Since or For? The Timeline Trick

Lovely! You're chatting with someone new at a party.

좋아요! 파티에서 처음 만난 사람과 이야기하고 있어요.

They ask, how long have you lived here?

상대가 물어요. "여기 산 지 얼마나 됐어요?"

And you say, since three years.

그리고 여러분은 "since three years"라고 대답해요.

They nod politely... but they look a bit confused.

상대는 예의 바르게 고개를 끄덕여요... 하지만 좀 어리둥절한 얼굴이에요.

Here's the trick. Picture a timeline.

요령은 이거예요. 시간선을 떠올려 보세요.

Since points to one moment on that line.

"since"는 그 선 위의 한 시점을 가리켜요.

For measures the whole stretch.

"for"는 그 전체 길이를 재요.

Since Monday. Since last summer. Since I was ten.

"Since Monday." "Since last summer." "Since I was ten."

Each one is a single point in time.

모두 시간 속의 한 점이에요.

But for three years. For two weeks. For ages.

하지만 "for three years", "for two weeks", "for ages"는요?

See? Each one is a length, like a piece of string!

보이죠? 모두 길이예요, 끈 한 토막처럼요!

Oh, and here's a bonus!

아, 그리고 보너스가 있어요!

Both usually go with the present perfect.

둘 다 보통 현재완료와 함께 써요.

I've lived here for three years. I've lived here since last summer.

"I've lived here for three years." "I've lived here since last summer."

So next time, ask yourself one thing.

그러니까 다음엔 스스로에게 하나만 물어보세요.

Can I point at it on a calendar?

달력에서 그걸 짚을 수 있나?

Yes? Since. No? It's a length, so for.

네? 그럼 "since". 아니요? 길이니까 "for".

Now, how long have you been learning English?

자, 여러분은 영어를 공부한 지 얼마나 됐나요?