How to Say ‘For (a period of time) / Since (some time ago)’ in Spain Spanish
Desde hace...
DEHZ-deh AH-seh
[DEHZ-deh AH-seh]
💬 Usage Tip: Key structure: “desde hace + time period” = “for + time.” Example: “desde hace dos años.”
🇪🇸 In Spain: Spanish uses this a lot in everyday chat; it’s a handy pattern to sound natural fast.
Phrase Breakdown
Desde
[DEHZ-deh]
since; from
Introduces a time period that started in the past. With “hace,” it leads into duration: “for…” / “since… (time ago)”.
Desde hace tiempo, oro a Jesús cada noche.
For some time now, I pray to Jesus every night.
hace
[AH-seh]
ago; (it has been)
In time expressions, “hace” + time = “... ago” / “it’s been ...”. With “desde hace” it expresses duration up to now: “for ...”.
Desde hace dos años, leo el Evangelio y conozco más a Jesús.
For two years now, I’ve been reading the Gospel and getting to know Jesus more.
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