“Ab” vs “seit” for time periods

Question

I have a problem understanding the exact difference between ab and seit when talking about the beginning of a time period. Can someone explain it?

I was corrected recently when I said:

Seit dem nächsten Montag (Starting from the next Monday)

and was told, that I should use ab.

score 34 · Accepted Answer · edited Jul 05 '16 at 06:05

34

Generally, I – as a German – would say that things that will happen in future are composed with ab.

Ab morgen gehe ich arbeiten.

Things that began in the past but span to the present are composed with seit.

Seit gestern gehe ich arbeiten.

edited Jul 05 '16 at 06:05

chirlu

answered Jul 04 '16 at 14:30

MrOnkelChiller

9

Just as in English we also use different words: "From tomorrow I will be working in London", "Since yesterday I have been working in London". – Michael Kay Jul 04 '16 at 23:13
1

Googling ab gestern suggests that quite a few speakers of German also use ab for things that have started in the past (where I would exclusively use seit). The same phenomenon exists in Dutch (speakers using vanaf where I would always use sinds). – reinierpost Jul 05 '16 at 09:31
@reinierpost I think the usage of ab and seit very much depends on the spoken idiom. – MrOnkelChiller Jul 05 '16 at 09:35
1

@MrOnkelChiller but I don't think anyone uses seit for something that will start in the future. – reinierpost Jul 05 '16 at 09:40
@reinierpost. No, I also don't think so. Did I assert that someone would do that? – MrOnkelChiller Jul 05 '16 at 09:44
@MrOnkelChiller: not at all; I just wanted to clarify that your statement doesn't mean "anything goes". – reinierpost Jul 05 '16 at 09:45
@reinierpost Ah, okay. That's alright, thank you. – MrOnkelChiller Jul 05 '16 at 09:55

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