1. Hacer in Time Expressions
(El uso del verbo hacer con expresiones de
tiempo)
........
¿Cuánto tiempo
hace que canta esa
nota?
2. In Spanish, special constructions with the verb
hacer are used to express the idea that an action
began in the past and is still going on in the
present. how long a certain action has been continuing,
To ask
use the following construction.
¿Cuánto (tiempo) hace que + a verb phrase in the present tense?
¿Cuánto tiempo hace que Pepe Romero toca la guitarra?
How long has Pepe Romero been playing the guitar?
¿Cuántos minutos hace que esperas la audición?
How many minutes have you been waiting for the
audition?
3. In Spanish, special constructions with the verb
hacer are used to express the idea that an action
began in the past and is still going on in the
present.
To answer these questions, use these constructions
with hacer.
hace + a time expression + que + a verb phrase in the present tense
Hace más de treinta años que Pepe Romero toca
la guitarra.
Pepe Romero has been playing the guitar for over
thirty years.
Note that in Spanish, the verb hacer and the main verb are in the
present tense; the English equivalent, however, uses has or have
been.
4. Hacer para referirse a eventos pasados
To tell how long ago an action or event occurred in Spanish
you will use a similar construction. Hacer will be used in the
present tense, but the verb phrase will be in the preterit. When
the verb phrase begins the sentence, omit the que.
hace + a time expression + que + a verb phrase in the preterit tense
or
a verb phrase in the preterit tense + hace + a time expression
¿Cuánto tiempo hace que salió para el concierto?
How long ago did she leave for the concert?
Hace veinte minutos que salió.
She left twenty minutes ago.
Conocí a Celín Romero en España hace dos años.
I met Celín Romero in Spain two years ago.