Italian uses present tense + da + time expressions to indicate an action that began in the past and is still going on in the present. English, by contrast, uses the present perfect tense (I have spoken, I have been working) + for + time expressions.
verb in the present tense + da + length of time
Scio da un anno. (I’ve been skiing for a year.)
Prendi lezioni di karatè da molti mesi. (You’ve been taking karate lessons for many months.)