Key points about using 'desde hace' in Spanish
- Use desde hace with the present tense to say how long something has been happening for.
- Desde hace is used after the verb in the present tense.
- Questions can start with desde hace to ask how long something has been happening for.
How to use 'desde hace' and the present tense in Spanish
Desde hace is used with the present tense to say how long you have been doing something, or how long something has been happening.
Desde hace follows the present tense verb and is followed by the relevant length of time.
For example:
Estudio ingl茅s desde hace dos a帽os. - I've been studying English for two years.
When used in a question, desde hace often comes at the start of the question.
For example:
驴Desde hace cu谩nto tiempo vives en Espa帽a? - How long have you been living in Spain?
Remember
Even though a sentence containing desde hace is translated in the past tense, the verb in Spanish must in the present tense. For example, the following English sentence is in the the past tense:
It has been raining for three hours.
But when it translated into Spanish, it is in the present tense:
Llueve desde hace tres horas.
'Desde hace' - Mini quiz
Fill in the gaps to complete the following sentence:
La conozco _____ ______ ocho a帽os.
I鈥檝e known her for eight years.
La conozco desde hace ocho a帽os.
Quiz - Using 'desde hace' and the present tense
Practise what you've learned about using desde hace in Spanish with this quiz.
Now you have learned about desde hace in Spanish why not explore imperatives in Spanish?
More on Present tense verbs
Find out more by working through a topic
- count9 of 10
- count10 of 10
- count1 of 10
- count2 of 10
