necesita "que"?

Question

Hace dos días "que" fui a la playa. or can I take out the "que" ?

Y también, I'm a little confused over the "imperfect" and the "present perfect." Can someone help me out?

Answer 1

I can see your point. You are translating the English "that" as in "it was two days ago that I went to the beach". Turn it around and the "that" can disappear. "I went to the beach two days ago". Can the same be applied to a Spanish translation? To be honest I am not sure. Heidi's back. Lets hope she, or any other hispanohablante, sees this.

Answer 2

In your sentence you shouldn't even use "que":

Hace dos días fui a la playa. = Two days ago, I went to the beach

Notice that in Spanish, we don't use a comma there. The construction Hacer {time span} que + {present tense} is used to express the idea "I have been {present participle} for {time span}"

Hace dos días que voy a la playa = I have been going to the beach for two days

The present perfect in Spanish is used like in English (although in Britain is used more frequently than in USA): for finished actions that have some relevance in the present moment. The imperfect is used for actions in the past visualised before they reach their end, while they were happening.

Answer 3

It's correct without 'que'.

Present perfect is used similarly to English, usually when you're talking about a completed action in an incomplete time: He lavado los platos hoy. The imperfecto is used when you're describing situations or common actions in the past: Bebí porque tenía sed. Quando era niña iba a la playa con frequencia.