for many years
prep. phr..prep. phr.. A phrase that means something has happened or been true for a long period of time.
prep. phr.. A prepositional phrase indicating a long, unspecified duration, typically spanning multiple years.
They have lived in this house for many years.
She has been a vegetarian for many years, ever since she was a teenager.
The policy, which had been debated for many years, was finally implemented despite considerable opposition from industry lobbyists.
This phrase is often used with perfect tenses (like 'have been' or 'had worked') to describe a duration.
Contrast with 'since', which marks a starting point (e.g., 'since 2010'), whereas 'for' marks a duration (e.g., 'for ten years').
I know him for many years.I have known him for many years.Use the present perfect tense for states that began in the past and continue to the present.