How French works
When describing something that is in the process of being accomplished:
Où est Pierre? Il joue au tennis avec Paul
Where's Pierre? He's playing tennis with Paul
When describing something that happens regularly:
Le samedi matin nous allons toujours au supermarché
On Saturday mornings we always go to the supermarket
When making a general observation about the world:
L'eau bout à 100°C
Water boils at 100°C
Rien n'est laid pour celui qui aime
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
When describing something that began in the past and that is still continuing:
Je travaille à Manchester depuis quatre ans
I have been working in Manchester for four years
Ça fait combien de temps que tu habites ici?
How long have you been living here?
When describing something that has been timetabled or pre-arranged:
Le train part dans 5 minutes
The train leaves in 5 minutes
L'été prochain nous faisons un voyage en France
Next summer we're going on a trip to France
When narrating actions in the past to make them seem more vivid:
Nous nous promenions en ville. Tout à coup un jeune homme nous aborde. Il a l'air fatigué et malade. Il nous demande de l'argent.
We were walking in town. Suddenly a young man comes up to us. He looks tired and ill. He asks us for money.