Prepositions · CEFR A2
“Since” vs “for”: since 3 years or for 3 years?
Incorrect
since 3 years
Correct
for 3 years
Use “for” with a period of time and “since” with a starting point. “I’ve lived here for three years” = “I’ve lived here since 2023”. “Since three years” is incorrect.
The rule
for + duration: for two weeks, for a long time, for ages.
since + point in time: since Monday, since 2019, since I was a child.
Both are normally used with the present perfect: “I have worked here for / since…” - not the present simple.
Examples
✗ I study English since 5 years.
✓ I’ve studied English for 5 years.
✗ She has worked here for 2020.
✓ She has worked here since 2020.
✗ We know each other since many years.
✓ We’ve known each other for many years.
Why learners make this mistake
French depuis, Spanish desde hace, German seit and Italian da cover both ideas with one word, and they use the present tense.
Remember
FOR = how long. SINCE = from when.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I use “since” with the past simple?
- In the main clause, no - use the present perfect. But the since-clause itself uses past simple: “since I moved here”.
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