For + Duration — French Present = English Present Perfect
'I live here for 10 years' is wrong — the tense must change
Category: Tenses
The Rule
When an action started in the past and continues now, English uses present perfect + for/since: 'I have lived here for 10 years.' French uses present tense + depuis: 'J'habite ici depuis 10 ans.'
Why This Matters
French: 'Je travaille ici depuis 5 ans' (I work here since 5 years — present tense). English: 'I have worked here for 5 years' (present perfect). French speakers directly translate the present tense, producing 'I work here since 5 years' — double error (wrong tense AND since/for confusion).
Examples
• I have lived here for 3 years. — "J'habite ici depuis 3 ans." [French present → English present PERFECT] • She has worked here since 2020. — "Elle travaille ici depuis 2020." ['Since' + point in time; 'for' + duration] • We have known each other for a long time. — "On se connaît depuis longtemps." [French present = English present perfect for ongoing situations]
Common Mistakes
❌ I live here since 10 years. ✅ I have lived here for 10 years. → Two errors: (1) present→present perfect, (2) since→for. 'Since' needs a point (since 2014), 'for' needs a duration (for 10 years). ❌ I know him since 5 years. ✅ I have known him for 5 years. → French 'Je le connais depuis' → English 'I have known him for'. Change tense AND preposition.
Quick Tip
DEPUIS + present (French) = FOR/SINCE + present perfect (English). This rule applies to ALL ongoing-from-past situations. Train yourself: see 'depuis' → think 'have + past participle'.
DEPUIS + present (French) = FOR/SINCE + present perfect (English). This rule applies to ALL ongoing-from-past situations. Train yourself: see 'depuis' → think 'have + past participle'.
Examples
Common Mistakes
Incorrect: I live here since 10 years. → Correct: I have lived here for 10 years.. Two errors: (1) present→present perfect, (2) since→for. 'Since' needs a point (since 2014), 'for' needs a duration (for 10 years).
Incorrect: I know him since 5 years. → Correct: I have known him for 5 years.. French 'Je le connais depuis' → English 'I have known him for'. Change tense AND preposition.
Quiz
Complete: 'They ___ married ___ 2010.'