she lived...

Question

Llevaba en españa por 8 años she lived is spain for 8 years. Thank you

Answer 1

I think you can say - Llevó ocho años en España. Using the preterite if it is a completed action in the past. But if you wanted to say she was living or used to live in Spain for 8 years your example could well work if you change the order a little - llevaba ocho años ..... or you could perhaps use - vivía en España por 8 años.

It would probably pay to wait for a native though, I'm still learning too

Answer 2

translating for in time expressions

Using llevar: Llevar is commonly used in the present tense when discussing an activity that is still occurring. If it is followed by a verb, that verb is typically in the gerund form (the -ando or -iendo form of the verb):

• Llevo dos meses viviendo en Nueva Jersey. I have been living in New Jersey for two months.
• Llevo un año sin fumar. I have not smoked for a year.
• Los perros llevan un mes en una jaulita porque no tenemos otro sitio para ellos.
• The dogs have been in a cage for a month because we don't have any other place for them.
• Llevamos dos años buscando una casa. For two years we have been looking for a house.

Also

• Llevar is typically used in the imperfect tense when discussing the past:
  • Llevaba un año preparando su salida. He had been planning his exit for a year.
  • Llevábamos un día esperando la mejoría de las condiciones meteorológicas. We had been waiting for a day for the improvement of weather conditions.

Also

It mentions how to use por for time duration as Kiwi Girl suggested.

Hace ocho años que ella viva en España.

She has been living in Spain for 8 years. (and she still does)

Hace ocho años que ella se mudó a España. (using preterite...She moved to Spain 8 years ago.

"Hace ocho años que [ella] vive en España." - lazarus1907, Jun 23, 2011