da + Duration

'Da' for Duration (Present)

Level 2

In Italian, to say you 'have been doing' something for a certain amount of time, you use the Presente Indicativo + da. This covers both 'for' (duration) and 'since' (starting point) in English.

How It Works

The pattern da + espressione di tempo is the standard way to express duration for ongoing actions.

1. The Tense Shift (Present)
English speakers often want to use the passato prossimo because they think of 'I have lived.' However, in Italian, if you are still living there, you must use the present tense: Vivo qui da due anni.

2. The Past Tense Shift (Imperfect)
If you are describing an action that had been ongoing at a specific point in the past, Italian uses the imperfetto: Lavoravo lì da un mese quando mi hanno promosso (I had been working there for a month when they promoted me).

3. 'Since' vs. 'For'
Italian uses da for both a period of time and a specific starting point:

Duration: da tre ore (for three hours)
Starting Point: da lunedì (since Monday)

4. Articulated Prepositions
When da is followed by a time expression that requires a definite article, it forms a preposizione articolata:

da + il 2010 = dal 2010
da + l'anno scorso = dall'anno scorso

5. Negatives and Questions
In negative sentences, da indicates how long it has been since something happened: Non fumo da un mese (I haven't smoked for a month). To ask how long, use Da quanto tempo...? or the shortened casual form Da quanto...?

Examples (6)

Studio l'italiano da sei mesi.
I have been studying Italian for six months.
Word by Word: I study the Italian from six months.
The action of studying started six months ago and is still happening, so we use the present tense 'studio'.
Abito in questa città dal 2015.
I have lived in this city since 2015.
Word by Word: I live in this city from-the 2015.
Here, 'da' combines with the article 'il' to become 'dal' because it precedes a specific year.
Non lo vedo da due anni.
I haven't seen him for two years.
Word by Word: Not him (I) see from two years.
In negative sentences, 'da' is used to express how long it has been since an action last occurred.
Vivevo a Milano da tre anni quando ho cambiato lavoro.
I had been living in Milan for three years when I changed jobs.
Word by Word: I lived in Milan from three years when I have changed work.
When describing an action that had been ongoing in the past, Italian uses the imperfetto with 'da'.
Da quanto aspetti l'autobus?
How long have you been waiting for the bus?
Word by Word: From how-much wait-you the bus?
In casual conversation, 'Da quanto tempo' is often shortened to just 'Da quanto'.
Ti aspetto qui da un'ora!
I've been waiting for you here for an hour!
Word by Word: You (I) wait here from an hour!
Even though 'un'ora' starts with a vowel, 'da' does not elide (it stays 'da un'ora').

Common Mistakes

Using the past tense for ongoing actions.
Ho studiato italiano da due anni.
Studio italiano da due anni.
If you use the 'passato prossimo' in an affirmative sentence with 'da', it sounds finished. To show you are still studying, use the present tense. (A negative can take the passato prossimo: 'Non ho studiato da due anni'.)
Using 'per' instead of 'da' for ongoing duration.
Vivo a Milano per tre anni.
Vivo a Milano da tre anni.
In Italian, 'per' is used for a completed duration (e.g., 'I lived there for 3 years but I left'). For ongoing actions, 'da' is required.

How It Connects

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

da + DurationLevel 2'Da' for Duration (Present)

Learn This First

To use 'da' for duration, you must be able to conjugate verbs in the present tense, as Italian uses the present (not the past) for ongoing actions. You also need to know basic prepositions and cardinal numbers to specify the length of time.

Words in This Pattern

Sources

Practice da + Duration in Bubblegum

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