Present Perfect with For and Since: A1 English Grammar Guide — A1 English grammar lesson by Langcom

Present Perfect with For and Since: A1 English Grammar Guide

Raúl Maguiña

Gründer von Langcom | Prüfer für Cambridge- und SIELE-Prüfungen

September 24, 2026

A1✏️ Grammatik⏱️ 4 Minuten Lesezeit📅 Aktualisiert im September 2026
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The Present Perfect tense describes actions that started in the past and continue now, or past actions with a result in the present. Wir verwenden for to talk about the *duration* of an action, answering ‘how long?’. For example, I have studied English for two years. This means two years is the total time. We use since to talk about the *starting point* of an action, answering ‘when did it start?’. For instance, I have studied English since 2022. This means 2022 was the beginning. Remember, the Present Perfect is formed with have/has + past participle. Using for und since correctly helps you express how long something has been happening, from its start until now. It’s a key part of A1 English grammar for describing ongoing experiences.

What is the Present Perfect Tense?

The Present Perfect tense helps us talk about actions that started in the past and are still true now. It connects the past with the present.

We form the Present Perfect with have oder has and the past participle of the main verb.

  • I have lived here.
  • She has worked a lot.

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When Do We Use 'For'?

Wir verwenden for to say *how long* something has happened. It tells us the total amount of time, or the duration.

Think of for as answering the question 'How long?'.

  • Wir verwenden for with periods of time:
    • for two hours
    • for three days
    • for five years
    • for a long time

When Do We Use 'Since'?

Wir verwenden since to say *when* something started. It tells us the exact starting point in time.

Think of since as answering the question 'When did it start?'.

  • Wir verwenden since with specific points in time:
    • since Monday
    • since 2020
    • since last week
    • since I was a child

How Are 'For' and 'Since' Different?

The main difference is that for tells you the length of time, and since tells you the beginning of that time.

  • For = duration (how long)
  • Since = starting point (when it began)

Look at these examples to see the difference clearly:

  • I have lived here for ten years. (Duration: 10 years)
  • I have lived here since 2014. (Starting point: the year 2014)
Comparing 'For' and 'Since'
Für Since
Duration Starting Point
How long? When did it start?
a week Monday
two years 2022
three hours 6 o'clock

Beispiele

  • I have known him for a long time.
  • She has worked at Langcom since January.
  • They have been married for twenty years.
  • We haven't seen them since last summer.
  • He has played the guitar for five months.
  • My brother has lived in London since he finished university.

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Häufige Fehler bei Spanischsprechern

A common mistake for Spanish speakers is to use the Present Simple or Past Simple instead of the Present Perfect with for und since.

  • Falsch: I live here for two years.
  • Richtig: I have lived here for two years.

Another mistake is confusing for und since. Denk daran, for is for the length of time, and since is for the moment it started.

  • Falsch: I have studied English since three months. (Use for with 'three months' because it's a duration.)
  • Richtig: I have studied English for three months.
  • Richtig: I have studied English since March. (Use since with 'March' because it's a starting point.)

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Can I use 'for' and 'since' with other tenses?

No, for A1 English, you will primarily use for und since with the Present Perfect tense to talk about actions that started in the past and continue now.

What is the difference between 'for a long time' and 'since a long time'?

You should always say for a long time. A long time is a duration, so we use for. We do not say since a long time.

Is 'have been' the same as 'have lived'?

Not exactly. Have been is the Present Perfect of the verb to be. Have lived is the Present Perfect of the verb to live. Both can be used with for und since. Zum Beispiel:, I have been here for an hour oder I have lived here for an hour.

Über den Autor: Raúl Maguiña

Raúl Maguiña ist Leiter der Asociación Educativa Langcom, einem autorisierten Cambridge English-Vorbereitungszentrum in Ihr Land. Mit mehr als einem Jahrzehnt Erfahrung in der Sprachausbildung und der internationalen Zertifizierung hat er Tausenden von Schülern, Lehrern und Bildungseinrichtungen in 25 Ländern zu Cambridge-, IELTS-, TOEFL- und Michigan-Englischzertifikaten verholfen.

Erfahren Sie mehr über Langcom →.

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