Hace + time period?

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Permalink Reply by Cherry on December 12, 2009 at 9:07pm

Hi Church,
Here is a formula for that:

Hace + time + que + preterite tense form of the verb

Hace tres años que bucearon en Hawaii.

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Permalink Reply by motley on December 13, 2009 at 8:19am

Interesting Cherry. I have a set of flash cards & they give the formula as

hace + time + que + Present tense verb
Hace meses que no voy a la biblioteca

I haven't been corrected in class using the present tense verb

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Permalink Reply by Cherry on December 13, 2009 at 9:03am

Hi Motley,
To form the affirmative expression, use
Hace + time + que + preterite tense form of the verb
I went to the library months ago.
Hace meses que fui a la biblioteca.

To form the negative expression, use
Hace + time + que + no + present tense form of the verb
I haven't gone to the library in months.
Hace meses que no voy a la biblioteca.

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Permalink Reply by motley on December 13, 2009 at 9:50am

I should have know better than to question you. That is something I haven't heard.
The more I learn, the more I realize I don't know.

Any interesting rules for desde hace?

Gracias Cherry

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Permalink Reply by Cherry on December 13, 2009 at 10:18am

Hey, this stuff can get really confusing. It never hurts to ask.
About desde
To form the affirmative:

Present tense form of the verb + desde hace + time

I have been going to the same library for one year.

Voy a la misma biblioteca desde hace un año.



To make the expression negative, put "no" before the verb

No + present tense form of the verb + desde hace + time

I haven't gone to the same library for a year.

No voy a la misma biblioteca desde hace un año.

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