The present tense (abbreviatedPRES or PRS) is a grammatical tense whose principal function is to locate a situation or event in the present time.[1] The present tense is used for actions which are happening now. In order to explain and understand present tense, it is useful to imagine time as a line on which the past tense, the present and the future tense are positioned. The term present tense is usually used in descriptions of specific languages to refer to a particular grammatical form or set of forms; these may have a variety of uses, not all of which will necessarily refer to present time. For example, in the English sentence "My train leaves tomorrow morning", the verb form leaves is said to be in the present tense, even though in this particular context it refers to an event in future time. Similarly, in the historical present, the present tense is used to narrate events that occurred in the past.
There are two common types of present tense form in most Indo-European languages: the present indicative (the combination of present tense and indicative mood) and the present subjunctive (the combination of present tense and subjunctive mood). The present tense is mainly classified into four parts:
The present indicative of most verbs in modern English has the same form as the infinitive, except for the third-person singular form, which takes the ending -[e]s. The verb be has the forms am, is, are. For details, see English verbs. For the present subjunctive, see English subjunctive.
A number of multi-word constructions exist to express the combinations of present tense with the basic form of the present tense is called the simple present; there are also constructions known as the present progressive (or present continuous) (e.g. am writing), the present perfect (e.g. have written), and the present perfect progressive (e.g. have been writing).
Use of the present tense does not always imply the present time. In particular, the present tense is often used to refer to future events (I am seeing James tomorrow; My train leaves at 3 o'clock this afternoon). This is particularly the case in condition clauses and many other adverbial subordinate clauses: If you see him,...; As soon as they arrive... There is also the historical present, in which the present tense is used to narrate past events.
In Modern Greek, the present tense is used in a similar way to the present tense in English and can represent the present continuous as well. As with some other conjugations in Greek, some verbs in the present tense accept different (but equivalent) forms of use for the same person. What follows are examples of present tense conjugation in Greek for the verbs βλέπω (see), τρώω (eat) and αγαπώ (love).
βλέπω
τρώω, τρώγω
αγαπώ, αγαπάω
εγώ I
βλέπω
τρώω, τρώγω
αγαπώ, αγαπάω
εσύ thou
βλέπεις
τρως, τρώεις
αγαπάς
αυτός/αυτή/αυτό he/she/it
βλέπει
τρώει, τρώγει
αγαπά(ει)
εμείς we
βλέπουμε
τρώμε, τρώγομε, τρώγουμε
αγαπάμε, αγαπούμε
εσείς you (pl.)
βλέπετε
τρώτε, τρώγετε
αγαπάτε
αυτοί/αυτές/αυτά they
βλέπουν(ε)
τρών(ε), τρώγουν(ε)
αγαπούν(ε), αγαπάν(ε)
Romance languages
The Romance languages are derived from Latin, and in particular western Vulgar Latin. As a result, their usages and forms are similar.
Latin present indicative tense
The Latin present tense can be translated as progressive or simple present. Here are examples of the present indicative tense conjugation in Latin.
plicāre
debēre
dicere
cupere
scīre
conjugation
1st
2nd
3rd
3rd
4th
ego
plicō
debeō
dīcō
cupiō
sciō
tu
plicās
debēs
dīcis
cupis
scīs
is, ea, id
plicat
debet
dicit
cupit
scit
nos
plicāmus
debēmus
dīcimus
cupimus
scīmus
vos
plicātis
debētis
dīcitis
cupitis
scītis
ei, eae, ea
plicant
debent
dīcunt
cupiunt
sciunt
French present indicative tense
In French, the present tense is used similarly to that of English. Below is an example of present tense conjugation in French.
parler
perdre
finir
partir
je
parle
perds
finis
pars
tu
parles
perds
finis
pars
il/elle/on
parle
perd
finit
part
nous
parlons
perdons
finissons
partons
vous
parlez
perdez
finissez
partez
ils/elles
parlent
perdent
finissent
partent
The present indicative is commonly used to express the present continuous. For example, Jean mange may be translated as John eats, John is eating. To emphasise the present continuous, expressions such as "en train de" may be used. For example, Jean est en train de manger may be translated as John is eating, John is in the middle of eating.On est en train de chercher un nouvel appartement may be translated as We are looking for a new apartment, We are in the process of finding a new apartment.
Italian present indicative tense
In Italian, the present tense is used similarly to that of English. What follows is an example of present indicative tense conjugation in Italian.
parlare
vedere
sentire
io
parlo
vedo
sento
tu
parli
vedi
senti
egli/ella
parla
vede
sente
noi
parliamo
vediamo
sentiamo
voi
parlate
vedete
sentite
essi/esse
parlano
vedono
sentono
Portuguese and Spanish present indicative tense
The present tenses of Portuguese and Spanish are similar in form, and are used in similar ways. What follows are examples of the present indicative conjugation in Portuguese.
In Bulgarian, the present indicative tense of imperfective verbs is used in a very similar way to the present indicative in English. It can also be used as present progressive. Below is an example of present indicative tense conjugation in Bulgarian.
писати* pisati
говорити* govoriti
искати* iskati
отваряти* otvarjati
аз az
пиша piša
говоря govorja
искам iskam
отварям otvarjam
ти ti
пишеш pišeš
говориш govoriš
искаш iskaš
отваряш otvarjaš
той, тя, то toj, tja, to
пише piše
говори govori
иска iska
отваря otvarja
ние nie
пишем pišem
говорим govorim
искаме iskame
отваряме otvarjame
вие vie
пишете pišete
говорите govorite
искате iskate
отваряте otvarjate
те te
пишат pišat
говорят govorjat
искат iskat
отварят otvarjat
*Archaic, no infinitive in the modern language.
Macedonian present tense
The present tense in Macedonian is expressed using imperfective verbs. The following table shows the conjugation of the verbs write (пишува/pišuva), speak (зборува/zboruva), want (сака/saka) and open (отвaра/otvara).
^Comrie, Bernard (1985). Tense. Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-23652-5.
^Qian, Nairong (錢乃榮) (2010). 《從〈滬語便商〉所見的老上海話時態》(Tenses and Aspects? Old Shanghainese as Found in the Book Huyu Bian Shang). Shanghai: The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press.
January 13, 2023
present, tense, other, uses, disambiguation, present, tense, abbreviated, pres, grammatical, tense, whose, principal, function, locate, situation, event, present, time, present, tense, used, actions, which, happening, order, explain, understand, present, tense. For other uses see Present tense disambiguation The present tense abbreviated PRES or PRS is a grammatical tense whose principal function is to locate a situation or event in the present time 1 The present tense is used for actions which are happening now In order to explain and understand present tense it is useful to imagine time as a line on which the past tense the present and the future tense are positioned The term present tense is usually used in descriptions of specific languages to refer to a particular grammatical form or set of forms these may have a variety of uses not all of which will necessarily refer to present time For example in the English sentence My train leaves tomorrow morning the verb form leaves is said to be in the present tense even though in this particular context it refers to an event in future time Similarly in the historical present the present tense is used to narrate events that occurred in the past There are two common types of present tense form in most Indo European languages the present indicative the combination of present tense and indicative mood and the present subjunctive the combination of present tense and subjunctive mood The present tense is mainly classified into four parts Simple present Present perfect Present continuous Present perfect continuousContents 1 Use 2 Hellenic languages 2 1 Modern Greek present indicative tense 3 Romance languages 3 1 Latin present indicative tense 3 2 French present indicative tense 3 3 Italian present indicative tense 3 4 Portuguese and Spanish present indicative tense 4 Slavic languages 4 1 Bulgarian present indicative tense 4 2 Macedonian present tense 5 Sinitic languages 6 See also 7 ReferencesUse EditThe present indicative of most verbs in modern English has the same form as the infinitive except for the third person singular form which takes the ending e s The verb be has the forms am is are For details see English verbs For the present subjunctive see English subjunctive A number of multi word constructions exist to express the combinations of present tense with the basic form of the present tense is called the simple present there are also constructions known as the present progressive or present continuous e g am writing the present perfect e g have written and the present perfect progressive e g have been writing Use of the present tense does not always imply the present time In particular the present tense is often used to refer to future events I am seeing James tomorrow My train leaves at 3 o clock this afternoon This is particularly the case in condition clauses and many other adverbial subordinate clauses If you see him As soon as they arrive There is also the historical present in which the present tense is used to narrate past events For details of the uses of present tense constructions in English see Uses of English verb forms Hellenic languages EditModern Greek present indicative tense Edit In Modern Greek the present tense is used in a similar way to the present tense in English and can represent the present continuous as well As with some other conjugations in Greek some verbs in the present tense accept different but equivalent forms of use for the same person What follows are examples of present tense conjugation in Greek for the verbs blepw see trww eat and agapw love blepw trww trwgw agapw agapawegw I blepw trww trwgw agapw agapawesy thou blepeis trws trweis agapasaytos ayth ayto he she it blepei trwei trwgei agapa ei emeis we blepoyme trwme trwgome trwgoyme agapame agapoymeeseis you pl blepete trwte trwgete agapateaytoi aytes ayta they blepoyn e trwn e trwgoyn e agapoyn e agapan e Romance languages EditThe Romance languages are derived from Latin and in particular western Vulgar Latin As a result their usages and forms are similar Latin present indicative tense Edit The Latin present tense can be translated as progressive or simple present Here are examples of the present indicative tense conjugation in Latin plicare debere dicere cupere scireconjugation 1st 2nd 3rd 3rd 4thego plicō debeō dicō cupiō sciōtu plicas debes dicis cupis scisis ea id plicat debet dicit cupit scitnos plicamus debemus dicimus cupimus scimusvos plicatis debetis dicitis cupitis scitisei eae ea plicant debent dicunt cupiunt sciuntFrench present indicative tense Edit In French the present tense is used similarly to that of English Below is an example of present tense conjugation in French parler perdre finir partirje parle perds finis parstu parles perds finis parsil elle on parle perd finit partnous parlons perdons finissons partonsvous parlez perdez finissez partezils elles parlent perdent finissent partentThe present indicative is commonly used to express the present continuous For example Jean mange may be translated as John eats John is eating To emphasise the present continuous expressions such as en train de may be used For example Jean est en train de manger may be translated as John is eating John is in the middle of eating On est en train de chercher un nouvel appartement may be translated as We are looking for a new apartment We are in the process of finding a new apartment Italian present indicative tense Edit In Italian the present tense is used similarly to that of English What follows is an example of present indicative tense conjugation in Italian parlare vedere sentireio parlo vedo sentotu parli vedi sentiegli ella parla vede sentenoi parliamo vediamo sentiamovoi parlate vedete sentiteessi esse parlano vedono sentonoPortuguese and Spanish present indicative tense Edit The present tenses of Portuguese and Spanish are similar in form and are used in similar ways What follows are examples of the present indicative conjugation in Portuguese Pronoun falar comer insistir ter sereu falo como insisto tenho soutu falas comes insistes tens esele ela voce fala come insiste tem enos falamos comemos insistimos temos somosvos falais comeis insistis tendes soiseles elas voces falam comem insistem tem saoThere follow examples of the corresponding conjugation in Spanish Pronoun hablar comer insistir tener seryo hablo como insisto tengo soytu hablas comes insistes tienes eresel ella usted habla come insiste tiene esnosotros hablamos comemos insistimos tenemos somosvosotros hablais comeis insistis teneis soisellos ellas ustedes hablan comen insisten tienen sonSlavic languages EditBulgarian present indicative tense Edit In Bulgarian the present indicative tense of imperfective verbs is used in a very similar way to the present indicative in English It can also be used as present progressive Below is an example of present indicative tense conjugation in Bulgarian pisati pisati govoriti govoriti iskati iskati otvaryati otvarjatiazaz pishapisa govoryagovorja iskam iskam otvaryamotvarjamtiti pisheshpises govorishgovoris iskashiskas otvaryashotvarjastoj tya totoj tja to pishepise govorigovori iskaiska otvaryaotvarjanienie pishempisem govorimgovorim iskameiskame otvaryameotvarjamevievie pishetepisete govoritegovorite iskateiskate otvaryateotvarjatetete pishatpisat govoryatgovorjat iskatiskat otvaryatotvarjat Archaic no infinitive in the modern language Macedonian present tense Edit The present tense in Macedonian is expressed using imperfective verbs The following table shows the conjugation of the verbs write pishuva pisuva speak zboruva zboruva want saka saka and open otvara otvara pishuvapisuvapishuvapisuvawrite zboruvazboruvazboruvazboruvaspeak sakasakasakasakawant otvaraotvaraotvaraotvaraopenјasjas1SGјasjas1SG pishuvampisuvampishuvampisuvam zboruvamzboruvamzboruvamzboruvam sakamsakamsakamsakam otvaramotvaramotvaramotvaramtiti2SGtiti2SG pishuvashpisuvaspishuvashpisuvas zboruvashzboruvaszboruvashzboruvas sakashsakassakashsakas otvarashotvarasotvarashotvarastoј toj 3SG Mtaa taa 3SG Ftoatoa3SG Ntoј taa toatoj taa toa3SG M 3SG F 3SG N pishuvapisuvapishuvapisuva zboruvazboruvazboruvazboruva sakasakasakasaka otvaraotvaraotvaraotvaranienie1PLnienie1PL pishuvamepisuvamepishuvamepisuvame zboruvamezboruvamezboruvamezboruvame sakamesakamesakamesakame otvarameotvarameotvarameotvaramevievie2PLvievie2PL pishuvatepisuvatepishuvatepisuvate zboruvatezboruvatezboruvatezboruvate sakatesakatesakatesakate otvarateotvarateotvarateotvaratetietie3PLtietie3PL pishuvaatpisuvaatpishuvaatpisuvaat zboruvaatzboruvaatzboruvaatzboruvaat sakaatsakaatsakaatsakaat otvaraatotvaraatotvaraatotvaraatSinitic languages EditIn Wu Chinese unlike other Sinitic languages Varieties of Chinese some tenses can be marked including the present tense For instance in Suzhounese and Old Shanghainese the word 哉 is used The particle is placed at the end of a clause and when a tense is referenced the word order switches to SOV 2 In a sentence such as 落雨了 it would be the perfective aspect in Standard Mandarin whereas this would be analysed as the present tense in contemporary Shanghainese where 哉 has underwent lenition to 了 See also EditGrammatical aspect Tense aspect mood Tense confusionReferences Edit Comrie Bernard 1985 Tense Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 23652 5 Qian Nairong 錢乃榮 2010 從 滬語便商 所見的老上海話時態 Tenses and Aspects Old Shanghainese as Found in the Book Huyu Bian Shang Shanghai The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Present tense amp oldid 1109286684, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,