Since yesterday

Seit gestern

Describe when a continuing condition began, give a duration and say that it is improving.

Use seit for something that started earlier and continues now. Seit gestern gives a starting point; seit zwei Tagen gives a duration. German uses the present tense in Ich bin seit gestern krank. Es wird besser describes improvement, not complete recovery. Review the present forms bin, haben and wird. In the fictional dialogue, Wie geht es Ihnen jetzt? asks how you are now; Es wird besser answers with improvement. The two-day duration belongs to this dialogue; yesterday is a separate teaching example.

Ich bin seit gestern krank keeps bin in second position. If the time phrase comes first, say Seit gestern bin ich krank. The whole phrase seit gestern occupies the first position.

When describing a continuing problem, distinguish when it began from how long it has lasted. Use invented examples; no diagnosis is needed for this language exercise.

Seit gestern ich bin krank has the wrong statement order. Put bin before ich after the opening time phrase. Seit zwei Tagen is a valid short answer even without a full sentence.

Starting point: seit gestern. Duration: seit zwei Tagen. Question: Seit wann? Change: Es wird besser.

Give two separate fictional examples: one beginning yesterday and another lasting two days. Do not treat the two time expressions as automatically identical.