Introduction
One of the most confusing aspects of Spanish grammar for English speakers is understanding when to use desde and hace to express time. Both words relate to time in Spanish, yet they function differently and follow distinct grammatical rules. Many beginners struggle with this distinction because English often uses a single construction that maps differently onto Spanish depending on context. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the rules governing desde and hace, provide clear examples, and help you master this essential aspect of Spanish grammar so you can speak and write with greater confidence and accuracy.
Understanding the Basic Difference
What Does Desde Mean?
The word desde is a preposition that means from or since in English. When used with time expressions, desde establishes the starting point of an action or state that continues to the present moment. It indicates when something began and implies that the action or state is still ongoing. For example, if you say Estudio español desde enero, you mean you started studying Spanish in January and you are still studying it now.
The key characteristic of desde is that it pinpoints a specific moment in time when an action or condition started. This moment can be a specific date, month, year, time of day, or a specific event. Desde is always paired with the present tense or present perfect tense in Spanish to convey that the action began at a particular point and continues into the present.
What Does Hace Mean?
The word hace is the third-person singular form of the verb haber, but when used for time expressions, it functions quite differently from desde. Hace means ago in English and expresses the duration of time that has passed since an action occurred. Rather than pinpointing when something started, hace measures how much time has elapsed.
For instance, if you say Hace dos años que aprendí a manejar, you mean it has been two years since you learned to drive, emphasizing the duration of two years that has passed. Hace is typically used with the preterite tense or the present perfect tense to show when an action completed in the past and how long ago that was.
Desde with Present Tense: Ongoing Actions
The Construction with Present Indicative
When you want to express an action that started in the past and continues into the present, use desde with the present indicative tense. This construction is equivalent to the English present perfect continuous (have been doing). The basic formula is: Subject + Present Tense Verb + desde + Time Expression.
Consider these examples:
Trabajo en esta empresa desde 2015.
(I have been working at this company since 2015.)
Mi hermana vive en Madrid desde el 2010.
(My sister has been living in Madrid since 2010.)
Estudiamos español desde septiembre.
(We have been studying Spanish since September.)
In these examples, the actions began at the specified times and continue to the present. The speakers are still working, living, and studying at the moment of speaking. This is a critical distinction: desde implies continuity from the past into the present moment.
Time Expressions Used with Desde
Desde can be paired with various types of time markers. You can use specific dates like desde el 5 de marzo (since March 5th), months like desde julio (since July), years like desde 2018 (since 2018), or even expressions like desde la mañana (since morning) or desde hace dos años (since two years ago). When you use desde with hace, you are combining both concepts to express both the starting point and the duration.
Hace for Expressing Duration and Past Actions
Hace with Preterite Tense: Completed Actions
When you want to express that an action occurred at a specific time in the past and has been completed, use hace with the preterite tense. The formula is: Hace + Time Duration + que + Preterite Verb, or Preterite Verb + hace + Time Duration.
Look at these examples:
Hace tres días que llegué a Barcelona.
(I arrived in Barcelona three days ago.)
Comimos juntos hace una semana.
(We ate together a week ago.)
Hace dos meses que terminé mi proyecto.
(I finished my project two months ago.)
In these sentences, the actions are complete and finished. The emphasis is on how long ago the action took place, not on its continuation into the present. The duration measured by hace provides temporal distance from the present moment to a past event.
Hace with Present Perfect Tense: Recent Completions
You can also use hace with the present perfect tense when describing actions that occurred recently or within a timeframe that feels close to the present. The meaning is similar, but the present perfect emphasizes the relevance of the past action to the present moment.
Examples include:
Hace una hora que he llegado a casa.
(I arrived home an hour ago.)
Hace años que no veo a mis primos.
(It has been years since I have not seen my cousins.)
Notice that hace in these constructions still measures duration, but the present perfect tense connects the past action more directly to the present context.
Desde vs Hace: Direct Comparison with Examples
Side-by-Side Comparison
To truly understand the difference between desde and hace, let’s examine how each would be used in similar situations:
Scenario: You started learning guitar three months ago and you are still learning.
Using desde:
Estudio guitarra desde hace tres meses.
(I have been studying guitar for three months.)
Using hace alone would not work in this scenario because hace alone emphasizes completion, not ongoing action.
Scenario: You attended a concert three weeks ago.
Using hace:
Fui al concierto hace tres semanas.
(I went to the concert three weeks ago.)
Using desde would not work here because the concert is a completed, single event, not an ongoing state.
Scenario: You have been living in your current house since 2019.
Using desde:
Vivo en esta casa desde 2019.
(I have been living in this house since 2019.)
This emphasizes the starting point and continuity into the present.
Common Patterns and Rules to Remember
The Key Rules Summarized
To avoid confusion, remember these fundamental rules:
First, use desde when you want to indicate the starting point of an action or state that continues to the present. Desde answers the question when did it start and it is still happening? Always pair desde with the present tense for clarity.
Second, use hace when you want to measure how much time has passed since a completed action or event. Hace answers the question how long ago did something happen? Use hace with the preterite or present perfect tense.
Third, you can combine desde hace when you want to express both the starting point and the duration of an ongoing action. This construction combines the strengths of both words and is very common in Spanish.
The Desde Hace Construction
Desde hace is an extremely useful combination that native speakers use frequently. It literally means since ago and combines the concepts of starting point and duration. The formula is: Present Tense Verb + desde hace + Time Duration.
Examples:
Trabajo aquí desde hace cinco años.
(I have been working here for five years.)
No veo a mi amiga desde hace mucho tiempo.
(I have not seen my friend for a long time.)
Espero desde hace una hora.
(I have been waiting for an hour.)
This construction is arguably the most natural way to express ongoing situations with a measurable time duration in Spanish.
Practice Examples and Common Mistakes
Mistakes English Speakers Make
English speakers often transfer their native language patterns to Spanish and make predictable errors with desde and hace. One common mistake is using the wrong tense with these time markers. For example, saying Hace tres años que trabajo aquí (using present tense with hace) suggests the job was completed three years ago, which is confusing. The correct version with ongoing work would be Trabajo aquí desde hace tres años.
Another frequent mistake is confusing the direction of time. Remember that desde goes forward from a starting point to now, while hace goes backward from now to a past event. Mixing these up will result in grammatically incorrect or nonsensical sentences.
A third common error is overusing desde in contexts that demand hace. If someone asks you how long ago you visited a city, they are asking for duration of a completed event, not the establishment of an ongoing state. You would answer with hace, not desde.
Correct Usage in Context
To solidify your understanding, here are correctly structured sentences demonstrating proper usage:
Correct: Tomo clases de español desde enero de este año.
(I have been taking Spanish classes since January of this year.)
This emphasizes the starting point with ongoing action.
Correct: Tomé clases de español hace dos años.
(I took Spanish classes two years ago.)
This emphasizes a completed action in the past.
Correct: Tomo clases de español desde hace dos años.
(I have been taking Spanish classes for two years.)
This combines duration and ongoing action.
Conclusion
Mastering the distinction between desde and hace is essential for anyone learning Spanish, as these constructions appear constantly in everyday conversation. Desde indicates the starting point of an ongoing action or state that continues into the present, while hace measures the duration of time that has elapsed since a completed event. By remembering to use desde with the present tense for ongoing situations, hace with the preterite for completed actions, and the combination desde hace for expressing duration with continuity, you will dramatically improve your ability to express time correctly in Spanish. With consistent practice and attention to these rules, you will soon use these essential words with confidence and accuracy, bringing you closer to fluency in this beautiful language.
