For, since and how long
Say how long something has lasted up to now: I've lived here for five years, since 2020.
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To say how long a situation has lasted up to now, English uses the present perfect with for or since. The situation started in the past and is still true. Many languages use a present tense here; English does not.
Up to now: present perfect, not present
The present simple and the present continuous say what is true now, but they can't say how long. As soon as you add for or since to measure the time up to now, change to the present perfect.
- I live in Leeds.
- I've lived in Leeds for five years.
- She is a manager.
- She's been a manager since March.
- Incorrect: I live here for five years.
- Correct: I've lived here for five years.The five years started in the past and reach the present, so use the present perfect.
- Incorrect: I know Marek since 2018.
- Correct: I've known Marek since 2018.
For + a period of time
For tells us how long: the length of the period.
- We've had this car for six months.
- I haven't seen my cousins for ages.
- He's worked for the same company for a long time.
Since + a starting point
Since tells us when the period began. After it comes a point in time: a clock time, a day, a date, a year or an event.
- I've been awake since five o'clock.
- She hasn't eaten anything since breakfast.
- They've been married since 2015.
for (how long) | since (from when) |
|---|---|
for ten minutes | since nine o'clock |
for three days | since Monday |
for six months | since April |
for a long time, ages | since 2019, last summer |
for years | since I was a child |
- Incorrect: I've worked here since three years.
- Correct: I've worked here for three years.Three years is a period, not a starting point.
- Incorrect: We've lived in this flat from 2020.
- Correct: We've lived in this flat since 2020.With the present perfect, the starting point takes since, not from.
Since + a sentence
After since you can also use a short sentence about the starting point. Its verb is usually in the past simple. The main verb stays in the present perfect.
- I've known her since we were at school.
- He hasn't called since he moved to Canada.
- A lot has changed since I started this job.
Questions with How long
Ask about the length of the period with How long + present perfect. The answer can use for or since.
- How long have you lived here? For two years.
- How long has Julia had that phone? Since her birthday.
- How long have they been together?
- Incorrect: How long do you know him?
- Correct: How long have you known him?
- Incorrect: How long are you married?
- Correct: How long have you been married?The question is about the time from the wedding up to now.
For an activity that is still going on, such as wait, learn or rain, the present perfect continuous is usual with how long, for and since: How long have you been waiting? With live and work, both forms are fine: I've worked here for years or I've been working here for years.
All day, all my life: no for
Don't use for before all.
- I've lived here all my life.
- It's been cold all week.
- Incorrect: I've been here for all day.
- Correct: I've been here all day.
A finished period: for + past simple
For is also used with the past simple, when the period is over.
- I worked in a hotel for two years.
(I don't work there now.)
- I've worked in a hotel for two years.
(I still work there.)
Don't mix up for and ago. Ago counts back from now to a finished moment and takes the past simple.
- We moved here three years ago.
- We've lived here for three years.