The present tense in the indicative mood denotes fact or reality, and indicates that the action is occurring at the same time of speaking:
- Juan estudia. (Juan studies.)
- María trabaja . (María works.)
Note that the simple present often translates as the present continuous in English.
- Él come ahora. (He eats now. / He is eating now.)
- Jimena habla por teléfono. (Jimena talks on the phone. / Jimena is on the phone.)
Of course, we also use the present tense to indicate actions which are not necessarily limited to the immediate present:
The present tense
It is used to Indicate actions that may have begun in the past and continue into the future.
- Siempre paso mis vacaciones en Phuket.
(I always spend my vacations in Phuket.)
- En esta ciudad llueve muy poco.
(It rains very little in this city.)
- Trabajo aquí desde hace cinco años.
(I work here since five years ago.)
We also use the present tense to express actions that take place outside any time limitation. Proverbs and sayings fall into this category:
- La luna gira alrededor de la tierra. (The moon circles the Earth.)
- El tiempo es oro. (Time is gold (money).)
- El que se va sin que lo echen regresa sin que lo llamen.
(He who leaves without being sent away returns without being called upon.)
The present tense is also used to express actions that are about to take place in the immediate future.
- Mañana viajo a España. (Tomorrow I travel to Spain.)
- Luego voy a Francia. (Afterwards I´ll go to France.)
- Más adelante regreso a España. (Later on I will return to Spain.)
We also use the present tense to describe actions that took place in the past. Call it a "historic present", if you will:
- En 1492 Colón descubre América. (In 1492 Columbus discovers America.)
- En 1992 Barcelona organiza las olimpiadas.
(In 1992 Barcelona hosts the Olympic Games.)
Finally, we use the present tense to stress or underline an order. It is more emphatic than the imperative:
- ¡Ahora te vas! (Now you leave!)
- ¡Ahora mismo te pones a estudiar! (Get down to study immediately!)
Click here to practice the present tense and many other
aspects of Spanish grammar.
