On the surface, Present Simple in Spanish is the easiest tense. It is the first item we learn in the classroom, and it allows us to express quite a few things about our everyday life.
However, sometimes we do not pay enough attention to some particular uses of the Present Simple. In this post, I will talk about both the most common and the unusual uses of this tense.
To talk about qualities
One of the most common uses of the Present Simple is talking about the current qualities of things. For example, we can use the Present Simple for talking about how is our house:
- Mi casa es pequeña. Tiene un huerto lleno de tomates y pepinos. → (My house is tiny. It has a garden full of tomatoes and cucumbers).
We can also use it for asking about these qualities.
- ¿Cómo es tu casa? → (How is your house?)
As we can see, all of them are things we have under control. If we want to express the same thing but with a hint of doubt, we will not use the Present Simple but the Future Simple:
- No sé cómo será la casa de Lidia, pero imagino que será pequeña y tendrá un pequeño huerto. Siempre ha soñado tener una casa así.
Present Simple for describing momentary situations
Even though this use is similar to the previous one, it is not the same. This kind of Present allows us to talk about the current situation of some things. For example:
- Lidia está en Bogotá, pero mañana se marcha. → (Lidia is in Bogotá, but tomorrow she will leave).
- Tengo un resfriado terrible, incluso tengo fiebre → (I have a terrible cold, I even have temperature).
Talking about habits
This is another very common use. We use the Present Simple for talking about our daily life. For example, we can say:
- Los martes voy al gimnasio, pero los miércoles descanso → (On Tuesday I go to the gym, but on Wednesday I rest).
- ¿Qué haces los sábados por la mañana? → (What do you do on Saturday morning?)
Giving instructions
Something interesting about verbal tenses is that they are sometimes a bit confusing. For example, we can use the Present Simple for talking about the future. When someone asks us for instructions about making a recipe or how to arrive somewhere, we tend to use the Imperative. However, we can also use the Present Simple.
In this particular case, we are not using the Present Simple for talking about events happening now. Nevertheless, we are talking about controlled events on which we are sure.
PorAs we have seen before, the key of the Present Simple is that we can use it for talking about certain and controlled things or events. For example:
- ¿Cómo se hace el pisto? → (How do you cook pisto?)
- Pues verás… Primero pones aceite a calentar. Después echas un poco de ajo picado. Cuando el ajo está dorado, añades el pimiento troceado. Diez minutos después, echas el tomate triturado, bajas el fuego y lo dejas cocinarse durante una hora.
Present Simple for trustworthy information about the future
When we want to assert something sure about the future, we can use the Present Simple. In order to do that, we need to use it in combination with other clarifying elements. This way, we will not mislead our audience. For example:
- Mañana voy al médico por la mañana. → (Tomorrow I have an appointment with the doctor). → It is an appointment, so I am sure I will go.
- El lunes por la tarde sale mi avión a Edimburgo. → (I have to take a plane on Monday afternoon). → There is a timetable, I have a ticket, and I am sure that I will take that plane.
We can also use it for asking about these very same plans:
- ¿A qué hora sale tu avión? → (At what time do you have to take a plane?).
- ¿Cuándo tienes que ir al médico? →(When do you have to go to the doctor?).
Timeless Present Simple
This Present Simple is used to express universal knowledge. Proven things that can not change.
- El área de un triángulo es igual a la base por la altura partido por dos. → (The area of a triangle is ½ (b × h), where b is the base and h is the height).
- Todo cuerpo sumergido en un fluido experimenta un empuje vertical y hacia arriba igual al peso del fluido desalojado. → (The upward buoyant force that is exerted on a body immersed in a fluid, whether fully or partially, is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body displaces).
Historic Present
It is a peculiar though frequent use in literary and journalistic texts. It is useful for presenting facts from the past as something contemporary. Let’s take a look at an example:
- La Revolución francesa termina en 1799 cuando Napoleón Bonaparte da un golpe de estado. → (French Revolution ends in 1799 when Napoleon Bonaparte stage a coup d’état).
- Hay distintas opiniones sobre cuándo empieza la Edad Moderna. Algunos dicen que empieza en 1492 cuando Colón llega a América y empiezan las invasiones y ocupaciones de los territorios por parte de Europa. → (There are several points of view about when the Modern Age starts. Some people settle in 1492 as its beginning. It is when Christopher Columbus arrives in America and when European invasions and occupations begin).
Historic Present is not just something for a formal register. We can also use it informally. We update our stories by using this tense, presenting them more alive. For example:
- No te lo vas a creer. Ayer estoy tan tranquila en mi habitación, estudiando, cuando de repente una paloma empieza a dar picotazos en mi ventana. Abro la ventana para ver qué le pasa y descubro que lleva una carta atada en su pata. ¡Era una paloma mensajera!
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