How Many Tenses Exist in English
English is a highly structured language when it comes to verb tenses. Although at first glance they may seem numerous, they are all based on three main tenses: present, past, and future.
Each of these can be expressed in four aspects: simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous.
Therefore, there are a total of 12 main verb tenses in English.
Table of the 12 Verb Tenses in English
| Tense | Name in English | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presente Simple | Simple Present | I study English | Yo estudio inglés |
| Presente Continuo | Present Continuous | I am studying English | Estoy estudiando inglés |
| Presente Perfecto | Present Perfect | I have studied English | He estudiado inglés |
| Presente Perfecto Continuo | Present Perfect Continuous | I have been studying English | He estado estudiando inglés |
| Pasado Simple | Simple Past | I studied English | Estudié inglés |
| Pasado Continuo | Past Continuous | I was studying English | Estaba estudiando inglés |
| Pasado Perfecto | Past Perfect | I had studied English | Había estudiado inglés |
| Pasado Perfecto Continuo | Past Perfect Continuous | I had been studying English | Había estado estudiando inglés |
| Futuro Simple | Simple Future | I will study English | Estudiaré inglés |
| Futuro Continuo | Future Continuous | I will be studying English | Estaré estudiando inglés |
| Futuro Perfecto | Future Perfect | I will have studied English | Habré estudiado inglés |
| Futuro Perfecto Continuo | Future Perfect Continuous | I will have been studying English | Habré estado estudiando inglés |
How Verb Tenses Are Grouped
1. Present Tenses
Used to talk about current actions, habits, or universal truths.
- Simple: I work every day.
- Continuous: I am working right now.
- Perfect: I have worked here since 2020.
- Perfect Continuous: I have been working here for 5 years.
2. Past Tenses
Used to describe actions that happened in the past or were in progress.
- Simple: I visited London last year.
- Continuous: I was visiting London when it rained.
- Perfect: I had visited London before moving.
- Perfect Continuous: I had been visiting London for weeks.
3. Future Tenses
Used to describe actions that will happen after the present.
- Simple: I will travel tomorrow.
- Continuous: I will be traveling next week.
- Perfect: I will have traveled by then.
- Perfect Continuous: I will have been traveling for two days.
Tips for Learning Verb Tenses
- Start with the present tenses, as they are the most commonly used.
- Learn the basic verb forms (infinitive, past, and past participle).
- Practice with real examples — write sentences about your day or your plans.
- Use comparison tables like the one above to visualize the patterns.
- Listen and read in English to recognize tenses in context.