what is it?
Spanish uses two main structures to express how long an action has been happening: llevar + time period + gerund and hace + time period + que + present tense. Both translate the English present perfect continuous ("I have been doing") or simple present with "for" ("I have lived here for three years"). The action started in the past and continues into the present moment.
when to use it
Use these structures when:
You want to specify the duration of an ongoing action or state that began in the past and is still true now.
You would say "I have been [verb]ing for [time]" or "I have [verb]ed for [time]" in English.
The focus is on the duration itself, not just the fact that something happened.
Both structures are interchangeable in most contexts, though llevar tends to emphasize the subject's active involvement, while hace ... que is slightly more neutral.
formation
Structure 1: llevar + time period + gerund
| Component | Example |
|---|---|
| llevar (conjugated) | llevo, llevas, lleva... |
| + time period | dos años, tres meses, una semana |
| + gerund | estudiando, viviendo, trabajando |
The verb llevar is conjugated to match the subject. The main verb appears in the gerund form (-ando/-iendo).
Structure 2: hace + time period + que + present tense
| Component | Example |
|---|---|
| hace (invariable) | hace |
| + time period | dos años, tres meses, una semana |
| + que | que |
| + present tense verb | estudio, vivo, trabajo |
The word hace never changes form. The main verb is conjugated in the present tense to match the subject.
Both structures can also be used in negative sentences and questions: No llevo mucho tiempo estudiando / ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que vives aquí?
examples in context
common pitfalls
Calquing English with "por"
English uses "for" with duration, but Spanish does not use por in these structures. Say Llevo dos años estudiando, not *Llevo por dos años estudiando.
Using the infinitive instead of the gerund with llevar
After llevar + time, you must use the gerund, not the infinitive. Say Llevo tres meses viviendo aquí, not *Llevo tres meses vivir aquí.
Using the past tense after hace ... que
For ongoing actions, the verb after que must be in the present tense, not the preterite or imperfect. Say Hace un año que trabajo aquí, not *Hace un año que trabajé aquí or *Hace un año que trabajaba aquí.
Three sentences, graded here. Nothing is saved and no account is needed.
Hace seis meses que ___ en este proyecto concreto y todavía no hemos terminado. (trabajar)
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb in parentheses to complete the time expression.