할 전형적인 «아차!» 하는 실수랍니다.
Formation Pattern
have/has는 버터, past participle은 맛있는 속재료예요. 그리고 마지막에 고명으로 for나 since를 얹는 거죠.
have (또는 've)
has (또는 's)
-ed를 붙이세요 (예: worked, played).
been, known, had).
for or since (for 또는 since 선택):
for + [시간의 기간]
since + [특정 시점]
Conjugation Table
| Form | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | I have lived here for two years. | 저는 이곳에 2년 동안 살았어요. |
| Negative | She hasn't called since Friday. | 그녀는 금요일 이후로 전화하지 않았어요. |
| Question | Have you known him for long? | 그를 안 지 오래됐나요? |
| Short Form | They've been married since 2010. | 그들은 2010년부터 결혼한 상태예요. |
Memory Trick
Since의 S를 생각하세요. S는 Starting Point(시작점)예요.
fOr의 O를 생각하세요. O는 periOd(기간)예요 (시간의 동그라미처럼요).
아니면 그냥 이렇게 외우세요: For = Four (숫자 4). 4시간, 5일, 10년처럼 숫자가 보이면 for를 쓰세요!
When To Use It
정적(static)이에요. 잘 움직이지 않죠. be, have (소유의 뜻), know, like 같은 동사들이요.- "I've known my best friend since kindergarten." (내 절친을 유치원 때부터 알고 지냈어.)
- "She's been a vegetarian for six months." (그녀는 6개월 동안 채식주의자였어.)
- "He's worked at Google since last year." (그는 작년부터 구글에서 일하고 있어.)
- "I've played guitar for ages." (난 오랫동안 기타를 쳤어.)
- "I haven't posted on Instagram since my vacation." (휴가 이후로 인스타에 글을 안 올렸어.)
- "We've been in this WhatsApp group for three years." (우리 이 왓츠앱 그룹에 3년 동안 있었잖아.)
- "I've had this Uber account since 2015." (이 우버 계정 2015년부터 썼어.)
Real Conversations
Conversation A (파티에서)
Sam
Alex
Sam
since I finished or for five years? (잠깐, «졸업한 이후»라는 거야, «5년 동안»이라는 거야?)Alex
Conversation B (음식 기다리며)
Taylor
Jordan
Taylor
Common Mistakes
- 1The
Present SimpleTrap (단순 현재의 함정)
I am here since Monday.
I have been here since Monday.
since를 쓰면 *반드시* Present Perfect를 써야 해요. I am here since Monday라고 말하면 원어민이 알아는 듣겠지만, 뇌가 좀 가려울 거예요.
- 1The
For + DateMistake (For + 날짜 실수)
for one month라고 하는 게 아니라면 «1월이라는 기간»을 가질 순 없어요.- 1The
Since + DurationMistake (Since + 기간 실수)
- 1Using
Agowith Since (Since랑 Ago 같이 쓰기)
ago를 붙이면 이미 끝난 과거의 시간이 되어버려요. 단순하게 가자구요.Contrast With Similar Patterns
I lived in Paris for two years.
(난 파리에 2년 살았었어. -> 지금은 안 살아요. 추억이죠.)I was a student in 2015.
(난 2015년에 학생이었어. -> 지금은 직장인이죠.)
I have lived in Paris for two years.
(난 파리에 2년째 살고 있어. -> 지금 파리에 있고, 아마 크루아상을 먹고 있겠죠.)I have been a student since 2021.
(난 2021년부터 학생이야. -> 여전히 시험도 있고 돈도 없죠.)
for가 양쪽 모두에 쓰일 수 있다는 거 보이죠? 하지만 뜻이 달라져요. Past Simple이랑 쓰면 for는 *끝난* 사건이 얼마나 지속됐는지를 말해요. Present Perfect랑 쓰면 *진행 중인* 사건이 지금까지 얼마나 지속됐는지를 말하죠. 반면, Since는 거의 Present Perfect의 전용 짝꿍이에요.Quick FAQ
for를 미래에 써도 되나요?
네!
I am going to stay in London for a week.(런던에 일주일 동안 있을 거야.) 하지만 그건 다른 문법 규칙이에요. 지금은 «과거에서 현재로» 연결되는 것에만 집중하세요.
since a long time인가요,
for a long time인가요?
무조건
for a long time이에요. 달력에서 «오랜 시간»이라는 지점을 콕 집을 순 없으니까요.
since always라고 해도 되나요?
일상 대화에서는 흔히 쓰지만("I've loved pizza since always«), 엄밀히 따지면 »always(항상)«는 시점이 아니에요. »I've always loved pizza"라고 하는 게 더 좋아요.
all day는요?
all이랑은 for를 안 써요. 그냥 "I've been working all day."라고 하세요. for는 필요 없어요! 굳이 넣으면 70년대 공상과학 영화에 나오는 로봇처럼 들릴 거예요.
since 뒤에 문장이 와도 되나요?
네! "I've been happy since I met you.« (널 만난 이후로 쭉 행복해.) 여기서 »널 만난 것"이 시작점이 되는 거죠.
Progressive Practice
시간 단어가 «시점»(8시, 월요일)인지 «기간»(2시간, 3주)인지 구별해보세요.
지금 쓰는 폰을 얼마나 오랫동안 가지고 있었는지 for를 써서 말하는 연습을 해보세요.
영어 공부를 언제 시작했는지 since를 써서 말하는 연습을 해보세요.
소셜 미디어 캡션에서 실수를 찾아보세요 (진짜 널려 있어요!).
Present Perfect + For/Since Structure
| Subject | Auxiliary | Past Participle | Time Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
|
I / You / We / They
|
have
|
lived here
|
for 5 years
|
|
He / She / It
|
has
|
worked here
|
since January
|
|
I / You / We / They
|
haven't
|
seen him
|
for a week
|
|
He / She / It
|
hasn't
|
called
|
since Tuesday
|
|
Have
|
you
|
been here
|
for long?
|
|
Has
|
she
|
known him
|
since school?
|
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 month.
|
|
She has
|
She's
|
She's been sick since Friday.
|
|
It has
|
It's
|
It's been raining for days.
|
|
We have
|
We've
|
We've lived here since June.
|
|
They have
|
They've
|
They've waited for ages.
|
Meanings
In English, the Present Perfect is used to describe actions that began in the past and continue into the present. 'For' and 'since' are the specific tools we use to tell the listener exactly how long that action has been happening.
Duration (For)
Measuring the total length of time from the start until now.
“She has been a doctor for 20 years.”
“We have waited for ages.”
Starting Point (Since)
Identifying the specific date, time, or event when the action began.
“I have known him since kindergarten.”
“It hasn't rained since last Tuesday.”
Negative Duration
Expressing how long it has been since an event last occurred.
“I haven't eaten for six hours.”
“She hasn't called since her birthday.”
Reference Table
| 전치사 | 기능 | 뒤에 오는 것 | 예시 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
for
|
기간 (얼마나 오래?)
|
시간의 길이
|
I have lived here for 5 years.
|
|
since
|
시작점 (언제 시작했어?)
|
시점
|
She has studied since 2020.
|
|
for
|
행동의 길이
|
시간의 양
|
We've been waiting for an hour.
|
|
since
|
행동의 기원
|
특정 사건 또는 날짜
|
He hasn't called since Monday.
|
|
for
|
총 소요 시간
|
숫자 + 시간 단위
|
They have worked on it for weeks.
|
|
since
|
그때부터 지금까지
|
과거 단순 시제 절 / 연도
|
I've known him since we were kids.
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
I have been a resident of this city for over a decade. (residency)
I've lived here for ten years. (residency)
I've been here for ages. (residency)
I've been repping this city since forever. (residency)
현재완료: for vs. since
FOR 사용하기 (기간)
- How long? 시간의 길이에 집중
- Period of time 예: 'three years', 'a long time'
- Ongoing 행동이 아직 진행 중
- Counting 시간의 길이를 세는 것
SINCE 사용하기 (시작점)
- When did it start? 시작 순간에 집중
- Point in time 예: '2020', 'last Tuesday'
- Until now 그 시점부터 현재까지
- Marking 타임라인에 시작점을 표시하는 것
흔한 문맥
- Experience 경험을 한 기간
- Situations 지속되는 상태나 직업
- Questions 주로 'How long...?'과 함께
- News 사건의 지속 기간 보고
for vs. since: 나란히 비교하기
현재완료와 for 또는 since 선택하기
이 문장이 과거에 시작되어 아직도 계속되거나 현재와 관련 있는 행동/상태에 대한 건가요?
시간의 '길이' (예: 두 시간, 닷새, 십 년)에 대해 이야기하고 있나요?
특정 '시작 순간' (예: 2020년, 지난 월요일, 내가 어렸을 때)에 대해 이야기하고 있나요?
for & since와 함께 쓰는 시간 표현
FOR와 함께
- • two hours
- • a week
- • six months
- • many years
- • a long time
- • ages
SINCE와 함께
- • 2020
- • last Monday
- • I was born
- • the accident
- • this morning
- • he left
수준별 예문
I have been here for two hours.
She has been happy since Monday.
We have had this car for a week.
He has been a student since 2023.
They have lived in this house for ten years.
I haven't seen him since last night.
Has it rained since Friday?
She has worked at the bank for six months.
I've known my best friend since we were in primary school.
He hasn't eaten meat for a very long time.
We've been waiting for the bus for over forty minutes.
How long has she been interested in photography?
The company has been expanding its reach since the new CEO took over.
I've been meaning to call you for ages, but I've been so busy.
Prices have been rising steadily since the beginning of the year.
He's been playing the piano for most of his life.
Since the inception of the project, we have encountered numerous hurdles.
The policy has been in place for what seems like an eternity.
I haven't felt this energized since I was in my early twenties.
They have been living under a cloud of suspicion for several months now.
The landscape has undergone a radical transformation since the industrial era began.
For all the time I've spent researching, I've yet to find a definitive answer.
Since having been granted autonomy, the department has flourished.
The tradition has been upheld for generations, since time immemorial.
혼동하기 쉬운
Learners use Past Simple for ongoing actions or Present Perfect for finished ones.
Both relate to time, but 'during' is used with a noun to say *when* something happened, not *how long*.
Learners use 'from' to indicate a starting point with Present Perfect.
자주 하는 실수
I am here for two days.
I have been here for two days.
I have been here since two hours.
I have been here for two hours.
She has work here since 2010.
She has worked here since 2010.
I have lived here since a long time.
I have lived here for a long time.
I've been here since I was borned.
I've been here since I was born.
He has since Monday been sick.
He has been sick since Monday.
We have known us for years.
We have known each other for years.
I've been knowing him for years.
I've known him for years.
It's been a long time since I don't see him.
It's been a long time since I saw him.
I have lived here since five years ago.
I have lived here for five years.
Since two years, I have been working here.
For two years, I have been working here.
I have for many years sought the truth.
I have sought the truth for many years.
문장 패턴
I have been ___ for ___.
She has known ___ since ___.
It has been ___ since ___.
How long have you ___?
Real World Usage
I have worked in sales for over six years.
I've had this pain since yesterday morning.
I've lived in this neighborhood since I was a kid.
I've been waiting for a refund for two weeks.
Software engineer since 2015.
Married to my best friend since '18.
for와 since 구분하기 위한 생각
I have been studying for two hours.vs
I have been studying since 8 AM.
시제 섞어 쓰지 마세요!
I have lived here for five years.(O)
I lived here for five years.(X, 현재까지 살고 있다면)
내 이야기로 연습해 보세요!
지역별 미묘한 차이
질문할 때도 사용해요
How long have you been waiting?이런 질문에 대한 대답은 거의 항상 'for'나 'since'를 사용하게 될 거예요.
Smart Tips
Try to see if you can put the word 'all' before the time. If you can say 'all my life', you can usually use 'for' (for my whole life). If you can't, it's likely 'since'.
Always put the verb after 'since' in the Past Simple.
Start your answer with 'For...' or 'Since...' to immediately give the listener the time context they need.
Use 'Since [Year]' to show your start date at a company. It looks professional and clear.
발음
Contraction Stress
In 'I've been', the 've' is almost silent. The stress is on 'been'.
Since vs. Sins
The 'ce' in 'since' is a sharp 's' sound. Do not pronounce it like 'z'.
For reduction
In fast speech, 'for' often sounds like 'fer'.
Emphasis on Duration
I've been waiting for FIVE hours!
Conveys frustration or surprise at the length of time.
암기하기
기억법
FOR is for the 'Four' (length) of the journey; SINCE is for the 'Start' of the story.
시각적 연상
Imagine 'FOR' as a ruler measuring a piece of string (the duration). Imagine 'SINCE' as a push-pin on a calendar (the starting point).
Rhyme
For is the length, Since is the start; keep them together, don't pull them apart!
Story
I have been a traveler for ten years. I have been in this city since Tuesday. I have had this map for a long time, ever since I left home.
Word Web
챌린지
Look at your watch. Write one sentence with 'for' and one with 'since' about how long you have been studying today.
문화 노트
BrE speakers are very strict about using Present Perfect with 'just', 'already', and 'yet' alongside 'for/since'.
AmE speakers sometimes use the Past Simple with 'for' even if the action is ongoing, though Present Perfect is still preferred in writing.
Using 'since [Year]' is a standard way for companies to show heritage and reliability on logos.
The Present Perfect developed in Germanic languages to express a state resulting from a past action. 'For' comes from Old English meaning 'because of' or 'intended for', while 'since' comes from 'siththan' (after that).
대화 시작하기
How long have you lived in your current house?
What is a hobby you've had since you were a child?
How long have you been studying English, and what has been the hardest part?
Since the pandemic started, how has your daily routine changed?
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
I haven't visited my grandparents ___ Christmas.
Find and fix the mistake:
They have been living here since five years.
올바른 문장을 고르세요:
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /4
연습 문제
8 exercisesI have been a teacher ___ 2010.
They have lived in Paris ___ three months.
Find and fix the mistake:
I am knowing him for five years.
I moved here in January. (I have lived...)
1. ___ a long time / 2. ___ I was young / 3. ___ ten o'clock
A: How long have you had that cold? B: ___
Select the grammatically perfect sentence.
We use 'since' with a period of time like 'six weeks'.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesMy phone hasn't stopped ringing ___ I posted that viral video.
I haven't eaten a decent meal for last week.
올바른 문장을 고르세요:
Translate into English: 'Llevo estudiando español desde hace un año.'
다음 단어들을 문장으로 배열하세요:
'for' 또는 'since'와 어울리는 구를 연결하세요:
How long have you been waiting ___ the bus?
The store is closed since three days.
올바른 문장을 고르세요:
Translate into English: 'No he hablado con ella desde que se mudó.'
다음 단어들을 문장으로 배열하세요:
각 표현을 'for' 또는 'since'와 연결하세요:
Score: /12
자주 묻는 질문 (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 live there.
It is always `for two years`. You use `since` only for a specific date or time, like `since 2022`.
Yes! You can say `since I was a child` or `since I started my job`. The verb in the 'since' clause is usually in the Past Simple.
Use `for` to say how long (for 2 hours). Use `during` to say when something happened (during the movie).
No, that is incorrect. You should say `for a long time` because it is a duration.
Because `be` is a stative verb. We use it to describe states (like being a student or being in a city) that started in the past and continue now.
Generally, no. In English, we use the Present Perfect to show that an action started in the past and continues now.
It is very common in informal, spoken English, but in formal writing, you should use a specific time or `for a very long time`.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
desde / hace
English requires the Present Perfect, not the Present Simple.
depuis
English distinguishes between 'for' and 'since' and requires a different verb tense.
seit
English uses two different words (for/since) and the Present Perfect.
kara / aida
Japanese doesn't have a direct 'Present Perfect' equivalent in the same way English does.
mundhu (منذ)
English requires a specific choice between two prepositions.
le (了) / yijing (已经)
Chinese has no verb conjugation for tense, making the 'have + V3' structure very difficult for learners.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
관련 동영상
09:35 Ancient Life as Old as the Universe
04:31 Supreme Court BANS Faithless Electors…………?
08:05 Is This The Biggest Mistake Science Ever Made?
Learn English Tenses: The Present Perfect
Learn English with Bob the Canadian
Master All 4 Present Tenses in 10 Min | English Grammar Lesson | Best Way To Learn English Tenses
Learn English | Let's Talk - Free English Lessons
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