Review of verb tenses

Present continuous

Maria mănâncă un măr acum.

Mary is eating an apple now. (action in progress = în desfășurare, at the moment of speaking)

S + am/is/are + verb-ing
NOW

Present simple

Maria mănâncă un măr în fiecare zi.

Mary eats an apple every day. (repeated, habitual action)

S + verb

S + verb-s
NOW

Past simple

Maria a mâncat un măr ieri.

Mary ate an apple yesterday. (past and finished action – the time is specified)

S + verb (2nd form)

NOW

Past continuous

Maria mânca un măr când Marc a ajuns acasă.

Mary was eating an apple when Mark got home. (action in progress at a certain moment in the past)

S + was/were + verb-ing

NOW

Present Perfect simple

Maria tocmai a mâncat un măr.

Mary has just eaten an apple. (past action with a consequence in the present – the apple is eaten)

NOW

Maria a mâncat trei mere azi.

Mary has eaten three apples today. (past action(s) – usually repeated – up to the present)

S + have/has + verb (3rd form)

the time is not specified NOW

Present Perfect continuous

Maria mănâncă mărul de o jumătate de oră.

Mary has been eating the apple for half an hour. (action that started in the past and is still
happening now)

S + have/has + been + verb-ing

started in the past NOW

is still happening

Past perfect simple

Maria mâncase deja mărul când Marc a ajuns acasă.

Mary had eaten the apple when Mark got home. (past action finished before another past
action/moment)

S + had + verb (3rd form)

had eaten NOW

got home

Past perfect continuous

Maria mânca din măr de o jumătate de oră când Marc a ajuns acasă.

Mary had been eating the apple for half an hour when Mark got home. (past action that was still
continuing at a moment in the past)

S + had + been + verb-ing

started eating Mark got
the apple home NOW

was still eating when

Mark got home

Future simple

Maria va mânca un măr mâine.

Mary will eat an apple tomorrow. (future action – usually prediction)

S + will + verb

NOW

Mark will eat the apple

Future continuous

Maria va mânca un măr mâine la ora asta.

Mary will be eating an apple at this time tomorrow. (future action in progress at a moment in the
future)

S + will be + verb-ing

10 o’clock
NOW tomorrow

10 o’clock today
will be eating

Future perfect simple

Maria va fi mâncat mărul până la ora 5.

Mary will have eaten the apple by 5 o’clock. (future action finished before another future moment)

S + will have + verb (3rd form)

NOW 5 o’clock

will have eaten

(before 5 o’clock)

Future perfect continuous

Maria va mânca din măr de 10 minute când Marc va ajunge acasă.

Mary will have been eating the apple for 10 minutes when Marc gets home. (future action started
before another future moment and which will still be happening at a moment in the future)

S + will have been + verb-ing

NOW

will be still eating when

Mark gets home