Learn Hardcore Romanian: De când stăm aici, vecina ne aduce flori primăvara. - Since we have been living here, the neighbor brings us flowers in the spring.

De când stăm aici, vecina ne aduce flori primăvara.

Since we have been living here, the neighbor brings us flowers in the spring.

Breakdown of De când stăm aici, vecina ne aduce flori primăvara.

Questions & Answers about De când stăm aici, vecina ne aduce flori primăvara.

What does de când mean here?

Here de când means since or ever since.

So:

De când stăm aici = Since we have been here / Ever since we started living here

In other contexts, de când? can also be a question meaning since when?, but in this sentence it introduces a time clause.

Why is stăm in the present tense, not a past tense?

Romanian often uses the present tense for something that started in the past and is still true now.

So:

De când stăm aici literally = Since we stay/live here
natural English = Since we’ve been living here or Ever since we moved here

This is a very common difference from English. English often uses a present perfect or present perfect continuous, while Romanian can simply use the present.

Does a sta really mean to live here? I thought it meant to stay or to sit.