What is the difference, soooooo confused

Question

What is the rough translation and difference between using these 3 phrases. This is in the context of looking for a job.

Durante dos años he estado buscando.

Hace dos años que busco.

Yo busco desde que dos años.

Oops! should say, Yo busco desde hace dos años - ashleyhay, Dec 21, 2011

In that case, the sentences 2 and 3 mean the same - cogumela, Dec 21, 2011

Answer 1

Hello Ashley, welcome to the Forum:

Durante dos años he estado buscando: For two years I have been searching

Hace dos años que busco: I have been searching for two years

Yo busco desde que dos años: This is not correct, but you could say: Busco desde hace dos años, which is the same thing as the previous sentence with a different word order, or, "Busco desde que tenía dos años", which is something different altogether - I have been searching since I was two years old.

You can also say: Llevo dos años buscando - I have spent two years searching (so far), or "tengo dos años buscando", which means exactly the same thing.

which "mean" (you mentioned two possibilities). - samdie, Dec 21, 2011

Answer 2

Hi ashley!

Durante dos años he estado buscando.

I've been looking for .... for two years (until now, or in the past)

Hace dos años que busco.

I've been looking for.... for two years now

Yo busco desde que dos años.

This one is incorrect Spanish

Answer 3

They basically all mean the same thing. I am not positive the last is correct, though... I think of desde que as needing a verb after it.

Your examples mean:

For two years I have been looking.

It makes 2 years that I am searching (have been searching, in English).

I am looking since two years.

In any language there are many ways to say the same thing. For example, in English, we could say all of the below, and they are all correct.

I've been looking for two years.

It's been two years since I started looking.

I started looking 2 years ago.

So the thing is to understand how each sentence is constructed, and go from there.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Well the first and last say you have been looking for two years but the middle one is more like you looked for something 2 years ago and maybe found it or stopped looking. That is my very basic summary and you should keep looking for a better, more concise and accurate answer.

I guess yours is more concise. :) - Gekkosan, Dec 21, 2011