71
Talking about the present
Statements and questions regarding present states and events are expressed in English
in more than one way. Think, for example, of sentences such as ‘He is at work’, ‘He is
working’, ‘He usually works until late’, ‘He has been working since 10.00’, all involving
some form of reference to the present. Spanish also expresses such ideas with different
constructions, as you will see from the examples below.In the sections which follow you will find information on how to refer to states, facts,
events and actions which bear a relationship with the present.71.1 Describing present states or conditions
To describe or enquire about present states or conditions, for example ‘Is it warm?’,
‘It’s cold’, ‘He’s tired’, we use the present tense. 17.1.1 (p. 72)
¿Hace calor? Is it warm?
Hace frío. It’s cold.
Está muy cansado. He’s very tired.
Están muy contentos. They’re very happy.71.2 Giving information about facts which are generally true or
true in the present
To inform about facts which are generally true or true in the present, e.g. ‘Most
Spaniards are Catholic’, ‘He’s the chairman of the committee’, we use the present
tense.La mayoría de los españoles son católicos.
Most Spaniards are Catholic.
España es mucho más grande que Holanda.
Spain is much bigger than Holland.
Él es el presidente del comité.
He’s the chairman of the committee.