Hace+ (Period of time) + verb

Question

I'm in this lesson right now in Spanish 2 and it's about how to say things over a period of time or right now.

The type of time sentences they are talking about is:

Hace+ (Period of time) + verb

I'm supposed to write 5 sentences about myself using this type of formula, but I don't understand how to do it! If someone could please help explain this to me it would be very much appreciated!!

Gracias!

Answer 1

This first sentence is good. You just need to change "month" to "months."

Hace cuatro meses fui a Arizona

"Hace ayer fui pesca" is incorrect because what you're saying is "Yesterday ago I went....."

Hace + time + verb = ago

Answer 2

I can give you an example and you can come up with others. We will help you correct them if they are wrong.

"Hace dos años viajé a España." (Two years ago I traveled to Spain.)

Well, I have examples in my lesson, I just don't get how to put the sentences together! - smitmega15, May 3, 2010

Can you give it a try and post your answers here so that we can help you correct them? - --Mariana--, May 3, 2010

Answer 3

"Hace dos años viajé a España."

There are two basic approaches to this: !) 'hace' + time period + verb in the past is simply an idiom to be learned as meaning "a (whatever) period ago something happened" 2: You can attempt a 'literal' translation (one that parallels the Spanish syntax). The result will be 'strange' English but it may help you to remember the construction. Thus (the latter approach, since Marianne already gave you a perfectly good translation into 'normal' English) might produce "It makes two years (since) I traveled to Spain." A somewhat "in-betweenish" version might be "It's been two years since I traveled to Spain." Occasionally you might hear (it's somewhat regional) "It makes about two years, now, since I last traveled to Spain."

P.S. 'hace' + time period + verb in the present (e.g. "Hace dos años que estudio español.") means "I've been studying Spanish for two years." There are, unsurprisingly, other was to express this same idea in Spanish

Answer 4

Since you have been studying spanish for 2 years you could say something like this: Hace dos anos que estudio el espanol. Hace dos anos que estoy en la preparatoria. Hace anos que como nieve con mi amigo, Juan.

You've forgotten how to write 'ñ'? (I seem to remember that you used to be able to do so.) - samdie, May 3, 2010

Answer 5

So, if I wanted to change my second sentence I would say:

Hace uno día fui a pescar

right??

Very close! "Hace un día fui a pescar."

However, generally we'd just say "ayer" (yesterday), so you might want to put more time between yesterday and the fishing trip. "Hace un año fuí a pescar."

Answer 6

Thank you for all your help with my lesson! I hope I get a good grade on this!!

You are very welcome! Come back to this thread if you have any more questions on this topic. You can always open a new thread if you have a different topic/question. Good luck at school! - --Mariana--, May 3, 2010

Answer 7

Estuve en España por 2 meses.

Different concept. - samdie, May 3, 2010

Answer 8

So, if I wanted to change my second sentence I would say:

Hace uno día fui a pescar

right??

un día (but, as pointed out, "ayer fui ... " would be much more usual). - samdie, May 3, 2010

Answer 9

Here are some sentences:

Hace cuatro mes fui a Arizona

and

Hace ayer fui pesca