Cuánto tiempo?

[laepelba]

One of my former students wrote on my Facebook wall: "Hola ... cuánto tiempo. Como estas? como te va con tu espanol?"

Okay, I get that she's asking how my Spanish is coming along. What I don't get is the "cuánto tiempo" part. The dictionary says that it means "how long". So, is she saying that it's been a long time since we've talked?

Any insights?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

One of my former students wrote on my Facebook wall: "Hola ... cuánto tiempo. Como estas? como te va con tu espanol?"

Okay, I get that she's asking how my Spanish is coming along. What I don't get is the "cuánto tiempo" part. The dictionary says that it means "how long". So, is she saying that it's been a long time since we've talked?

Any insights?

Great things begin to happen, when you begin to answer your own questions...

[laepelba]

Thanks! So, I could answer her with something like "Sí - cuánto tiempo. Estoy muy bien. Aprendo mucho español ... pero tengo mucho más que aprender. "

[Rusty]

I would respond with Sí, hace tiempo.

[laepelba]

Gotcha. So, the nuance of the difference between cuanto tiempo and hace tiempo?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

"Cuánto tiempo" is a short form of "Hace cuánto tiempo que no hablamos/nos vemos" ("it's been ages since we talked/met each other").

"Hace tiempo" is mostly the same. Your reply is alright, but I guess Rusty suggested it to use another expression and cut monotony.

[Tomisimo]

I would respond: Pues tú, que no te dejas ver....

[Bolboreta]

In Spain it's more used your reply ("sí...cuánto tiempo") than the one Rusty told you, but both would work :-)

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

I would respond: Pues tú, que no te dejas ver....

o yo que me estaba escondiendo...

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

I would respond: Pues tú, que no te dejas ver....

Nope - I'm lost ... I think I know what each of those words means ... but together it makes no sense whatsoever. "All right, you ... that you don't neglect to see..."???????

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

I would respond: Pues tú, que no te dejas ver....

Well, you do not show up yourself

Originally Posted by chileno

o yo que me estaba escondiendo...

or I was hiding... (same thing)

Originally Posted by laepelba

Nope - I'm lost ... I think I know what each of those words means ... but together it makes no sense whatsoever. "All right, you ... that you don't neglect to see..."???????

Easy....it'll come with time.

Is that better?

What happens is that you are thinking too formally.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

I would respond: Pues tú, que no te dejas ver....

Originally Posted by laepelba

Nope - I'm lost ... I think I know what each of those words means ... but together it makes no sense whatsoever. "All right, you ... that you don't neglect to see..."???????

They said it had been a long time since the two of you had seen each other. My response is just a common and light-hearted way of placing the blame back on them. It literally means "Well you don't let yourself be seen" and might be akin to saying something like:

- Wow, it's been a long time...
- Well, you must have been in hiding.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

They said it had been a long time since the two of you had seen each other. My response is just a common and light-hearted way of placing the blame back on them. It literally means "Well you don't let yourself be seen" and might be akin to saying something like:

- Wow, it's been a long time...
- Well, you must have been in hiding.

Thanks David & Hernan ... it makes perfect sense now. And for the record ... this message was from a former student who is away at college. She knows right well that she is the one whose fault it is that we haven't seen each other lately.

[tacuba]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

They said it had been a long time since the two of you had seen each other. My response is just a common and light-hearted way of placing the blame back on them. It literally means "Well you don't let yourself be seen" and might be akin to saying something like:

- Wow, it's been a long time...
- Well, you must have been in hiding.

Could "tu no dejas ver" also mean "you don't let yourself see" as in "the answer is obvious, it's just that you don't let yourself see (the solution)" or more naturally "it's obvious, you're just not letting yourself see the solution".

[chileno]

Originally Posted by tacuba

Could "tu no dejas ver" also mean "you don't let yourself see" as in "the answer is obvious, it's just that you don't let yourself see (the solution)" or more naturally "it's obvious, you're just not letting yourself see the solution".

the key word was "seen"

In the examples given by you mean that you are blocking the view.

[lee ying]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Gotcha. So, the nuance of the difference between cuanto tiempo and hace tiempo?

what does gotcha mean?

[Rusty]

Lo entiendo. Lo capto. Lo pillo.

[lee ying]

thanks!!!!! ^ _ ^

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by lee ying

what does gotcha mean?

The idea, Lee, is as follows:

I've got you.
Got you.
Got ya'.
Gotcha.

See? It's slang, but fun to type.

[CrOtALiTo]

I gotcha your idea.