Time expressions for the past
Words like ayer, anoche and hace dos años tell you when something happened, and usually call for the preterite.
PART01
Theory
Learn the time words, then how hace works for “ago”.
When?
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ayer | yesterday |
| anoche | last night |
| anteayer | the day before yesterday |
| el lunes pasado | last Monday |
| la semana pasada | last week |
| el mes pasado | last month |
| el año pasado | last year |
| hace dos días | two days ago |
hace = ago
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Viví en Londres hace tres años. | I lived in London three years ago. |
| Hace una semana fui al médico. | A week ago I went to the doctor. |
| ¿Cuándo llegaste? —Hace una hora. | When did you arrive? —An hour ago. |
| Terminé la universidad en 2015. | I finished university in 2015. |
pasado agrees
el mes pasado = last month
la semana pasada = last week
los días pasados = the past few days
hace + time = ago
hace dos años = two years ago
It can go first or last.
Years and months: en
en 2020 = in 2020
en mayo = in May
Days: el, no preposition
El lunes fui al médico. = On Monday I went to the doctor.
Not en el lunes.
Telling a sequence
primero, luego, después, al final = first, then, after that, in the end
anteayer = two days back
anteayer = the day before yesterday
(one word)
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