The mistake and the correction
Wrong
“I have been working here since five years.”
Correct
“I have been working here for five years.”
Use 'for' when you talk about a period or duration: for five years, for three months, for two weeks. Use 'since' when you talk about the starting point: since 2019, since January, since I joined the company. If the action started in the past and continues now, English often uses the present perfect or present perfect continuous: 'I have worked here for five years' or 'I have been working here since 2019.'
Why Arabic speakers make this mistake
Arabic often expresses time relationships differently, and one structure can cover meanings that English separates into 'since' and 'for'. Because of this, Arabic speakers may translate the idea directly and say 'since five years' or 'working since years'. In English, the listener needs to know whether you mean the full length of time or the exact starting point.
Correct examples in professional situations
Meeting update
“We have been working on this project for three months.”
Email or message
“I have been waiting for your approval for two days.”
Job interview
“I have been working in procurement since 2020.”
Performance review
“I have managed this client for six months.”
Networking conversation
“I have known him since last year.”
Why does this matter in a professional context?
This mistake usually does not stop people from understanding you, but it can make your English sound translated rather than natural. In interviews, meetings, and client conversations, small grammar choices affect how fluent and precise you sound. Using 'since' and 'for' correctly signals that you can explain timelines clearly. This is especially important when you talk about your experience, project progress, deadlines, delays, and long-term responsibilities.
Ready-to-use phrases with 'since' and 'for'
“I have been working in this field for five years.”
Use this when describing your total experience.
“I have been with the company since 2021.”
Use this when giving the year you started.
“We have been discussing this issue for two weeks.”
Use this in meetings when referring to a continuing topic.
“The system has been live since Monday.”
Use this when giving the exact starting day.
“I have handled this account for the past six months.”
Use this when describing responsibility over a period.
“We have had this process in place since last quarter.”
Use this when explaining when something began.
What many Arabic speakers say vs what to say instead
Weak version
“I have experience since five years.”
Strong version
“I have five years of experience.”
Other phrases to double-check
- •I am working here since 2020 vs I have been working here since 2020
- •I have experience since five years vs I have five years of experience
- •Since long time vs for a long time
- •From 2020 until now vs since 2020
- •During five years vs for five years
- •I know him since last year vs I have known him since last year