Common Expressions

Question 1

To say how long someone has been doing something (hacer)

Answer 1

hace + time + que + verb (present tense)

Question 2

To say how long something had been going on (hacer)

Answer 2

hacía + time + que + verb (imperfect)

Question 3

To say how long ago something happened (hacer)

Answer 3

hace + time + que + verb (preterit)

Question 4

To say how long someone has or had been doing something (llevar)

Answer 4

llevar (present or imperfect) + time + gerund (ando/iendo)

Question 5

To say how long someone has or had been something (llevar)

Answer 5

llevar (present or imperfect) + time + de (or como) + what he/she has or had been

Question 6

I’ve been a missionary for three months.

Answer 6

Hace tres meses que soy misionero.

Question 7

They have been members for three and a half years.

Answer 7

Son miembros desde hace tres años y medio.

Question 8

They had been going to Church for a year when they went to the temple.

Answer 8

Hacía un año que iban a la iglesia cuando fueron al templo.

Question 9

I had known the area for three months.

Answer 9

Hacía tres meses que conocía el área.

Question 10

I received the Aaronic Priesthood eight years ago.

Answer 10

Hace siete años que recibí el Sacerdocio Aarónico.

Question 11

My family was baptized two years ago.

Answer 11

Hace dos años que mi familia se bautizó.

Question 12

We’ve been contacting people for three hours.

Answer 12

Llevamos tres horas contactando gente.

Question 13

I’ve been studying grammar for 30 minutes.

Answer 13

Llevo 30 minutos estudiando gramática.

Question 14

He has been a bishop for five years.

Answer 14

Él lleva cinco años de obispo.

Question 15

I had been a member for a year when I received my mission call.

Answer 15

Yo llevaba un año como miembro cuando recibí mi llamamiento misional.

Question 16

How long have you (sing. formal) been a member of the Church?

Answer 16

¿Hace cuánto que usted es miembro de la iglesia?

Question 17

How long ago did you (sing. formal) receive the priesthood.

Answer 17

¿Hace cuánto que recibió el sacerdocio?

Question 18

We have been visiting you (pl. formal) for a month.

Answer 18

Hace un mes que los visitamos.

Question 19

How long has your (sing. formal) friend been interested in the gospel?

Answer 19

¿Hace cuánto que su amigo está interesado en el Evangelio?

Question 20

How long had you (pl) lived here when the missionaries knocked on your door?

Answer 20

¿Hacía cuánto que vivían aquí cuando los misioneros tocaron su puerta?

Question 21

We’ve been teaching your (pl) neighbors for several months.

Answer 21

Hace varios meses que enseñamos a sus vecinos.

Question 22

How long did you (pl) know your friend when he started asking about the Church?

Answer 22

¿Hacía cuánto que conocía a su amigo cuando empezó a hacer preguntas sobre la iglesia?

Question 23

Your (sing.) friend has known about the Church for several years.

Answer 23

Hace varios años que su amigo sabe de la Iglesia.

Question 24

How long have you (sing.) been reading the Book of Mormon?

Answer 24

¿Hace cuánto que lee el Libro de Mormón?

Question 25

Joseph Smith had been searching for the truth for a long time.

Answer 25

Hacía mucho tiempo que José Smith buscaba la verdad.