Simple Present Tense

This is the tense you will use most. When I teach it in class, I tell people one thing first: the grammar is easy, but there is one small -s that almost everyone forgets. We'll get to it. 😄

When do we use it?

1. Habits: things you do again and again

Habits

සිංහලෙන්

• I drink tea every morning.
• My father reads the newspaper after breakfast.
• We play cricket every Sunday.
• Nimali takes the bus to work.

Words like every day, always, usually, often, sometimes and never are a good sign that you need this tense.

2. Facts and things that don't change

Facts

සිංහලෙන්

• The sun rises in the east.always true
• Coconut trees grow well near the sea.always true
• I work at a bank in Colombo.my situation
• My sister lives in Kurunegala.my situation

3. Timetables and schedules

When something runs on a timetable, we use the simple present, even if it's in the future.

Timetables

සිංහලෙන්

• The train to Kandy leaves at 6.30 a.m.
• Your exam starts at 9.
• The shop opens at 9 and closes at 6.

4. Directions and instructions

Directions

සිංහලෙන්

• You go straight, then you turn left at the kovil.
• First, you add the coconut milk, then you stir it well.

5. The future, after "when", "after", "until"…

After when, after, before, as soon as and until, we use the simple present for the future. Not will.

After time words

සිංහලෙන්

• I'll call you when I arrive at the airport.
• Please wait here until the doctor comes.

The -s rule (he, she, it)

Here it is. With he, she, it (or one person or thing, like Amma, the bus, my phone), add -s to the verb.

Spelling, in short:

• Most verbs: add -s → eats, runs
• Ending in -sh, -ch, -ss, -x, -o: add -es → washes, watches, misses, fixes, goes
• Consonant + -y: change to -ies → study → studies, cry → cries (but play → plays)
• have → has

Questions and negatives

For questions and negatives, we bring in a helper: do or does. Then the main verb goes back to its basic form, with no -s.

don't = do not, and doesn't = does not. The short forms are normal when you speak.

Putting it together

සිංහලෙන්

• He wants hoppers for breakfast.
• Does he want hoppers?
• He doesn't want string hoppers.
• Do you go to your village for the New Year?

Quick check

Tap an answer. Nothing is saved.

1. Thaththa two cups of tea every morning.

   drinkdrinks

2. They to Galle every weekend.

   gogoes

3. the bus stop at Maharagama?

   DoDoes

4. Malki teledramas after dinner.

   watcheswatchs

5. My phone work when it rains. 😅

   don'tdoesn't

6. I'll message you when I in Jaffna.

   arrivewill arrive