The Time Trio: Unpacking "Hace," "Desde," and "Desde Hace" in Spanish

One of the most perplexing challenges I've faced while learning Spanish has been understanding when to use hace, desde, and desde hace when talking about time. Coming from English and Tagalog, these distinctions don't translate neatly—they require a fundamental shift in how I think about time expressions.

After countless mistakes and deep dives into grammar books, I finally feel like I'm getting the hang of these time expressions. In this post, I'll break down what I've learned about hace, desde, and desde hace—the differences, the usage patterns, and the mental frameworks that have helped me use them correctly.

The Many Uses of "Hace"

In Spanish, hace is incredibly versatile and comes from the verb hacer (to do/make). When discussing time, hace can be used in several different constructions, but I'll focus on the two most common patterns:

Pattern 1: Hace + Time Period + Verb in Past Tense

This structure is used to express how long ago something happened—a completed action in the past.

One thing that initially confused me was the word order. In English, we typically say the action first and then how long ago it happened ("I traveled to Spain two years ago"). In Spanish, it's often the reverse: you first mention how long ago, then the action ("Hace dos años viajé a España").

However, you can also put hace at the end of the sentence, which feels more natural to English speakers:

Pattern 2: Hace + Time Period + Que + Present Tense

This structure is used to express how long something has been happening, continuing from the past into the present. This is where it gets tricky for English speakers because we would use the present perfect tense ("have been").

This construction confused me for months because in English, we use the present perfect tense to show an action that started in the past and continues to the present. In Spanish, using hace...que with a present tense verb accomplishes the same meaning.

As a Tagalog speaker, I found some parallels that helped me understand this concept. In Tagalog, we use markers like "na" or "nang" with appropriate time expressions:

Understanding "Desde"

Desde is used to indicate the starting point of an action that continues to the present. The key difference from hace is that desde is followed by a specific point in time, not a duration.

Notice that desde is followed by:

• A specific year (2020)
• A specific month (enero)
• A clause with a past action that marks the beginning (desde que me gradué)

After struggling to differentiate between hace and desde, I created this mental framework: hace focuses on "how long" while desde focuses on "since when." This simple distinction helped me tremendously.

The Combined Power of "Desde Hace"

Now we come to the combination that confused me the most: desde hace. This construction blends elements of both desde and hace to express an action that started in the past and continues up to the present moment, emphasizing the duration.

Wait—doesn't this mean the same thing as "Hace tres años que estudio español"? Yes, essentially it does! This realization was both a relief and a source of confusion for me. Spanish offers multiple ways to express the same time relationship, which is versatile but challenging for learners.

The primary difference I've noticed is one of emphasis. Desde hace seems to emphasize the continuity of the action from a point in the past until now, while hace...que emphasizes how long the situation has been in effect.

Comparing All Three Constructions

Let's look at all three constructions side by side to clarify the differences:

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

As I've stumbled through learning these constructions, I've made plenty of mistakes. Here are some of the most common ones I've made (and still occasionally make):

Mistake 1: Using the wrong tense with "desde"

With desde, use the present tense for actions that continue to the present. The preterite tense would indicate the action ended in the past, which contradicts the meaning of desde.

Mistake 2: Confusing "desde" and "desde hace"

Remember: desde is followed by a specific point in time, while desde hace is followed by a duration.

Mistake 3: Translating "ago" literally

In English, we use "ago" to talk about past events. In Spanish, hace serves this function, not atrás, which is more about physical direction.

Additional Pattern: Using "Llevar"

Beyond the constructions we've already explored, there's another common way that Spanish speakers express duration of ongoing actions: using the verb llevar (to carry/to take).

This construction is particularly common in Spain and uses the following pattern: llevar + time period + gerund. It's yet another way to express the same meaning as "hace tres años que estudio español" or "estudio español desde hace tres años."

While this adds to the number of constructions you need to learn, it's actually helpful once you get used to it, as it gives you flexibility in how you express yourself.

Regional Variations

As with many aspects of Spanish, there are some regional preferences when it comes to these time expressions. While all the constructions we've discussed are understood throughout the Spanish-speaking world, some are more common in certain regions:

• In Spain, the llevar + time + gerund construction is very common.
• In Latin America, hace...que and desde hace constructions tend to be more frequently used.
• In some regions, you might hear hace replaced with hacen when talking about plural time periods (although this is considered nonstandard): "Hacen dos meses que estudio español" instead of "Hace dos meses que estudio español."

Being aware of these variations can help you better understand native speakers from different regions, though all the standard constructions we've discussed will be understood anywhere Spanish is spoken.

Practice Makes Perfect

After months of confusion, what finally helped me understand these constructions was simple: consistent practice. I created flashcards with sentences using these time expressions and reviewed them regularly. I also made a conscious effort to use them in conversations with my language exchange partners, who were kind enough to correct me.

Here's a simple exercise that helped me solidify these concepts: I wrote down 5-10 ongoing activities in my life and expressed how long I've been doing them using all possible constructions. For example:

Try this exercise with your own activities:

• Studying Spanish
• Working at your current job
• Playing a musical instrument or sport
• Following a TV series
• Knowing a friend or colleague

The more you practice these patterns, the more natural they'll become. Eventually, you'll find yourself using them automatically without having to translate from your native language.

When to Use Each Construction

While these constructions can sometimes be interchangeable, there are situations where one is more appropriate than the others. Here are some guidelines:

• Use hace + time period (at the beginning or end of a sentence) when referring to a completed action in the past.
• Use desde + specific date/time when you want to emphasize the starting point of an ongoing action.
• Use desde hace + time period or hace + time period + que when you want to emphasize how long an ongoing action has been happening.
• Use llevar + time period + gerund as an alternative way to express duration, especially in conversation.

As you gain more experience with Spanish, you'll develop an intuition for which construction sounds most natural in a given context. Until then, any of the correct forms will effectively communicate your meaning.

Conclusion: Time Takes Time

Learning to express time relationships correctly in Spanish has been one of my biggest challenges, but also one of the most rewarding. These constructions offer a glimpse into how Spanish speakers conceptualize time differently, which has been fascinating to discover.

If you're struggling with hace, desde, and desde hace like I did, remember that it's normal to find them confusing. Even advanced learners sometimes mix them up. The key is consistent practice and exposure to how native speakers use these expressions in context.