Spanish has several time markers that look similar but mean very different things. This page covers the most important patterns: hace, desde hace, desde, en, por, and durante.
hace + time + que (have been doing for)
Use this when an action started in the past and is still happening now. The main verb goes in the present tense.
Pattern: hace + time + que + verb (present).
Hace una hora que te espero.
I've been waiting for you for an hour.
The same idea can be expressed with llevar. See llevar expressions.
hace + time (ago)
Without que, hace plus a time expression means "ago". The main verb goes in the past tense.
Llegué hace dos horas.
I arrived two hours ago.
Nos casamos hace diez años.
We got married ten years ago.
Hace un mes que empezó el curso.
The course started a month ago.
desde hace + time (for)
Used with the present tense to say "for how long" an ongoing action has been taking place. This is the answer to ¿desde hace cuánto?
Estudio español desde hace tres años.
I've been studying Spanish for three years.
Vive en Lima desde hace un mes.
He's been living in Lima for a month.
Trabajo aquí desde hace poco.
I've been working here for a short time.
desde + point in time (since)
Desde alone means "since" a specific moment.
Te conozco desde 2015.
I've known you since 2015.
Desde el lunes no he comido nada.
I haven't eaten anything since Monday.
Vivo aquí desde enero.
I've lived here since January.
en + time (in / within)
En points at how long something takes to finish, or at a moment in the future.
Lo terminé en diez minutos.
I finished it in ten minutes.
Nos vemos en una hora.
See you in an hour.
por + time (for a duration)
Por stresses an approximate duration or a stretch of time dedicated to something. In some regions it is used less than in Spain, but it is still common.
Viví en España por dos años.
I lived in Spain for two years.
Estudié por toda la noche.
I studied all night long.
See por vs para for the broader story.
durante (during / for)
Durante covers both "during" and, in duration contexts, "for".
Durante el verano vamos a la costa.
During the summer we go to the coast.
Estudió durante toda la tarde.
She studied the entire afternoon.
No hablé durante la reunión.
I didn't speak during the meeting.
Quick comparison
| Structure | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| hace + time + que + presente | have been doing for | hace dos años que vivo aquí |
| verb (past) + hace + time | ago | llegué hace dos horas |
| desde hace + time | for (duration, present) | estudio desde hace tres años |
| desde + point | since | desde 2015 |
| en + time | in / within | en diez minutos |
| durante + time | during / for | durante el verano |
Related Topics
- Expressions with HacerA2 — Idioms built around hacer, from weather to time to everyday chores.
- Expressions with LlevarB1 — Llevar for wearing, duration, carrying out plans, and getting along.
- Por vs Para: Complete ComparisonB1 — Side-by-side comparison of when to use por and when to use para, with a mnemonic and examples