How Long Something Has Been Going On

Level 3

In Dutch, if you started doing something in the past and you are still doing it, you must use the present tense. This is usually paired with the word al (for duration) or sinds (for a starting point).

How It Works

In Dutch, the present tense (OTT) is the standard way to express duration for ongoing actions.

1. The Role of 'Al' and 'Sinds'
To signal that an action has been going on for a while, Dutch uses specific markers:

  • Al + duration: Used to say 'for [amount of time]'. Example: Ik woon hier al twee jaar.
  • Sinds + starting point: Used to say 'since [specific time]'. Example: Ik werk hier sinds maandag.
  • Al sinds: These are often combined for extra emphasis. Example: Ik werk hier al sinds 2010.

2. Present vs. Perfect Tense
This is a major point of confusion for English speakers. In Dutch:

  • Present Tense: Used when the action is still happening. (Ik wacht al een uur = I am still waiting).
  • Perfect Tense: Used when the action is finished, OR for negative duration. If you want to say how long it has been since you last did something, use the perfect tense. (Ik heb hem al een jaar niet gezien = I haven't seen him for a year).

3. Word Order
The word al usually appears in the middle field of the sentence. If you start a sentence with the time duration, remember to use inversion (Verb-Subject order).

Examples (6)

  1. Ik woon hier al vijf jaar.

    I have lived here for five years.

    Word by Word: I live here already five year.

    The speaker still lives there, so the present tense 'woon' is used with 'al'.

  2. We kennen elkaar al sinds de basisschool.

    We have known each other since primary school.

    Word by Word: We know each-other already since the primary-school.

    Since the friendship is ongoing, Dutch uses the present tense 'kennen'.

  3. Hoe lang wacht je al?

    How long have you been waiting?

    Word by Word: How long wait you already?

    In questions about duration, 'al' is added to the present tense to show the waiting hasn't finished.

  4. Zij werkt hier al sinds 2020.

    She has been working here since 2020.

    Word by Word: She works here already since 2020.

    Combining 'al' and 'sinds' adds emphasis to the duration of the starting point.

  5. Ik heb hem al twee jaar niet gezien.

    I haven't seen him for two years.

    Word by Word: I have him already two year not seen.

    For negative duration (how long it has been since an action last occurred), Dutch uses the perfect tense, just like English.

  6. Het regent nu al twee uur.

    It has been raining for two hours now.

    Word by Word: It rains now already two hour.

    'Nu al' emphasizes the duration of the ongoing rain.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the perfect when the situation continues.

    Different MeaningIk heb hier al drie jaar gewoond.
    Ik woon hier al drie jaar.

    'Ik heb hier al drie jaar gewoond' is correct Dutch, but it says you no longer live here. To say you still live here, use the present tense: 'Ik woon hier al drie jaar'.

  • Using 'voor' instead of 'al' for past duration.

    Ik werk hier voor drie jaar.
    Ik werk hier al drie jaar.

    'Voor' is used for future durations or intent. For time that has already passed up until now, use 'al'.

How It Connects

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How Long Something Has Been Going OnLevel 3

Learn This First

To express how long something has been happening, Dutch uses the present tense where English would use the present perfect. Therefore, you must first learn basic present tense conjugation and understand time markers like 'sinds' and 'al' which define the duration.

Words in This Pattern

alsindssinds