Practice Spanish Desde vs Desde Hace Quiz

Desde and desde hace are two expressions that will help you measure time in Spanish. Since they look very similar, it’s easy to confuse them.  In this quiz, you’ll find different exercises that will help you practice desde and desde hace in Spanish. Given the sentence, fill in the blank with ‘desde’ or ‘desde hace’.  If you’re still struggling with these words, I encourage you to look at what’s the difference between ‘desde’ and ‘desde hace’ in Spanish.

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Estudio español dos años

I have studied Spanish for two years

Desde hace expresses the amount of time that a person has performed an action. In this case, it expresses how long I have been studying Spanish (two years). ‘Desde hace’ works with numbers.

No he visto a Sandra ayer

I haven’t seen Sandra since yesterday

Desde is the direct translation of ‘since’ and ‘as of’. As a result, this preposition focuses on the beginning or starting point of an action. In this example, ayer (yesterday) was the starting point of the action presented in the statement: the fact that I haven’t seen Sandra.

Me mudé a España 2010

I’ve lived in Spain since 2010

Desde is used to express when an action started. As a result, it can work with specific dates or nouns. In this example, 2010 is the starting point of the action moving to Spain.

Mario está enfermo dos semanas

Mario has been sick for two weeks

In Spanish, we use desde hace to express how long an action has been taking place or how long since an action took place. ‘Desde hace’ means ‘for’ in this context and it works with numbers and adverbs that help you measure the amount of time that has passed.

¿ cuándo empezaste a aprender español?

Since when did you start learning Spanish?

Desde can be used to ask people when an action started. To do so, ‘desde’ works with the word ‘cuándo’ and a verb in the past tense. Based on this example: preguntamos cuándo esta persona comenzó a estudiar español (when the person started to study Spanish).

Nosotros no hemos tenido vacaciones tres años

We haven’t had a vacation for three years

Desde hace allows you to express for how long you have or haven’t done something: in case, the amount of time that has passed since you went to the beach. You can indicate these periods of time with numbers or adverbial expressions.

que llegó de México, María está muy triste

Since she arrived from Mexico, Maria is very sad

In Spanish, desde means ‘since’, as a result, it’s used to express the moment when an action started. When combined with ‘que’, desde allows you to set another action or event as the starting point. In this case, ‘desde que llegó’ is the starting point of Maria’s sadness.

La película empezó tres horas

The movie started three hours ago

When working with the preterite tense, desde hace can be translated as ‘ago’. In this case, we’re still measuring and emphasizing the amount of time that has passed since the movie started: desde hace tres horas.

Lisa y Chloe no se han visto Navidad

Lisa and Chloe haven’t seen each other since Christmas

As a preposition that expresses when something began, desde can work with dates that can be presented in the form of numbers or nouns. In this example, Navidad is the date when Lisa and Chloe last saw each other.

No he comido carne dos meses

I haven’t eaten meat for two months

Desde hace measures and emphasizes the periods of time in which an action has been performed. In other words, express the amount of time that I haven’t eaten meat which will be dos meses.

¿ cuánto que no practicas Español?

For how long haven’t you practiced Spanish?

Desde hace measures specific amounts of time. So, if you want to ask a person how long they have (or haven’t) been doing an action, you’ll need to use the questioning word cuánto since it asks for quantitative things. 

Me duele la cabeza ayer en la noche

I have had a headache since last night

Desde allows you to express when an action started. In this case, it will allow you to specify when your ‘dolor de cabeza’ (headache) started. In order to establish this starting point, desde works with nouns and with adverbs of time such as ayer, hoy and mañana.  

mañana, Gabriel trabajará conmigo

As of tomorrow, Gabriel will be working with me

In Spanish, desde allows us to specify when an action took or will take place. Based on this example, we know that our starting point (when Gabriel starts working) will be ‘mañana’ (tomorrow). Desde works with nouns and adverbs, such as ‘mañana’, to establish the beginning of an action.

Melissa y yo somos amigas la secundaria

Melissa and I are friends since junior high

Desde works with nouns and adverbs to indicate when an action started. La secundaria (junior high) is a noun that I can use to mark the beginning of my friendship with Melissa.

Ustedes no han comido nada la mañana

You guys haven’t eaten anything since the morning

Desde + noun indicates when an action or event started. In this case, the action described in our statement began in the morning (la mañana). ‘Desde’ means since’. 

¿ cuándo Paula y tú son amigas?

Since when Paula and you are friends?

Desde expresses when an action started. So, if you obtain this information from someone, you’ll need to use the questioning word cuándo which means ‘when’.

¿ cuánto vives en Guadalajara?

How long have you lived in Guadalajara?

Desde hace expresses how long an action has been performed. When using ‘desde hace’ for questions, you need to combine it with ‘cuánto’ since this word allows you to ask about quantitative things.

Tengo trabajando aquí 2005

I have been working here since 2005

2005 expresses the moment that the speaker started to work in this place. As a result, you need to complete your sentence with ‘desde’. This preposition works with dates and nouns.

Vanessa y Luis viven juntos cuatro semanas

Vanessa and Luis have lived together for four weeks

Cuatro semanas is the period of time that Vanessa and Luis have performed an action (living together). Since ‘desde hace’ is used to express amounts of time, you need to include it in your sentence. This time expression works with numbers and adverbial expressions that show how much time has passed.

No he comido pastel mi cumpleaños

I haven’t eaten any cake since my birthday

In Spanish, desde is used to mark when an action that continues in the present started. In this case, the beginning of ‘no he comido pastel’ is ‘mi cumpleaños’. In order to set the starting point of an action, desde works with nouns and dates.

Quiz Results

Question Answer Given Correct Answer
Estudio español ______ dos años
No he visto a Sandra _____ ayer
Me mudé a España ____ 2010
Mario está enfermo ______ dos semanas
¿_____ cuándo empezaste a aprender español?
Nosotros no hemos tenido vacaciones ______ tres años
________ que llegó de México, María está muy triste
La película empezó _____ tres horas
Lisa y Chloe no se han visto ______ Navidad
No he comido carne ______ dos meses
¿________ cuánto que no practicas Español?
Me duele la cabeza _____ ayer en la noche
_____ mañana, Gabriel trabajará conmigo
Melissa y yo somos amigas ______ la secundaria
Ustedes no han comido nada _______ la mañana
¿______ cuándo Paula y tú son amigas?
¿_______ cuánto vives en Guadalajara?
Tengo trabajando aquí ______ 2005
Vanessa y Luis viven juntos _____ cuatro semanas
No he comido pastel _______ mi cumpleaños

Related Resources

How to Use ‘Desde Hace’ in Spanish

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