Are "alguna vez" and "una vez" the same?

Question

Do these mean the same thing?

¿Has estado una vez en Madrid?

¿Has estado alguna vez en Madrid?

Any help much appreciated! Rangi

Answer 1

HI Rangi, nice post, very clear.

Not the same thing. first sentence means

Have you been in Madrid once? (for example as opposed to twice)

Second means:

Have you ever been to Madrid?

Answer 2

Llevo comiendo desde hace un rato

Can't you also say: "¿Cuánto tiempo hace que comes?" and then "Hace un rato que como." Or am I wrong? If both forms can be used, are there regional differences as to which is used where?

Answer 3

Muchas gracias por las respuetas chicos, lo aprecio mucho!

(puede decir "lo aprecio"? o es spanglish?)

Hasta luego! Rangi

Lo aprecio es correcto.:) - 00494d19, Sep 1, 2009

Answer 4

HI webdunce, always very helpful, thanks

Well, this has been discussed before too:

When you want to indicate that you have been doing something for some time the tense or rather form used in Spanish is this one:

Llevo en Madrid mucho tiempo/algún tiempo.

We do not use the present perfect for these kind of actions in Spanish.

He estado comiendo/he comido. You actually finished eating here.

Llevo comiendo desde hace un rato: I have been eating for a while.

I must ask Lazarus to write something on this use, let's see if I can convince him

I will also try to find the thread.

Answer 5

Whoa!

For actions starting in the past and continuing on into the present, you use llevar in the present tense plus some time reference?

Thanks for the info, though.

Answer 6

This is one useful thread on this issue.

Ok, found a good one.

Llevar

Answer 7

How would one say "Have you been in Madrid for some time?" Perhaps, "Has estado mucho tiempo en Madrid?"