Expressing Ongoing Duration
When you want to say that an action has been happening for a certain amount of time and is still going on, English uses the present perfect continuous tense (e.g., "I have been working"). Farsi approaches this much more simply.
Because the action is still happening right now, Farsi uses the standard present indicative tense, introduced by the phrase است که (is that).
The formula is: [Time period] + است که + [Present Indicative Verb]
Literally, you are saying "It is [time period] that I am doing [action]."
| We have been using this invention for a century. | یک قرن است که از این اختراع استفاده میکنیم.yek gharn ast ke az in ekhterâ estefâde mikonim. |
| I have been downloading this file for twenty minutes! | بیست دقیقه است که این فایل را دانلود میکنم!bist daghighe ast ke in fâyl râ dânlod mikonam! |
Notice how the Farsi verbs are in the present tense because the action continues into the present moment.
| He has been developing this digital model for a month. | یک ماه است که این مدل دیجیتال را توسعه میدهد.yek mâh ast ke in model dijitâl râ towse'e midahad. |
| They have been studying digital communication for two decades. | دو دهه است که در مورد ارتباط دیجیتال تحقیق میکنند.do dahe ast ke dar morede ertebât-e dijitâl tahghigh mikonand. |
To ask a question about how long an ongoing action has been happening, you can use the phrase مدت زیادی است که (is it a long time that) combined with a question word like آیا or simply with a rising tone of voice.
| Have you been working with this digital device for a long time? | آیا مدت زیادی است که با این دستگاه دیجیتال کار میکنید؟âyâ moddat-e ziyâdi ast ke bâ in dastgâh dijitâl kâr mikonid? |
| Have you been looking for the new model for a long time? | آیا مدت زیادی است که دنبال مدل جدید میگردید؟âyâ moddat ziyâdi ast ke donbâl model jadid migardid? |