Using Hacía + length of time + que + the imperfect tense to express duration in the past

Question 1

Hacía + [length of time] + que + verb in El Pretérito Imperfecto

Answer 1

To express “how long” something had been happening,

Question 2

He had been working with his dad for a few months.

Answer 2

Hacía unos meses que trabajaba con su padre.

Question 3

His stomach had been hurting for several days.

Answer 3

Hacía varios días que le dolía el estómago.

Question 4

He hadn’t seen his girlfriend for two weeks.

Answer 4

Hacía dos semanas que no veía a su novia.

Question 5

This structure is also often followed by another sentence expressing an interruption with cuando.

Answer 5

Hacía dos semanas que no la veía cuando ella lo llamó de repente.
He hadn’t seen her for two weeks when she suddenly called him.

Question 6

structure using desde hacía

Answer 6

Verb in El Pretérito Imperfecto + desde hacía + length of time

Question 7

He had been working in the company for 3 years.

Answer 7

Trabajaba en la empresa desde hacía tres años.

Question 8

I hadn’t watched a Western for years. [lit: Western films]

Answer 8

No veía películas del oeste desde hacía años.