Since is used as a preposition, conjunction, or adverb. It most commonly means from a time in the past until now (temporal use) or because / given that (causal use). As an adverb, it means from that time onwards.
What Does Since Mean?
Since comes from Old English siþþan, meaning "after that" or "thereupon". It passed through Middle English as sithen and later sins before reaching its modern spelling. The word has carried both its time meaning and its causal meaning for centuries, making it one of the most versatile function words in English.
In its most common (temporal) use, since answers the question "from when?". It marks the starting point of a situation that is still true at the moment of speaking or writing: "She has worked here since 2018." This is why it almost always appears with a present perfect verb — the action or state is not finished.
The causal use of since is equivalent to because or as. It introduces a reason that is already known to the listener: "Since you are the expert, perhaps you can explain." This use is more formal or written in register and is especially common in academic and professional English.
The adverbial use stands alone at the end of a clause and means "from that past moment until now": "She left in 2015 and has since moved abroad." The phrase ever since adds emphasis to this meaning.
Example Sentences by Level
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| She has been studying English since she was twelve years old. | A2 — since as temporal conjunction + present perfect |
| I haven't eaten anything since breakfast. | B1 — since as preposition indicating a start time |
| Since the weather forecast was good, we decided to go for a walk. | B1 — since as causal conjunction (= because) |
| He resigned from the board last spring and has since set up his own consultancy. | B2 — since as adverb meaning "from that time onwards" |
| Since considerable progress has been made in renewable energy, the targets set a decade ago now appear modest by comparison. | C1 — since as formal causal conjunction in academic register |
Collocations with Since
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| ever since | We met at university and have been close friends ever since. |
| long since | The original building was long since demolished. |
| since then | The law changed in 2020; since then, the rules have been much clearer. |
| since childhood | He has played chess since childhood. |
| since birth | She has been deaf since birth. |
| since last year | Sales have improved considerably since last year. |
| since the beginning | Since the beginning of the course, her confidence has grown enormously. |
| since when | Since when did you become an expert on the subject? (rhetorical question) |
| not … since | I haven't felt this relaxed since my holiday in July. |
| it has been … since | It has been three years since we last spoke. |
Usage Notes
Temporal since always takes the present perfect (or past perfect in indirect speech). The present simple or past simple is incorrect in standard British English: say "I have lived here since 2015", not "I live here since 2015".
Since vs. for: Use since with a specific starting point in time (since Monday, since she arrived). Use for with a duration (for two days, for a long time). Mixing these up is one of the most frequent grammar mistakes at A2–B1 level.
Since vs. ago: Ago is used with the simple past and measures distance back from the present: "She started three years ago." Since marks the starting point and uses the present perfect: "She has worked here since three years ago" is grammatically possible but awkward — prefer "She has worked here for three years."
Causal since vs. because: Both express a reason. Since is used when the reason is already known to both parties or is being treated as background information. Because is more neutral and is used when the reason is new or is the main focus of the sentence.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
I live in London since 2019.
I have lived in London since 2019. (present perfect required with temporal since)
She hasn't called me since three months.
She hasn't called me for three months. (use for with a duration, not since)
We are friends since we were children.
We have been friends since we were children. (present perfect, not present simple)
Since he didn't come, because I was worried.
Since he didn't come, I was worried. (do not combine since and because in the same clause)