Spanish Present Tense

RULES AND USES OF THE PRESENT TENSE

The present tense can be used in the following situations.

Used to express an on going action which will occur over and over now and in the future.

Aquí venden pan.
Here they sell bread.

Cada mañ camino a la escuela.
Every morning I walk to school.

An action that is currently happening.

La cena está lista.
The dinner is ready.

Tengo mucho frío.
I am very cold.

Action began in the past and continues in the present. They are formed with the verb 'hacer' + the expression of time + 'que' + present tense verb.

Hace 12 años que trabajo en la escuela.
It was 12 years ago that I started working in the school.

Hace mucho tiempo que canta en la iglesia.
It was a long time ago that she started singing in the church.

Used to express an historic event that occurred in the past.

La NASA halla agua en el planeta marte en el 2008.
NASA found water on the planet Mars in 2008.

Encuentran un agujero negro cinco veces más grande que el sol.
They found a black hole five times larger than the sun.

Used to express an action that has not yet happened.

Llamo más tarde.
I'll call later.

El martes vamos a Miami.
Tuesday we go to Miami.