







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| Hey, there is a stranger in the toilet, who is he? | Hey, in der Toilette ist ein Fremder. Wer ist das? |
| I mean, do you cook Asian or other kinds of cuisines? | Ich meine, kochst du asiatische Speisen oder Gerichte aus anderen Ländern? |
| You are right, is there anything you want me to buy on the way? | Du hast Recht. Soll ich etwas unterwegs kaufen? |
| I hope she is not a problematic one, then... | Ich hoffe dann, dass sie kein problematischer Teenager ist... |
| I live very close by. | Ich wohne hier in der Nähe. |
| Is that what you want me to do? | Willst du, dass ich das mache? |
| Do you really think it looks like we have a cleaner? | Sieht es für dich wirklich so aus, als ob wir eine Putzfrau haben? |
| You look much younger than that. | Du siehst viel jünger aus. |
| That's why the rent is much lower than average. | Deswegen ist die Miete auch viel niedriger als im Durchschnitt. |
| My friend noted here it is your wedding anniversary! | Meine Kollegin hat hier vermerkt, dass es Ihr Hochzeitsjubiläum ist! |
| Normally, girls check the wine list for half an hour before they order. | Normalerweise lesen Mädchen eine halbe Stunde lang die Weinkarte, bevor sie bestellen. |
| And we have to weigh everything by ourselves, etcetera. | Und wir müssen alles selbst wiegen, usw. |
| That would be great! Do you think it's possible? | Das wäre großartig! Denkst du, dass das möglich ist? |
| Sh*t! I can't believe it's already 10:30! | Verdammt! Ich kann nicht glauben, dass es schon 22:30 Uhr ist! |
| I don't think we need to pay for it. | Ich denke nicht, dass wir dafür zahlen müssen. |
| Really? Sade is one of my favourites, too. | Echt? Sade gehört auch zu meinen Favoriten. |
| You are so realistic dear, where is your wedding ring? | Du bist so realistisch Schatz, aber wo ist dein Hochzeitsring? |
| Okay, how much salt do you want me to add? | Okay, wie viel Salz soll ich hinzufügen? |
| Is it really on the menu? | Steht das wirklich auf der Karte? |
| But he hisses occasionally, is it normal? | Aber er faucht manchmal. Ist das normal? |