Simple Present: Explanation, Rules & Examples

You probably know the present tense from your German class, including those simple present called. The simple present is the same tense, just in English. You use the simple present when you want to make statements about the present.

Simple Present – ​​Rules and Education

With the simple present you can positive and negative statements meeting. But you can not only make statements, but also Questions place. You already know the whole thing from German. You can now find out how this works in English.

Simple present positive statements

You form positive statements in the simple present by using the base form of the verb use. If you write sentences with the personal pronouns Iyou, we or they form, you do not have to change the verb.

You can learn more about pronouns in the «Pronouns» explanation.

Here you will find two example sentences that show you that the basic form of the verb does not change:

You walk to school.

We play soccer.

You can see that the verbs walk and play remained in their basic form and did not have to be changed.

However, the verb does not remain in the basic form for every positive statement! If you write sentences with the personal pronouns hey, she or it form, you must attach to the verb s attach. Here you will find two example sentences for how the verb at hey, she or it changes:

She reads a book.

He drinks water.

Here you can see that the verbs read and drink one each –s was attached. You always have to pay attention to this when you make sentences with hey she or it form

But there is another special feature of sentences with hey, she or it. If you use a verb that starts with a sibilance ends, like wash or watchthen instead of –s a –it attach. Another example:

He washes the car.

She watches TV.

Here you can see that the verbs wash and watches a –it was appended instead of just one –s.

So you don’t forget that -s at hey, she, it to append, there is a mnemonic. This phrase reads: Hey, she, it the –s must go!

positive statements in the simple present you form after this sample:

  • I/you/we/they + base form of the verb
  • he/she/it + Base form of the verb with attached -s

exceptions

There are also the following exceptions:

  • to the verbs can, may, might and must will nos attached. They remain the same in all forms!
  • If the verb ends with a consonant + y (e.g. carry) will not be just one -s appended, from the y will also be one ieas in carries. If the verb has a vowel before the y has (e.g. play), it will y not with ie replaced, as with plays.

Mom tidies up the kitchen after cooking.

Daniel empties the dishwasher.

Tim does his shopping every Monday.

He goes to the supermarket around the corner.

Simple present negation

You form negative statements in the simple present by using for I, you, we and they don’t and the base form of the verb use. To make things clearer for you, here are two examples:

I don’t play soccer.

They don’t like apples.

As with the positive statements, the verbs have here too play and Like not changed. You only have to don’t put in front of the verb to make a negative statement.

Just as with the positive statements, there are also exceptions for the personal pronouns in the negative statements hey, she and it. Here you must now doesn’t put in front of the base form of the verb. It is important that you then no –s have to add more to the verb! The whole thing has already happened by you doesn’t instead of don’t used. To make this clearer, here are two examples for you:

She doesn’t swim.

It doesn’t rain.

The verbs swim and rain have stayed in the basic form this time. By the use of doesn’t, you don’t have to add a –s attach.

To remind you that you are at doesn’t not yet to the other verb –s there is an extension of the mnemonic above: Hey, she, it the –s must go, but be wise, a –s it’s enough!

denied Testify in the simple present you form after this sample:

  • I/you/we/they + don’t + base form of the verb
  • he/she/it + doesn’t + base form of the verb

Simple present questions

In addition to positive and negative statements, you can also formulate questions in the simple present. You form questions in the simple present by writing for I, you, we and they the verb do and use the base form of the verb. Here is an example of a question in the simple present:

Do we visit the christmas market?

You see, do will to the beginning asked the question and the verb visit remains in the basic form.

If you have any questions hey she or it want to form, then you use does. The verb remains in its basic form. Here you can see an example of a question hey she or it:

Here you can see how does to the beginning the question is asked and the verb eat remains in the basic form. It must Not an extra one s to be appended since that is achieved by using does has already happened.

Questions in the simple present you form after this sample:

  • do + I/you/we/they + base form of the verb
  • Does + he/she/it + base form of the verb

So the sentence structure of a question is the same as that of a statement, except that at the beginning a do or does stands.

Of course you can also say no to questions. Here are two examples of negative questions.

Doesn’t he eat apples?

Don’t you go to school?

If the questions are answered in the negative, it will not to the do or does appended and made into one word. You then use the short form of does not/do not and not the long form like does not/don’tsince the whole thing would sound a bit strange.

question words

You can also use question words to form questions. These are then placed directly at the beginning of the question.

Question words are for example:

  • Where
  • When
  • why
  • How
  • Who
  • Who
  • Which
  • What

Here are three examples with question words for you.

When do you usually eat lunch?

Where does she go to school?

Why doesn’t he like dogs?

You see, the question word is always used at the beginning of the question. This is followed by the familiar structure of a question.

Simple present examples

In this table you will find an overview of the formation of positive and negative statements and questions in the simple present.

Positive statementNo statementQuestionI like cats.I don’t like cats.Do you like cats?He sings.He doesn’t sing.Does he sing?They dance.They don’t dance.Do they dance?

Simple present usage

When exactly do you have to use the simple present? This table shows you the different situations in which you use the simple present.

SituationExampleAn action repeats itself over and over again. It is therefore recurring, regular or habitual. I often get home at 8 PM. A statement has no precise reference to time. It is therefore universal.Life goes on.An action is fixed and will also take place in the future (e.g. bus timetable).The bus departs at 7 AM every morning.One action follows the next action.After lunch, I go to the classroom again. An urgent request or appeal is made to someone. Leave my house!

Simple present signal words

Signal words tell you that you have to use a certain amount of time. Are you reading any of these? signal wordsyou have to Use simple present.

In this table you can see all the signal words and how they are built into an example sentence.

signal word sample sentencealways («always») He always drinks water.often («often»)I often watch TV.usually («usually»)She usually eats lunch at 1 o’ clock.generally («general)»It generally rains in November.. («sometimes»)Sometimes we eat in a restaurant.never («never») They never watch soccer.every Monday/every week/etc. («every Monday/every week/etc.»)You visit the pool every week.

Comparison Simple Present and Present Progressive

The simple present and the present progressive are very similar because both actions describe the present tense. In addition, it is sometimes difficult for German native speakers to tell the two tenses apart, since there is no tense in German that is similar to the present progressive. So that you use the times correctly, both are compared to show the differences.

Use of timeExample sentenceSimple Present

  • when something happens regularly
  • if a statement has no reference to time and is generally valid
  • Action that lies in the future and will always happen the same way

I usually drink juice.In this example you indicate that you usually drink juice. Present Progressive

  • when an action is taking place at this moment and has not yet been completed
  • if you are describing a date in the near future
  • Signal words are for example: just, now, at the moment.

I am drinking juice.In this example you express that you are drinking juice right now.

If you still want to know how to form the Present Progressive tense, you are welcome to take a look at the summary «Present Progressive».

Simple Present – The most important thing

  • The simple present describes the simple present.
  • You form the simple present by using the basic form of the verb. at hey, she, it still have to –s to be appended. You form negative statements with the help of the verb don’t/doesn’t + the base form of the other verb.
  • You also form questions using the verb do/does. Do/does is always at the beginning of the question, followed by the personal pronoun and then the other verb in its basic form.
  • These signal words show you when to use the simple present: always, often, usually, generally, sometimes, never, every Monday/week/etc.
  • You use the simple present for recurring actions, general statements, urgent requests, actions that follow one another in the present and actions that will also take place in the future (such as a bus timetable).