How long have you (been) ...?
Asking and answering about duration with the present perfect
Present state vs. duration
When something started in the past and is still true now, English uses the present perfect — not the present simple — to talk about how long.
They are married. (present — describes the situation now)
How long have they been married? (present perfect — asks about duration)
They have been married for 20 years.
You cannot say “They are married for 20 years” or “How long are they married?”
Present simple vs. present perfect
| Present situation | Duration (present perfect) |
|---|---|
| Paul is in hospital. | He has been in hospital since Monday. |
| We know each other very well. | We‘ve known each other for a long time. |
| Do they have a car? | How long have they had their car? |
| She’s waiting for somebody. | She hasn’t been waiting very long. |
Notice the pattern: when you add since or for, the verb shifts to the present perfect.
Continuous or simple?
When the question is “how long?”, the present perfect continuous is the more natural choice for actions:
- I‘ve been learning English since January.
- It’s been raining all morning.
- Richard has been doing the same job for 20 years.
- “How long have you been driving?” “Since I was 17.”
But some verbs do not take the continuous form. Use the present perfect simple with verbs like know, like, and have (meaning possess):
- How long have you known Jane? (not
have you been knowing) - I‘ve had these shoes for ages. (not
I’ve been having)
Live and work: both forms are fine
With live and work, you can use either form with no change in meaning:
- Julia has been living in this house for a long time. or Julia has lived …
- How long have you been working here? or How long have you worked here?
One exception: use the simple form with always.
- I‘ve always lived in the country. (not
I’ve always been living)
Negatives with since/for
To say when you last did something, use haven’t + past participle with since or for:
- I haven’t seen Tom since Monday. (Monday was the last time I saw him.)
- Sarah hasn’t phoned for ages. (The last time she phoned was ages ago.)
Quick Self-Check
Ben is a colleague of mine. I _____ him for about five years.
Select your answer:
How long _____ at this company? I started in 2019.
Select your answer:
Lisa is on a business trip in Germany. She _____ there since last Tuesday.
Select your answer:
I _____ this laptop for three years. It still works fine.
Select your answer:
I _____ Tom since the last team meeting.
Select your answer: