time expressions

Question 0

how to express action that started in the past but still going on

Answer 0

present tense + desde hace + length of time

translates: i/you/we/they Have Been **-ing ** for ***

Question 1

al + infinitive = on ….. -ing

e.g., al ver = on seeing

Answer 1

had just …..
use acabar in the imperfect + de
acababa de + infinitive
e.g., acababa de ver = i had just seen

Question 2

hace + length of time que *** (verb in present tense)
example: hace tres años que estudio español

present tense of llevar + length of time+ gerund
example: llevo tres años estudiando español

Answer 2

present tense + desde hace + length of time
example:
comemos desde hace dos horas
we have been eating for 2 hours

Question 3

Before …..ing

Answer 3

antes de + infinitive

Question 4

after…….ing

Answer 4

después de + infinitive

Question 5

on………ing

Answer 5

al + infinitive

Question 6

had just…….

Answer 6

acababa/acababas/acabamos/acababan de + infinitive

Question 7

action that began in the past and is still going on

construction

Answer 7

verb present tense + desde hace + length of time
hace + length of time + que + verb present tense
present tense llegar + length of time + verb gerund