Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Spanish & English Languages > Grammar


Help with present tense construction?

 

This is the place for questions about conjugations, verb tenses, adverbs, adjectives, word order, syntax and other grammar questions for English or Spanish.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old June 30, 2014, 01:29 PM
Ryan Straker 1995 Ryan Straker 1995 is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Posts: 5
Native Language: English
Ryan Straker 1995 is on a distinguished road
Smile Help with present tense construction?

Hi everyone,

I'm just writing this post because I'm stuck with a particular construction I have found in my grammar guide.

I'm going over the present tense, and one of the uses of it, as I'm sure you'll all know, is to convey an action that began in the past and continues in the present. This I understand.

The author of the grammar then went on to give three constructions of how to do this:

1. Hace + expression of time + que + conjugated verb

2. Conjugated verb + hace + expression of time

3. Conjugated verb + desde hace + expression

Generally, I understand this, and can competently use all three constructions effectively.

However, I was talking to a native speaker the other day, and I used the first construction, and she said that it was completely wrong, and that the third construction was better. Why is this? Is my grammar guide wrong or are the three constructions used in differing geographic/contextual settings? Is it merely a case of one being predominant in South America and another being prominent in Spain?

Thanks

Last edited by Ryan Straker 1995; July 01, 2014 at 07:14 AM.
Reply With Quote
   
Get rid of these ads by registering for a free Tomísimo account.
  #2  
Old June 30, 2014, 02:58 PM
Rusty's Avatar
Rusty Rusty is offline
Señor Speedy
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 11,353
Native Language: American English
Rusty has a spectacular aura aboutRusty has a spectacular aura about
Both the first and the third time constructs are perfectly valid the world over. The conjugated verb doesn't necessarily have to be in the present tense, but at your stage in the text, that is what you're focused on.

What you might have done is use phrasing that wasn't expected by your listener.

If you could remember what you said, and provide the context, we can help you figure out if your listener's complaint was warranted.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old July 01, 2014, 07:10 AM
Ryan Straker 1995 Ryan Straker 1995 is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Posts: 5
Native Language: English
Ryan Straker 1995 is on a distinguished road
I was telling her that I have been studying Spanish for a week, using the first construction: Hace una semana que estudio español.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old July 01, 2014, 07:47 AM
Julvenzor's Avatar
Julvenzor Julvenzor is offline
Emerald
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Sevilla, España.
Posts: 716
Native Language: Español
Julvenzor is on a distinguished road
It's correct. Another idiomatic expression is: llevo una semana estudiando español.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old July 01, 2014, 08:02 AM
Ryan Straker 1995 Ryan Straker 1995 is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Posts: 5
Native Language: English
Ryan Straker 1995 is on a distinguished road
Thank you. I can't think of why she would have told me it was wrong. Maybe because the first is used only in Latin American Spanish, and she was from Spain?
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old July 01, 2014, 08:57 AM
Julvenzor's Avatar
Julvenzor Julvenzor is offline
Emerald
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Sevilla, España.
Posts: 716
Native Language: Español
Julvenzor is on a distinguished road
I don't think so. Maybe, she simply doesn't understand you. Sometimes, the problem is the pronunciation. In general, it is not difficult to English speakers, but a strong accent does can play tricks.

A pleasure.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old July 01, 2014, 12:38 PM
wrholt's Avatar
wrholt wrholt is offline
Sapphire
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Posts: 1,405
Native Language: US English
wrholt is on a distinguished road
For the moment your focus is on using these three constructions to describe the duration of some action or state that began in the past and continues to the present. As Julvenzor and Rusty have indicated:

Hace una semana que estudio español. =
Estudio español hace una semana. =
Estudio español desde hace una semana. =
I have been studying Spanish for a week.

Just as your book states.

However, the first two of these constructions can also be used to describe when some action occurred and completed in the past, measured as the time span since the event occurred or completed to the present.

Hace una semana que estudié español. =
Estudié español hace una semana. =
I studied Spanish a week ago.

The third construction doesn't allow "estudié español" as the conjugated verb phrase: it can't be used to say how long ago something happened, it can be used only to say how long ago something started.

No estudio español desde hace una semana. = I haven't studied Spanish for a week.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
construction, present tense

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Help needed with the present simple tense and conjugations tal69 Grammar 1 June 22, 2014 08:18 AM
Which tense follows "si" in present, past, etc. rkeyster Grammar 13 September 29, 2009 11:51 AM
Indicative Practice in the Present Tense AutumnBreeze Practice & Homework 29 May 12, 2009 04:07 PM
Present Tense Conjugation Help Jessica Translations 2 October 19, 2008 03:11 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:45 AM.

Forum powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

X