al + Present (How Long)

How Long: Al + Present

Level 3

Ek woon al vyf jaar hier. (I have lived here for five years, and still do.) Present tense + al + time.

How It Works

1. The pattern. Present tense verb + al + a length of time:

  • Ek woon al vyf jaar hier. (I've lived here for five years.)
  • Ons wag al 'n halfuur. (We've been waiting for half an hour.)
  • Hulle is al tien jaar getroud. (They've been married for ten years.)

2. Asking how long. Use hoe lank with al: Hoe lank leer jy al Afrikaans? (How long have you been learning Afrikaans?)

3. A starting point. With sedert or sinds you name the start instead of the length: Sy werk al sedert 2019 by die bank.

4. Past tense means it is over. Ek het vyf jaar daar gewoon means you lived there for five years and then left.

5. Avoid English "for". Do not copy English for with vir here. With vir, the time sounds like a planned stay that is still ahead: Ek is hier vir twee weke. (I'm here for two weeks.) For time that has already passed, say Ek woon al vyf jaar hier, not Ek woon hier vir vyf jaar.

Tip: after a number, jaar and uur stay singular: vyf jaar, twee uur. Words like maand and week take the plural: drie maande, twee weke.

Examples (6)

  1. Ek woon al vyf jaar hier.

    I've lived here for five years.

    Word by Word: I live already five year here.

  2. Hoe lank leer jy al Afrikaans?

    How long have you been learning Afrikaans?

    Word by Word: How long learn you already Afrikaans?

  3. Ons wag al 'n halfuur vir die bus.

    We've been waiting for the bus for half an hour.

    Word by Word: We wait already a half-hour for the bus.

  4. Hulle is al tien jaar getroud.

    They've been married for ten years.

    Word by Word: They are already ten year married.

  5. Sy werk al sedert 2019 by die bank.

    She has worked at the bank since 2019.

    Word by Word: She works already since 2019 at the bank.

    Sedert names the starting point.

  6. Ek ken hom al van skool af.

    I've known him since school.

    Word by Word: I know him already from school off.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the past tense for something still going on.

    Ek het vyf jaar hier gewoon, en ek bly nog hier.
    Ek woon al vyf jaar hier.

    The past tense says the time is over. If you still live here, use the present with al.

  • Copying English "for" with vir.

    Ek woon hier vir vyf jaar.
    Ek woon al vyf jaar hier.

    With vir, the five years sound like a plan that is still ahead. For time that has already passed and is still going on, use al.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

al + Present (How Long)Level 3How Long: Al + Present

Learn This First

Al + present says how long something has been happening.

Words in This Pattern

al