In this Spanish grammar lesson, you will learn how to say how long something had been happening in Spanish.
In this lesson you will learn about:
- how to say how long something had been happening in Spanish
- how the idioms are used in sentences
- how you can quiz yourself on how to say how long something had been happening in Spanish
- how you can practice with flashcards on how long something had been happening in Spanish
- how and why you should use the courses of Language Atlas to learn Spanish
By the end of the lesson you will know all about how long something had been happening in Spanish!
Table of Contents
How Long Something Had Been Happening in Spanish
To say “how long” something had been happening in Spanish you will say:
- hacía + [length of time] + que + verb in the imperfect
Here are some examples:
Hacía tiempo que no tomábamos algo juntos.
It had been a long time since we had a drink together.
Hacía varios días que pensaba en llamarte.
I had been thinking of calling you for several days.
Hacía tres meses que no visitaba a sus padres.
He had not visited his parents for three months.
This construction tends to be followed by another sentence that interrupts the first sentence. This interrupting sentence starts with cuando.
Hacía tres meses que no visitaba a sus padres cuando apareció por la puerta de casa para darles una sorpresa.
He hadn’t visited his parents for three months when he turned up on their doorstep to surprise them.
Hacía más de diez años que se habían casado cuando ella le abandonó.
They had been married for more than ten years when she left him.
It is fine to change the order of the sentence, as long as this construction is followed:
- verb in imperfect + desde hacía + [length of time]
Llevaban casados desde hacía diez años.
They had been married for ten years.
No cenábamos todos juntos desde hacía meses.
We hadn’t all had dinner together for months.
Example Sentences on How Long Something Had Been Happening in Spanish
This section of the lesson on how long something had been happening in Spanish is about seeing the verbs used in sentences.
This is valuable because you can improve your understanding of how long something had been happening in Spanish through examples.
Hacía tiempo que no tomábamos algo juntos.
It had been a long time since we had a drink together.
Hacía varios días que pensaba en llamarte.
I had been thinking of calling you for several days.
Hacía tres meses que no visitaba a sus padres.
He had not visited his parents for three months.
Hacía tres meses que no visitaba a sus padres cuando apareció por la puerta de casa para darles una sorpresa.
He hadn’t visited his parents for three months when he turned up on their doorstep to surprise them.
Hacía más de diez años que se habían casado cuando ella le abandonó.
They had been married for more than ten years when she left him.
Llevaban casados desde hacía diez años.
They had been married for ten years.
No cenábamos todos juntos desde hacía meses.
We hadn’t all had dinner together for months.
Quiz Yourself on How Long Something Had Been Happening in Spanish
At the end of every lesson you can do a small quiz.
You will see the sentences of the previous chapter.
You will either need to fill in the blanks, choose the correct multiple choice option, or both.
Once you are done the correct answer will be shown.
You can redo the quiz as many times as you want!
How to Practice With Flashcards for This Lesson
Using flashcards is an absolute necessity when it comes to learning a language!
It is the best way to memorize what you learn, you can personalize your progression because it adapts to your actions, and all flashcards have audio to improve your hearing and pronunciation.
Please read our article on how to learn a new language for more information on flashcards and the best way to learn a new language.
There are two ways to practice with Flashcards for this lesson.
- Anki
- The Flashcards in our Courses
Anki is a free software with which you can create and practice flashcards.
After you have downloaded Anki for free, you can get our Spanish B2 Anki Deck.
This Anki Deck contains 1,376 flashcards with which you can practice absolutely everything for Spanish B2.
All the flashcards have text, images, explanations, and audio.
You can also use our courses that have flashcards integrated alongside lessons with audio, quizzes and much more!
However, I am sure you are wondering, what are your courses, and why should I take them?
The Courses of Language Atlas
Have you ever wondered what the best way is to learn a new language?
I have been learning languages for over 20+ years and I was always frustrated with books, courses, and classes that I had tried.
It never really seemed to work for me.
I wanted to learn a language in the most effective and efficient way, and there was nothing out there for me.
So I thought, “why not make something myself?“.
Using my experience and by doing research I created Language Atlas, a platform where people can learn French and Spanish in the most effective and efficient way.
I created free lessons and quizzes so that there would always be an easy and accessible way for people to learn or brush up on their language skills.
However, I also created courses that are much more comprehensive and in-depth.
These courses are easy to follow, clear, and allow you to become fluent in the most effective and efficient way.
The courses of Language Atlas have:
- 800+ Lessons with audio
- 800+ Quizzes
- 10,000 Flashcards with explanations, images, and audio
- A gamified way of learning a new language
- A vibrant community (including support from me)
You can register for free and try the French A0/A1 and Spanish A0/A1 Courses for free!
This includes over 60 lessons and quizzes, 500 flashcards that adapt to how you learn, and access to the community (including support from me).
All you have to do is study 30 minutes a day and you will be fluent in no time!
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