"Hace + time" and "Desde que"

Question

Can you tell me what this phrase means?

"Hace +____(number) + time (anos, meses, dias, etc.) + desde que ___."

Answer 1

I thought you used

hace + time + que + present

or

present + desde hace + time

to mean you'v been doing something for a period of time and

hace + time + que + preterite

to mean it's been a period of time since you did something.

Answer 2

lorenzo9 is right.

Hace 9 dias desde que el perro desapareció (for instance) is not grammatically correct:

Hace 9 dias que el perro desapareció.

El perro desapareció hace 9 dìas.

El perro està desaparecido desde hace 9 dìas.

Answer 3

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I can give you a few examples. Take a look at Google for a search on "hace + time" and "desde hace."

1) "Hace + 5 + años + desde que + viniste"

It has been 5 years since you came (here).

2) "Hace + 3 + meses + desde que + te perdí"

It has been 3 months since I lost you.

veniste? isn't that viniste? - pesta, Oct 5, 2010

It is. Aren't irregular verbs fun? - bill1111, Oct 5, 2010

Thank you, Pesta and Bill. :-) - --Mariana--, Oct 5, 2010