How to use Desde and Hace in Castilian Spanish

Desde vs Hace

Practice speaking "Desde vs Hace" & get instant AI feedback
Start Speaking Free →
Local Usage

The Local Way to Say It

Madrileños love to talk about their lives, and knowing how long things have been happening is key! When you want to say "since" a certain point in time, you'll reach for desde. If you’re talking about something that happened "ago," then hace is your word. But here’s the local twist: for ongoing actions, we often combine them. Instead of just "I've lived here since five years ago," we say "Llevo viviendo en Madrid desde hace cinco años." This literally means "I carry living here since five years ago," and it's super common. Or, if you just moved, you might say, "Estoy aquí desde el mes pasado" (I've been here since last month). To talk about a past event, it's simple: "Fui a la Plaza Mayor hace dos días" (I went to Plaza Mayor two days ago). Master this, and you'll sound like a true gato!
Grammar

The 'Grammar Math'

Let's break down the "Grammar Math" of desde and hace so you can nail it every time. Think of it as two distinct formulas:
1. To express "ago" (a specific time in the past):
Hace + [quantity of time] = Ago
Example: Hace tres días (Three days ago)
Example: Hace un año (A year ago)
2. To express "since" (the starting point of an ongoing action):
Verb (present tense) + desde + [point in time] = Since
Example: Trabajo aquí desde 2022 (I've worked here since 2022)
3. To express "for [duration]" with an ongoing action (very common!):
Llevar (conjugated) + Gerund + desde hace + [quantity of time] = Have been doing for
Example: Llevo estudiando español desde hace seis meses (I've been studying Spanish for six months).
Remember: Hace tells you how much time passed *before now*, and desde tells you *when* something started.
Madrid Life

Madrid Context

Imagine you’re grabbing a caña with new friends in a bustling bar in La Latina. They ask, "¿Cuánto tiempo llevas en Madrid?" (How long have you been in Madrid?). This is your moment to shine! You might proudly declare, "¡Llevo viviendo en Malasaña desde hace dos años!" Or maybe you're at the Rastro market, haggling for a vintage treasure, and you mention, "No compraba nada tan chulo desde la última vez que vine hace un mes." Perhaps you're discussing the latest flamenco show you saw in Lavapiés, "No veía un espectáculo así desde hace mucho tiempo." These phrases seamlessly integrate into daily Madrid life.
Castilian

The Castilian Tip

The common learner mistake is confusing desde (since) with hace (ago) because English uses "since" in ways that Spanish separates. For instance, "I haven't eaten since two hours ago" translates to "No como desde hace dos horas" in Castilian, not "No como desde dos horas." The key Castilian usage is the "llevar + gerundio + desde hace" construction for ongoing actions, which is incredibly prevalent here. While Latin American Spanish might sometimes use "hace" alone for duration (e.g., "Vivo aquí hace cinco años"), Madrileños almost exclusively prefer "Llevo viviendo aquí desde hace cinco años." A pronunciation tip: the final 'd' in words like Madrid or ciudad is often softened, almost sounding like "Madrí" or "ciudá" in casual speech, though desde retains a clearer 'd' sound.

Practice "Desde vs Hace" With Your Voice

Stop reading, start speaking. VengaVale gives you instant AI feedback on your pronunciation and grammar.

Start Speaking Free

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say "How to use Desde and Hace" in Castilian Spanish?

In Castilian Spanish (as spoken in Spain), you say Desde vs Hace. Talking about how long you have been living in Spain.

What is the most common mistake learners make with "Desde vs Hace"?

Confusing 'desde' (since) with 'hace' (ago). Understanding this distinction is key to sounding natural in Spain.

Is "Desde vs Hace" used the same way in Spain and Latin America?

While understood across the Spanish-speaking world, Castilian Spanish has its own nuances and pronunciation for this. In Spain, you'll hear subtle differences in delivery and context.