1.3.1 Present simple



Forms: walk, walks, go, goes.


We make questions and negatives with do or does and the infinitive:



Positive statement They talk. Mary goes.
Negative statement They don't talk. Mary doesn't go.
Positive question Do they talk? Does Mary go?
Negative question Don't they talk? Doesn't Mary go?


We use the present simple for general facts, e.g.:



The sun rises in the east.
(El Sol surt per l'est.)
Most dogs swim very well.
(La majoria dels gossos neden molt bé.)

We also use it for habits or regular actions in a time that includes present time, e.g.:



Margaret walks to work.
(La Margaret va a la feina caminant.)

Nowadays all young people go to school.
(Avui dia tots els joves van a l'escola.)
Do you play chess?
(Jugues a escacs?)


The present simple is typically used with frequency adverbs, e.g.:


Mary always walks to work.
(La Margaret sempre va a la feina caminant.)
Nowadays Indians don't usually live in tents.
(Avui dia els indis normalment no viuen en tendes.)
Do you often play chess?
(Jugues als escacs sovint?)


As distinct from Catalan, we cannot use the present simple to express offers or suggestions, e.g.:


T'ajudo?
(Shall I help you?)
Anem al cinema?
(Shall we go to the cinema?)



For shall, see also future time.



We cannot use the present simple to express future actions, e.g.:


Ara torno.
(I'll be back straightaway.)



We cannot use the present simple to refer to the period of time from a point in the past up to the present, e.g.:


Fa molt de temps que no veig la Maria.
(It's a long time since I saw Mary.) Past simple.
Vivim aquí des de fa tres anys.
(We've lived here for three years.) Present perfect.