







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 | |
|---|---|
| I have no idea... But I hope they have a good excuse! | Ich habe keine Ahnung... Aber ich hoffe die Person hat einen guten Grund! |
| Yeah, I wonder if we share the same taste in movies! | Ja, ich frage mich ob wir bei Filmen auch denselben Geschmack haben! |
| Because you are in it. | Du bist dabei. |
| No, it doesn't look clean, do you want me to clean it? | Nein, sie sieht nicht sauber aus. Soll ich sie saubermachen? |
| I have an appointment with the home office for my visa extension. | Ich habe einen Termin beim Innenministerium wegen der Verlängerung meines Visums. |
| Let me check... when is best for you? | Lassen Sie mich sehen... Wann passt es Ihnen am besten? |
| Who the f*ck is that, what's the time? | Wer zum Teufel ist das? Wie spät ist es? |
| They don't usually work after ten o'clock. | Sie arbeiten normalerweise nicht mehr nach 22 Uhr. |
| It's on the Northern line, the same one we use here. | Auf der Northern Line. Die gleiche Linie die wir hier verwenden. |
| I am planning to sleep in a bit since it's a holiday. | Ich plane ein bisschen auszuschlafen, da es ein Feiertag ist. |
| When I have free time. | Wenn ich Zeit habe. |
| Why do you think it's weird? | Warum denkst du es ist eigenartig? |
| How old are you? | Wie alt bist du? |
| Thanks for warning me now, that's very helpful! | Danke, dass du mir das jetzt sagst. Sehr hilfreich! |
| There is also some cheese, but it's a bit mouldy. | Es gibt auch ein bisschen Käse, aber der ist schon etwas schimmelig. |
| Is it because the other tenants don't want pets? | Liegt es daran, dass die anderen Mieter keine Haustiere möchten? |
| Who is Mike, darling? | Wer ist Mike, meine Liebe? |
| Erm, she's the marketing manager at the company. | Sie ist die Marketing Managerin der Firma. |
| I don't want to stay in this house anymore! | Ich möchte nicht länger in diesem Haus bleiben! |
| Is there a problem with your phone battery? | Gibt es ein Problem mit dem Akku deines Telefons? |