I have been doing .... for .....amount of time

Question

Hello everyone, I need some help to understand how one would say e.g. : I have been doing sports for four years

I know that you are supposed to say he estado haciendo but I don't know where estado comes from. Could someone please explain this to me, thanks BonitaChica!

You're in no way required to say ' estado haciendo'. see Bosque's excellent answer. - annierats, Jan 22, 2016

Answer 1

Hmmm, I would love to see what other people think, but my opinion:

There are many ways of expressing the concept:

Llevo cuatro años practicando deportes. I carry four years practicing sports. I think this works nicely.

Practico deportes (desde) hace cuatro años. I practice sports it makes four years literally.

Hace cuatro años que practico deportes. Just a different Word order- it makes four years that I practice sports.

He practicado deportes desde hace cuatro años. I have practiced sports since it makes four years. It is not necessary to go to a perfect tense, but you can and still be correct.

Your way (which to me sounds a bit complex and literal from the English, it will be interesting to see what native speakers think):

He estado haciendo deportes. (I have) (been) (doing) (sports)

To build that:

Hacer deportes- to do sports

Estoy haciendo deportes- I am doing sports haciendo is the gerundio for hacer. Estoy is from estar.

He estado haciendo deportes- I have been doing sports. He is from haber, estado is the past participle from estar.

You could say “he hecho deportes desde hace diez años.” I think, but why when you can use the simple form

I would be interested in what other people say.

This is the winner!! - Daniela2041, Jan 22, 2016

Nice one. - annierats, Jan 22, 2016

Muchas gracias- sorry for the late response! :) - BonitaChica101, Feb 27, 2016

Answer 2

hi,

He estado (perfect) (haber + participal)

Estado haciendo (continuous) (be + gerundio)

Thus in "he estado haciendo" the "estado" forms the end of the perfect and the beginning of the continuous.

also, this may be regional speech but llevar can be used round my way instead of haber to form the perfect continuous aspect

e.g. llevo ... esperando = I have been waiting.

I didn't see yours before I posted but I think we are saying the same thing. :) - bosquederoble, Jan 22, 2016

so great minds think alike, or is it fools rarely differ ;) - JeffG, Jan 22, 2016

Thanks for filling out your profile. Here's another vote. - Jubilado, Jan 22, 2016