Learn French: Le docteur nous attend depuis une heure. - The doctor has been waiting for us for an hour.

In French, when an action started in the past and is still continuing in the present, you use the present tense combined with depuis (meaning "since" or "for"). Because the doctor is still waiting right now, French uses the present tense attend.

Why isn't there a word for "for" in this sentence, like "waiting for"?

The French verb attendre inherently means "to wait for". It connects directly to its object without needing an extra preposition like pour.

Attend looks like the English word "attend". Do they mean the same thing?

No, they are "false friends"! In French, attendre means "to wait". If you want to say "to attend" an event (like a meeting or a class), you would usually use the verb assister à.

Why is nous placed before the verb instead of after?

In French, object pronouns like nous (meaning "us" in this sentence) are placed directly in front of the verb they are connected to. So instead of saying "attend nous", you must say nous attend.