USE OF THE PRESENT INDICATIVE TENSE

• The present indicative tense in French is used to express both the simple present tense and the present continuous tense in English.

• Example: Il travaille.-He works; or He is working. Il pleut.- It rains; or It is raining.

• The present indicative tense in French is used to express the English perfect tense in sentences with depuis(since, for).

• Example: Nous attendons depuis cinq minutes.- We have been waiting for five minutes.(the idea is that you still are waiting)

• This is a very important feature in French. Present+depuis refers to any situation which has been going on and still is going on.

• E.g. J’apprends le français depuis cinq ans.- I have been learning French for five years.

• Le bébé dort depuis le matin.-The baby has been sleeping since morning.

• In everyday usage or spoken French, the present indicative tense is used to express some future event, usually after an expression of time.

• Example: Il arrive ce soir.- He is arriving this evening.- He will be arriving this evening.- He will arrive this evening.

• Je termine mes études l’année prochaine.- I will finish my studies next year.- I will be finishing my studies next year.- I am finishing my studies next year.

• Elle vient à la réunion demain.- She is coming to the meeting tomorrow.- She will come to the meeting tomorrow.- She will be coming to the meeting tomorrow.