How long have I been searching?

Question

How long have I been searching? You wouldn't say have? Desde cuando estoy buscando, it's from A. Sanz song desde cuando. How long have I been like this? ¿Desde cuando he estado como esto? Gracias. Is this right? Gracias.

Desde cuando estoy asi? - how long have I been like this? - mountaingirl123, MAY 5, 2010

Answer 1

HI, Jeezle, you are correct that expressions of "hace + time" are not in the perfect tenses like they are in English.

examples: "I have been here for 3 hours" - Hace tres horas que estoy aquí... "Since when have they known this?" - ¿Hace cuánto (or desde cuándo) saben esto?

Answer 2

Hi, Jeez

"Desde cuando" would translate literally "since when", but it doesn't carry the negative connotation that it sometimes does in English.

"Hace cuanto" is a better translation of "how long", but it may be more poetic or fit the song better to use the "desde cuando"

Answer 3

How long have I been searching?

¿Cuánto tiempo hace que busco el libro (por ejemplo).