Expressing ongoing duration
In English, we use "have been" to describe an ongoing action that started in the past and continues today. In Spanish, express this using the verb llevar, an amount of time, and a gerund (the -ando or -iendo form of a verb).
| I have been playing the violin for two hours. | Llevo dos horas tocando el violín. |
| My sister has been playing the drums for six months. | Mi hermana lleva seis meses tocando la batería. |
Ensembles and rehearsals
Conjugate llevar to match the subject doing the action, such as the orchestra (la orquesta) or the choir (el coro).
| The orchestra has been rehearsing for the concert for a month. | La orquesta lleva un mes ensayando para el concierto. |
| We have been singing in the choir rehearsal all afternoon. | Llevamos toda la tarde cantando en el ensayo del coro. |
Asking "How long?"
To ask how long someone has been doing something, start your question with ¿Cuánto tiempo...? followed by llevar and a gerund.
| How long have you guys been composing music? | ¿Cuánto tiempo lleváis componiendo música? |
| Have you been composing at the piano for many years? | ¿Llevas muchos años componiendo al piano? |
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