DELE A2 Guide: Spanish Time Expressions
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Key Takeaways
- Master hace + time + que + present tense for duration
- Learn desde hace for actions that started in the past and continue
- Understand durante for “during” or “for” a period of time
- Practice with real-life DELE A2 scenarios and examples
Welcome to your complete guide to Spanish Time Expressions. These essential structures help you talk about duration, frequency, and time frames – crucial skills for the DELE A2 exam. Mastering time expressions will allow you to describe your experiences and routines with much greater precision.
Essential Time Expressions
1. HACE + [time] + QUE + [present tense]
Used for: Talking about how long something has been happening
Structure:
Hace + [period of time] + que + [present tense verb]
Examples:
- “Hace tres años que estudio español.” (I have been studying Spanish for three years.)
- “Hace una hora que espero el autobús.” (I have been waiting for the bus for one hour.)
- “Hace mucho tiempo que no te veo.” (I haven’t seen you for a long time.)
Alternative Structure:
[Present tense] + desde hace + [period of time]
- “Estudio español desde hace tres años.”
- “Espero el autobús desde hace una hora.”
2. DESDE HACE (For/Since)
Used for: Actions that started in the past and continue to the present
Structure:
[Present tense] + desde hace + [period of time]
Examples:
- “Vivo aquí desde hace dos meses.” (I have lived here for two months.)
- “Trabajo en esta empresa desde hace un año.” (I have worked in this company for one year.)
- “Estudio desde hace tres horas.” (I have been studying for three hours.)
3. DURANTE (During/For)
Used for: Actions that happened over a period of time in the past
Structure:
[Past tense] + durante + [period of time]
Examples:
- “Viví en México durante seis meses.” (I lived in Mexico for six months.)
- “Estudié durante toda la noche.” (I studied all night.)
- “Trabajé allí durante dos años.” (I worked there for two years.)
Key Differences and When to Use Each
HACE + QUE vs. DESDE HACE
- Same meaning, different word order
- Both used with present tense
- “Hace tres años que vivo aquí.” = “Vivo aquí desde hace tres años.”
DESDE HACE vs. DURANTE
- DESDE HACE: Present connection (action continues)
- DURANTE: Past completed action
Comparison:
- “Trabajo aquí desde hace un año.” (I still work here)
- “Trabajé allí durante un año.” (I no longer work there)
Common Time Periods
- un minuto (a minute)
- una hora (an hour)
- un día (a day)
- una semana (a week)
- un mes (a month)
- un año (a year)
- mucho tiempo (a long time)
- poco tiempo (a short time)
DELE A2 Practical Scenarios
Talking About Studies:
- “Hace dos años que estudio en esta universidad.” (I have been studying at this university for two years.)
- “Aprendo inglés desde hace seis meses.” (I have been learning English for six months.)
- “Tomé clases de baile durante un semestre.” (I took dance classes for one semester.)
Work Experience:
- “Hace cinco años que trabajo como ingeniero.” (I have been working as an engineer for five years.)
- “Trabajo en esta oficina desde hace dos años.” (I have worked in this office for two years.)
- “Trabajé en esa empresa durante tres años.” (I worked at that company for three years.)
Personal Life:
- “Hace un mes que vivo en este apartamento.” (I have lived in this apartment for one month.)
- “Conozco a María desde hace mucho tiempo.” (I have known Maria for a long time.)
- “Viajé por Europa durante el verano.” (I traveled around Europe during the summer.)
Important Grammar Rules
1. Tense Agreement:
- Hace/Desde hace → Present tense (ongoing actions)
- Durante → Past tense (completed actions)
2. Word Order Flexibility:
- “Hace tres años que estudio español.”
- “Estudio español desde hace tres años.”
3. Negative Sentences:
- “Hace mucho que no voy al cine.” (I haven’t been to the cinema for a long time.)
- “No veo a Pedro desde hace semanas.” (I haven’t seen Pedro for weeks.)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Wrong Tense with Durante:
- ✅ “Viví allí durante un año.” (I lived there for a year.)
- ❌ “Vivo allí durante un año.”
2. Confusing Hace and Desde Hace:
- ✅ “Hace tres años que vivo aquí.”
- ✅ “Vivo aquí desde hace tres años.”
- ❌ “Hace vivo aquí tres años.”
3. Incorrect Word Order:
- ✅ “Hace una hora que te espero.”
- ❌ “Te espero hace una hora que.”
DELE A2 Exam Tips
- Speaking Section: Use time expressions when talking about your experiences
- Writing Section: Show you can use different time expression structures
- Listening Section: Recognize duration and time frames in conversations
- Key Contexts: Personal history, work experience, studies, daily routines
Memory Tips
- HACE QUE = How long HAVE you been…?
- DESDE HACE = Action continues to NOW
- DURANTE = Action finished in the PAST
- Hace/Desde hace → Present tense
- Durante → Past tense
Practice Transformation
Change these sentences using different time expressions:
- “Empecé a estudiar hace dos años.” → “___ dos años ___ estudio.”
- “Vivo aquí desde 2020.” → “___ tres años ___ vivo aquí.”
- “Trabajé allí por seis meses.” → “Trabajé allí ___ seis meses.”
(Answers: 1. Hace, que; 2. Hace, que; 3. durante)
Next Step: Test Your Knowledge!
Ready to master time expressions?
Take our DELE A2 Time Expressions Quiz here to ensure you’re prepared for the exam.
What’s Next in Your DELE A2 Journey?
- Need more verb practice? Review DELE A2 Present Tense
- Ready for past tenses? Study DELE A2 Preterite Tense
- Want related topics? Learn DELE A2 Daily Routine Vocabulary
- Practice all A2 grammar? Return to DELE A2 Grammar Hub
Looking for a deeper dive?
This guide covers the essentials for the DELE A2 exam. If you want to explore more time expressions, additional structures, and nuanced usage rules, check out our complete guide: Spanish Time Expressions: The Complete Guide
Master time expressions and you’ll be able to talk about your life experiences with clarity and precision in Spanish!
