In German
seit
Meaning: since, for (a duration continuing to now)
Example sentences
IchlerneseiteinemJahrDeutsch.
I've been learning German for a year.
SeitdemUnfallgehtesihmbesser.
He's been doing better since the accident.
SiewohntseitderHochzeithier.
She's lived here since the wedding.
Grammar note
“Seit” always takes Dativ. It marks a duration or starting point that continues into the present — paired with present tense in German, unlike English's “have been” construction.
Common mistake
Don't use past tense with “seit” the way English uses “have been”. German says “Ich lerne seit einem Jahr Deutsch” (present tense), not a perfect construction, because the action is still ongoing.
Quick check
Which preposition means “since” or “for” a duration still continuing, and always takes Dativ?
More words on this topic
Keep learning German
Practise it in a lesson →Frequently asked questions
Why does German use present tense with “seit”?
Because the action is still happening now — German doesn't need a perfect tense to show that, unlike English “I have been learning”.
What's the difference between “seit” and “vor”?
“Seit” marks an ongoing duration from a point to now; “vor” marks a point of time in the past (“ago”), finished.