1. Hace … que

2. Hace…que + presente = for Using the verb hacer with the present tense form of a verb indicates the length of time an action has been taking place. Hace + time + que + present tense form of the verb Hace un año que estudio español. I have been studying Spanish for one year.

3. Hace…que + pretérito = ago When the verb is in the preterit tense, a different meaning is conveyed: Hace + time + que + preterit tense form of the verb Hace un año que estudié español. I studied Spanish one year ago.

4. There is another way to convey the same idea: Preterit tense form of the verb + hace + time Estudié español hace un año. I studied Spanish one year ago.

5. Note the differences and similarities: Hace un año que estudio español. I have been studying Spanish for one year. Hace un año que estudié español. I studied Spanish one year ago. Estudié español hace un año. I studied Spanish one year ago.

6. Ejercicio: ¿puedes traducir estas oraciones? I ate one hour ago. They read the entire novel two years ago. My parents paid my tuition two weeks ago. I attended the lecture two weeks ago. The girl did her homework 30 minutes ago. The boy read a book six years ago. We bought the house twenty years ago.

7. Continuación I’m sorry! How long have you been waiting? I’ve wanted to eat at this restaurant for a long time. How long ago were your born? Aura left for Buenos Aires six years ago. Celia had been studying for six hours when Sergio called her. Matías wasn’t surprised; he had read about the problem three years earlier.