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      Barcelona: 'desde', 'desde hace' vs 'hace', phrases with 'llevar'

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can understand a range of structures to talk about how long I've been doing something.

      Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

      Key learning points

      1. Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, a region in northeastern Spain, and is known for its art and architecture.
      2. We use 'desde' meaning 'since' with a specific point in time.
      3. 'Desde hace' means 'for' and it appears together with the present tense to say how long we've been doing something.
      4. 'Hace' means 'ago' and we use it with the past.
      5. We use the present tense of 'llevar + time + present participle' to say how long we have been doing something.

      Keywords

      • Desde - since (a point in time)

      • Desde hace - for (a period of time)

      • Hace - ago

      • Llevar+time+present participle - two-verb structure to say how long we have been doing something

      Common misconception

      I can translate sentences with 'desde hace' word for word.

      In Spanish, 'desde hace' appears together with a verbs in the present tense to say how long you've been doing something. We use a different tense in English. 'Vivo aquí desde hace años' - 'I have been living here for years'.

      Teacher tip

      Students could create sentences about their own experiences using 'desde', 'desde hace' and 'hace' to develop their communicative range. Whilst Foundation tier students will not be tested on 'desde hace + present tense' or 'llevar + time + present participle', they may find them useful to learn.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Match the Spanish and English.

      Correct Answer:bolsillo (m),pocket

      pocket

      Correct Answer:responsibilidad (f),responsibility

      responsibility

      Correct Answer:ríó (m),river

      river

      Correct Answer:medios (mpl),media, means

      media, means

      Correct Answer:riqueza (f),riches, wealth

      riches, wealth

      Correct Answer:templo (m),temple

      temple

      Q2.
      'My older brother is 17'. Choose the correct translation.

      Mi hermano mayor es diecisiete años.
      Correct answer: Mi hermano mayor tiene diecisiete años.
      Mi hermano menor tiene diecisiete años.
      Mi hermano mayor tiene dieciséis años.
      Mi hermano menor es dieciséis años.

      Q3.
      Order the words to say 'in the afternoon I don't hear anything'.

      1 - por
      2 - la
      3 - tarde
      4 - no
      5 - oigo
      6 - nada

      Q4.
      Order the words to say: 'he suggests a project and she reads a letter'.

      1 - propone
      2 - un
      3 - proyecto
      4 - y
      5 - lee
      6 - una
      7 - carta

      Q5.
      Write in Spanish 'I wrote a professional blog'.

      Correct Answer: Escribí un blog profesional., Yo escribí un blog profesional

      Q6.
      Write in Spanish: 'they stole a bag'.

      Correct Answer: Robaron una bolsa., Ellos robaron una bolsa., Ellas robaron una bolsa.

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      'Barcelona is the capital of _____, a region in _____ Spain.' Choose the correct missing words.

      Correct answer: Catalonia, northeastern
      Valencia, northwestern
      Catalonia, southeastern
      Valencia, southwestern

      Q2.
      'Aprendo español dos años'. Choose the correct missing word or phrase.

      desde
      hace
      Correct answer: desde hace

      Q3.
      Which sentences mean 'I have been studying for a week'?

      Estudio desde la semana pasada.
      Correct answer: Estudio desde hace una semana.
      Estudié hace una semana.
      Correct answer: Llevo una semana estudiando.

      Q4.
      Write in Spanish: 'three months ago'.

      Correct Answer: Hace tres meses.

      Q5.
      Write in Spanish: 'I have been living here since Sunday'.

      Correct Answer: Vivo aquí desde domingo.

      Q6.
      Write in Spanish: 'I have been working for a month'. Use the verb 'llevar'.

      Correct Answer: Llevo un mes trabajando., Yo llevo un mes trabajando.

      To help you plan your 10 Spanish lesson on: Barcelona: 'desde', 'desde hace' vs 'hace', phrases with 'llevar', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...