Mastering ‘Llevar’ for Time: A Comprehensive Guide
Understanding how to use the Spanish verb llevar to express duration is crucial for fluency. While often translated as “to carry” or “to take,” llevar takes on a different meaning when used with time expressions. This article provides a comprehensive guide to mastering this usage, covering definitions, structures, examples, and common mistakes. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, this guide will help you confidently express how long you’ve been doing something in Spanish.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Definition of ‘Llevar’ for Time Duration
- Structural Breakdown
- Types of Sentences with ‘Llevar’
- Examples of ‘Llevar’ for Time Duration
- Usage Rules
- Common Mistakes
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics
- FAQ
- Conclusion
Introduction
Using llevar to talk about time duration is a fundamental aspect of Spanish grammar. It allows you to express how long an action has been in progress, offering a nuanced way to describe ongoing activities or states. This construction is frequently used in everyday conversation, making its mastery essential for effective communication. This article will guide you through the various aspects of using llevar for time, providing clear explanations, examples, and exercises to solidify your understanding. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to confidently use llevar to express duration in a variety of contexts.
Definition of ‘Llevar’ for Time Duration
When used to express time duration, the verb llevar doesn’t mean “to carry” or “to take.” Instead, it signifies the length of time an action has been in progress. It’s a way of saying “to have been doing something for” a certain period. The construction typically involves llevar conjugated in the appropriate tense, followed by a time expression and often a gerundio (present participle, ending in -ando or -iendo). This usage highlights the ongoing nature of the action. Understanding this specific application of llevar is key to expressing duration accurately and naturally in Spanish.
The basic structure is: Llevar (conjugated) + time expression + gerundio (if applicable). For example, “Llevo dos horas estudiando” translates to “I have been studying for two hours.” The gerundio emphasizes the continuous nature of the action. However, the gerundio is not always required, especially when describing a state of being or a situation. For instance, “Llevo cinco años viviendo aquí” (I have been living here for five years) and “Llevo cinco años aquí” (I have been here for five years) are both correct, although the former emphasizes the continuous act of living.
Structural Breakdown
The structure for expressing time duration with llevar is quite specific, and understanding each component is crucial for accurate usage. The basic components are:
- Conjugated form of Llevar: The verb llevar must be conjugated in the appropriate tense to indicate when the action started and whether it’s still ongoing. The most common tenses are the present, imperfect, preterite, future, and conditional.
- Time Expression: This indicates the duration of the action. It can be a specific number of hours, days, years, or a more general expression like “mucho tiempo” (a long time) or “poco tiempo” (a short time). The preposition “por” is **not** used before the time expression when used with llevar.
- Gerundio (Optional): The gerundio, or present participle, is often used to emphasize the continuous nature of the action. It’s formed by adding “-ando” to the stem of -ar verbs and “-iendo” to the stem of -er and -ir verbs. However, it is not always necessary, especially with verbs that describe a state of being.
- Subject (Optional): The subject can be explicitly stated or implied through the verb conjugation.
Let’s break this down with an example: “Llevamos tres años trabajando en esta empresa” (We have been working at this company for three years).
- Llevamos: Conjugated form of llevar in the present tense (nosotros form).
- tres años: Time expression (three years).
- trabajando: Gerundio of the verb trabajar (to work).
- en esta empresa: Additional information (at this company).
By understanding each of these components, you can construct accurate and meaningful sentences expressing duration with llevar.
Types of Sentences with ‘Llevar’
Like any verb, llevar can be used in affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences. Understanding how to form each type is essential for expressing yourself fully.
Affirmative Sentences
Affirmative sentences state a fact about the duration of an action. The basic structure remains the same: Llevar (conjugated) + time expression + gerundio (optional) + other information.
Example: Llevo una hora esperando el autobús (I have been waiting for the bus for one hour).
Negative Sentences
Negative sentences state that an action has not been in progress for a certain amount of time. The word “no” is placed before the conjugated form of llevar.
Example: No llevo mucho tiempo aquí (I haven’t been here for a long time).
Interrogative Sentences
Interrogative sentences ask about the duration of an action. The sentence structure is the same as affirmative sentences, but with the addition of question marks and often an interrogative word like “cuánto” (how much/how long).
Example: ¿Cuánto tiempo llevas estudiando español? (How long have you been studying Spanish?).
Examples of ‘Llevar’ for Time Duration
To fully grasp the usage of llevar for time duration, it’s essential to see it in action across different tenses. The following sections provide extensive examples in the present, imperfect, preterite, future, and conditional tenses.
Present Tense Examples
The present tense of llevar is used to describe actions that started in the past and are still ongoing in the present. This is arguably the most common usage of llevar for time duration.
The following table provides examples of sentences using the present tense of llevar to express duration. These examples cover a range of subjects, time expressions, and verbs to illustrate the versatility of this construction.
| Subject | Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | Llevo cinco años viviendo en Madrid. | I have been living in Madrid for five years. |
| Tú | Llevas dos horas esperando. | You have been waiting for two hours. |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Lleva mucho tiempo trabajando en este proyecto. | He/She/You (formal) has been working on this project for a long time. |
| Nosotros | Llevamos diez años casados. | We have been married for ten years. |
| Vosotros | Lleváis poco tiempo conociéndonos. | You (plural, informal) have known each other for a short time. |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Llevan tres meses aprendiendo inglés. | They/You (plural, formal) have been learning English for three months. |
| Yo | Llevo una semana sintiéndome mal. | I have been feeling sick for a week. |
| Tú | Llevas toda la tarde jugando videojuegos. | You have been playing video games all afternoon. |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Lleva un año estudiando medicina. | He/She/You (formal) has been studying medicine for a year. |
| Nosotros | Llevamos quince minutos hablando por teléfono. | We have been talking on the phone for fifteen minutes. |
| Vosotros | Lleváis un mes planeando el viaje. | You (plural, informal) have been planning the trip for a month. |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Llevan varios días sin dormir bien. | They/You (plural, formal) haven’t been sleeping well for several days. |
| Yo | Llevo mucho tiempo queriendo comprar ese coche. | I have wanted to buy that car for a long time. |
| Tú | Llevas dos años tocando la guitarra. | You have been playing the guitar for two years. |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Lleva una hora intentando arreglar el ordenador. | He/She/You (formal) has been trying to fix the computer for an hour. |
| Nosotros | Llevamos toda la vida viviendo en este pueblo. | We have been living in this town our whole lives. |
| Vosotros | Lleváis tres horas esperando en la cola. | You (plural, informal) have been waiting in line for three hours. |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Llevan seis meses buscando trabajo. | They/You (plural, formal) have been looking for a job for six months. |
| Yo | Llevo diez minutos pensando en ti. | I have been thinking about you for ten minutes. |
| Tú | Llevas un rato leyendo ese libro. | You have been reading that book for a while. |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Lleva varios meses saliendo con María. | He/She/You (formal) has been dating Maria for several months. |
| Nosotros | Llevamos un año ahorrando para las vacaciones. | We have been saving for the vacation for a year. |
| Vosotros | Lleváis mucho tiempo planeando la fiesta. | You (plural, informal) have been planning the party for a long time. |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Llevan dos semanas ensayando la obra de teatro. | They/You (plural, formal) have been rehearsing the play for two weeks. |
| Yo | Llevo cinco días sin verte. | I haven’t seen you for five days. |
| Tú | Llevas mucho tiempo sin llamarme. | You haven’t called me for a long time. |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Lleva una hora sin decir nada. | He/She/You (formal) hasn’t said anything for an hour. |
Imperfect Tense Examples
The imperfect tense of llevar is used to describe actions that were in progress in the past but are no longer ongoing. It describes a past duration.
The following table provides examples of sentences using the imperfect tense of llevar to express duration. These examples highlight situations where an action was ongoing in the past but has since stopped.
| Subject | Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | Llevaba tres años trabajando allí cuando me despidieron. | I had been working there for three years when I was fired. |
| Tú | Llevabas una hora esperando cuando llegó el tren. | You had been waiting for an hour when the train arrived. |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Llevaba seis meses estudiando francés antes de mudarse a París. | He/She/You (formal) had been studying French for six months before moving to Paris. |
| Nosotros | Llevábamos diez años viviendo en esa casa cuando la vendimos. | We had been living in that house for ten years when we sold it. |
| Vosotros | Llevabais dos semanas saliendo antes de que os pelearais. | You (plural, informal) had been dating for two weeks before you fought. |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Llevaban un año planeando la boda cuando la cancelaron. | They/You (plural, formal) had been planning the wedding for a year when they cancelled it. |
| Yo | Llevaba mucho tiempo queriendo viajar a Japón antes de que finalmente fuera. | I had wanted to travel to Japan for a long time before I finally went. |
| Tú | Llevabas toda la tarde jugando cuando te llamé. | You had been playing all afternoon when I called you. |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Llevaba varios meses ahorrando para el coche antes de que se le rompiera el televisor. | He/She/You (formal) had been saving for the car for several months before his/her/your TV broke. |
| Nosotros | Llevábamos una hora conduciendo cuando nos dimos cuenta de que nos habíamos perdido. | We had been driving for an hour when we realized we were lost. |
| Vosotros | Llevabais tres días sin hablaros cuando os reconciliasteis. | You (plural, informal) had not been talking to each other for three days when you reconciled. |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Llevaban varios años trabajando juntos antes de que se separaran. | They/You (plural, formal) had been working together for several years before they separated. |
| Yo | Llevaba cinco minutos hablando por teléfono cuando se cortó la llamada. | I had been talking on the phone for five minutes when the call was cut off. |
| Tú | Llevabas una semana leyendo ese libro cuando lo terminaste. | You had been reading that book for a week when you finished it. |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Llevaba dos horas intentando dormir cuando sonó el despertador. | He/She/You (formal) had been trying to sleep for two hours when the alarm rang. |
| Nosotros | Llevábamos seis meses buscando casa cuando encontramos esta. | We had been looking for a house for six months when we found this one. |
| Vosotros | Llevabais un año aprendiendo japonés cuando fuisteis a Japón. | You (plural, informal) had been learning Japanese for a year when you went to Japan. |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Llevaban mucho tiempo esperando el resultado antes de que lo anunciaran. | They/You (plural, formal) had been waiting for the result for a long time before they announced it. |
| Yo | Llevaba cinco días sin comer bien antes de que me pusiera enfermo. | I hadn’t been eating well for five days before I got sick. |
| Tú | Llevabas mucho tiempo sin hacer ejercicio antes de que te lesionaras. | You hadn’t been exercising for a long time before you got injured. |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Llevaba una semana sin ducharse antes de que se diera cuenta. | He/She/You (formal) hadn’t showered for a week before he/she/you realized it. |
| Nosotros | Llevábamos mucho tiempo sin ir al cine antes de que fuéramos ayer. | We hadn’t been to the cinema for a long time before we went yesterday. |
| Vosotros | Llevabais varios meses sin ver a vuestros padres antes de que los visitarais. | You (plural, informal) hadn’t seen your parents for several months before you visited them. |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Llevaban un año sin hablarse antes de que se reconciliaran. | They/You (plural, formal) hadn’t been talking to each other for a year before they reconciled. |
Preterite Tense Examples
The preterite tense (also known as the simple past tense) is used less frequently with llevar to express duration. It emphasizes the completed nature of the action and the specific timeframe in the past. While possible, it’s more common to use the imperfect tense for past durations.
The following table provides examples of sentences using the preterite tense of llevar to express duration. Note that the emphasis is on the completed timeframe in the past.
| Subject | Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | Llevé dos años trabajando en esa empresa. | I spent two years working at that company. (Emphasis on the completed period) |
| Tú | Llevaste una hora esperando en la estación. | You spent an hour waiting at the station. (Emphasis on the completed period) |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Llevó seis meses estudiando italiano en Florencia. | He/She/You (formal) spent six months studying Italian in Florence. (Emphasis on the completed period) |
| Nosotros | Llevamos cinco años viviendo en ese apartamento. | We spent five years living in that apartment. (Emphasis on the completed period) |
| Vosotros | Llevasteis tres días de vacaciones en la playa. | You (plural, informal) spent three days on vacation at the beach. (Emphasis on the completed period) |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Llevaron un mes viajando por Europa. | They/You (plural, formal) spent a month traveling around Europe. (Emphasis on the completed period) |
Future Tense Examples
The future tense of llevar is used to express how long an action *will have been* in progress at a specific point in the future. It’s used to project duration into the future.
| Subject | Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | Llevaré cinco años trabajando aquí el próximo año. | I will have been working here for five years next year. |
| Tú | Llevarás dos horas esperando cuando llegue el tren. | You will have been waiting for two hours when the train arrives. |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Llevará un año estudiando cuando termine el curso. | He/She/You (formal) will have been studying for a year when the course ends. |
| Nosotros | Llevaremos diez años casados el próximo mes. | We will have been married for ten years next month. |
| Vosotros | Llevaréis tres horas conduciendo cuando lleguemos. | You (plural, informal) will have been driving for three hours when we arrive. |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Llevarán seis meses viviendo aquí en diciembre. | They/You (plural, formal) will have been living here for six months in December. |
Conditional Tense Examples
The conditional tense of llevar expresses how long an action *would have been* in progress under certain hypothetical conditions, often used with “si” (if) clauses.
| Subject | Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | Si hubiera aceptado el trabajo, llevaría diez años trabajando allí ahora. | If I had accepted the job, I would have been working there for ten years now. |
| Tú | Si no hubieras perdido el tren, llevarías media hora esperando ahora. | If you hadn’t missed the train, you would have been waiting for half an hour now. |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Si no se hubiera mudado, llevaría veinte años viviendo en esa ciudad. | If he/she/you (formal) hadn’t moved, he/she/you would have been living in that city for twenty years. |
| Nosotros | Si hubiéramos estudiado más, llevaríamos aprobados todos los exámenes ahora. | If we had studied more, we would have passed all the exams by now. |
| Vosotros | Si hubierais empezado antes, llevaríais terminado el proyecto ahora. | If you (plural, informal) had started earlier, you would have finished the project by now. |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Si no hubieran interrumpido, llevarían una hora hablando del tema. | If they/you (formal) hadn’t interrupted, they would have been talking about the topic for an hour. |
Usage Rules
Several important rules govern the proper use of llevar for time duration:
- Word Order: The standard word order is Llevar (conjugated) + time expression + gerundio (optional).
- No preposition “por”: Do not use the preposition “por” before the time expression. It’s incorrect to say “Llevo por dos años aquí.” The correct form is “Llevo dos años aquí.”
- Gerundio Usage: While the gerundio emphasizes the continuous nature of the action, it’s not always required, especially with verbs that describe a state of being. For example, both “Llevo cinco años viviendo aquí” and “Llevo cinco años aquí” are correct.
- Tense Consistency: Ensure the tense of llevar matches the intended meaning. Use the present tense for actions ongoing in the present, the imperfect for actions that were ongoing in the past, and so on.
Common Mistakes
Here are some common mistakes to avoid when using llevar to express time duration:
| Incorrect | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Llevo por dos años aquí. | Llevo dos años aquí. | The preposition “por” is not used with llevar in this context. |
| Llevo dos años vivir aquí. | Llevo dos años viviendo aquí. | Use the gerundio (present participle) to emphasize the continuous action. |
| Hago dos años aquí. | Llevo dos años aquí. | “Hacer” is not used to express duration in this way; llevar is the correct verb. |
| Llevaba dos años estudiando, pero ahora no. | Llevé dos años estudiando. | When the action is completed and you want to emphasize the timeframe, use preterite, otherwise use imperfect. |
| ¿Cuánto tiempo estás aquí? | ¿Cuánto tiempo llevas aquí? | “Estar” doesn’t express the duration of the stay. Llevar is needed. |
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding of llevar for time duration with these exercises.
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of llevar and the appropriate gerundio (if necessary).
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. Yo ________ (estudiar) español por dos años. | Llevo estudiando |
| 2. ¿Cuánto tiempo ________ (tú, vivir) en esta ciudad? | llevas viviendo |
| 3. Él ________ (trabajar) en la empresa desde 2010. | lleva trabajando |
| 4. Nosotros ________ (esperar) el autobús por una hora. | llevamos esperando |
| 5. Vosotros ________ (salir) juntos por seis meses. | lleváis saliendo |
| 6. Ellos ________ (aprender) a bailar salsa por un año. | llevan aprendiendo |
| 7. Yo ________ (conocer) a mi mejor amigo desde la infancia. | llevo conociendo |
| 8. Tú ________ (jugar) videojuegos toda la tarde. | llevas jugando |
| 9. Ella ________ (leer) ese libro por una semana. | lleva leyendo |
| 10. Nosotros ________ (ver) esa película muchas veces. | llevamos viendo |
Exercise 2: Translate the Sentences
Translate the following sentences into Spanish using llevar to express duration.
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| 1. I have been living in this house for ten years. | Llevo diez años viviendo en esta casa. |
| 2. How long have you been studying English? | ¿Cuánto tiempo llevas estudiando inglés? |
| 3. He has been working on this project for a long time. | Él lleva mucho tiempo trabajando en este proyecto. |
| 4. We have been waiting for you for an hour. | Llevamos una hora esperándote. |
| 5. They have been playing soccer for two hours. | Llevan dos horas jugando al fútbol. |
| 6. I have been thinking about you all day. | Llevo todo el día pensando en ti. |
| 7. She has been feeling sick for a week. | Ella lleva una semana sintiéndose mal. |
| 8. We haven’t seen each other for a long time. | Llevamos mucho tiempo sin vernos. |
| 9. You have been learning to cook for a year. | Llevas un año aprendiendo a cocinar. |
| 10. They have been saving money for the trip for six months. | Llevan seis meses ahorrando dinero para el viaje. |
Exercise 3: Correct the Mistakes
Identify and correct the mistakes in the following sentences.
| Incorrect | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Llevo por cinco años viviendo aquí. | Llevo cinco años viviendo aquí. | The preposition “por” is not used with llevar. |
| 2. Hago tres años estudiando español. | Llevo tres años estudiando español. | “Hacer” is not used to express duration; llevar is needed. |
| 3. ¿Cuánto tiempo estás esperando? | ¿Cuánto tiempo llevas esperando? | “Estar” doesn’t express the duration of waiting; llevar is needed. |
| 4. Llevo dos años a vivir aquí. | Llevo dos años viviendo aquí. | The gerundio “viviendo” is required to emphasize the continuous action. |
| 5. Llevamos mucho tiempo sin verle. | Llevamos mucho tiempo sin verlo. | Correct pronoun placement. |
| 6. Llevé cinco años trabajando allí. | Llevaba cinco años trabajando allí. | Imperfect tense is more suitable in this context. |
| 7. Llevo dos años que estudio español. | Llevo dos años estudiando español. | Incorrect structure. |
| 8. Llevo mucho tiempo a querer viajar. | Llevo mucho tiempo queriendo viajar. | Need the gerundio of querer. |
| 9. Llevo un año a aprender bailar. | Llevo un año aprendiendo a bailar. | Need the gerundio of aprender. |
| 10. Llevo tres meses que no te veo. | Llevo tres meses sin verte. | Incorrect structure. |
Advanced Topics
For advanced learners, here are some more complex aspects of using llevar for time duration.
Llevar + Gerundio with Emphasis
While the gerundio is often optional, it can be used to add emphasis to the continuous nature of the action. Using the gerundio highlights the ongoing effort or activity.
Example: Llevo años intentando aprender a tocar el piano (I have been trying to learn to play the piano for years) emphasizes the ongoing effort more than Llevo años queriendo aprender a tocar el piano (I have wanted to learn to play the piano for years).
Variations with Desde
While llevar typically indicates the total duration of an action, you can combine it with desde (since/from) to specify the starting point of the action. However, the structure changes slightly. In this case, you would use the present tense of a verb (not llevar) followed by desde hace + time period or desde + specific date/time.
Example:
- Vivo aquí desde hace cinco años. (I have been living here for five years. – literally: I live here since five years ago.)
- Estudio español desde enero. (I have been studying Spanish since January.)
You can also combine this with llevar to emphasize the duration leading up to a particular point in time. For example: Llevaba cinco años viviendo allí desde que me gradué. (I had been living there for five years since I graduated.)
FAQ
- Q: Can I use llevar with the subjunctive mood?
- A: While less common, you can use llevar in subjunctive clauses, particularly in hypothetical or conditional sentences. For example: “Si llevara más tiempo estudiando, aprobaría el examen” (If I had been studying longer, I would pass the exam).
- Q: Is it always necessary to use the gerundio with llevar?
- A: No, the gerundio is not always necessary. It’s more common when you want to emphasize the continuous nature of the action. With verbs that describe a state of being or a situation, the gerundio is often omitted. For example, “Llevo cinco años aquí” is perfectly acceptable.
- Q: How do I express “I have only been doing something for a short time” using llevar?
- A: You can use the expression “llevar poco tiempo” followed by the gerundio (if applicable). For example, “Llevo poco tiempo estudiando español” (I have only been studying Spanish for a short time).
- Q: What is the difference between using llevar and using hace to express time duration?
- A: Llevar emphasizes the ongoing nature of an action that started in the past and continues to the present. Hace focuses on a completed action that started in the past. For example: “Llevo cinco años viviendo aquí” (I have been living here for five years – and still do) vs. “Viví aquí hace cinco años” (I lived here five years ago – but I don’t live here now).
- Q: Can I use “desde” with llevar?
- A: You can, but not directly. You would use “desde” in a separate clause to indicate the starting point of the action, as explained in the “Variations with Desde” section above.
- Q: How do I ask how long someone has *not* been doing something?
- A: You can use “¿Cuánto tiempo llevas sin + [infinitive]?” For example: “¿Cuánto tiempo llevas sin comer carne?” (How long have you not been eating meat?).
Conclusion
Mastering the use of llevar to express time duration is a significant step towards fluency in Spanish. By understanding the structural components, tenses, and nuances discussed in this article, you can confidently and accurately convey how long an action has been in progress. Remember to practice regularly and pay attention to the common mistakes to avoid. With dedication and consistent effort, you’ll be able to use llevar naturally and effectively in your Spanish conversations. ¡Buena suerte!