since

"Since" is a flexible little word. Most often, it shows the starting point of something: "I've been waiting *since noon." Here, the waiting began at noon and has continued up to now. It can also mean "from then on" or "after that time," as in "She moved to Madrid in 2020 and has been much happier since." And it can give a reason, much like "because": "Since* it's raining, we should stay inside." So this word usually helps you talk about time or explain why something is true.

The word "since" does two main jobs in English: it talks about time, and it gives a reason. It is a small word, but it appears in many very common sentence patterns.

When it is about time, "since" points to the moment when something started. Very often, the idea is "from that time until now." For example: "She has lived in Paris *since she graduated from college." Her life in Paris started after graduation and still continues now. This use is common with the present perfect: "I have known him since* 2018."

It can also point back to a past starting point in phrases like "since then." That phrase is very common: "We met in July, and *since then* we have spoken every day." Here, "since then" means "from that time until now."

Another common pattern is when "since" is followed by a full clause: "It has been three years *since* we last met." In this kind of sentence, the meeting happened three years ago. So "since" does not always describe an action that is still happening; sometimes it simply marks the earlier point in time that later time is measured from.

"Since" can also mean "because." In that use, it introduces the reason for something: "*Since* it's raining, we should stay inside." This is close to "because," but it often sounds a little softer, especially when the reason is already clear or easy to understand.

So, in everyday English, "since" usually helps in one of two ways: it marks a starting point in time, or it explains why something happens.