How do you talk about time and duration using ‘Há’ and ‘Desde’?

Understanding “Há” in Portuguese

What Does “Há” Mean?

Há is a form of the verb “haver” and is used primarily to express the idea of “ago” or to indicate that something has been happening for a certain amount of time. It relates to actions or situations that started in the past and may or may not be continuing in the present.

How to Use “Há” for Time and Duration

To use “há” correctly, simply place it before the time expression to indicate how much time has passed since an event started or occurred. Here are some examples:

• Há cinco anos – Five years ago
• Há duas semanas – Two weeks ago
• Há muito tempo – A long time ago

“Há” with the Present Tense

In Portuguese, “há” is often used with the present tense to express actions that started in the past and continue into the present. For example:

• Estou aqui há três horas. – I have been here for three hours.
• Trabalho nesta empresa há um ano. – I have been working at this company for a year.

Notice that, unlike English, Portuguese uses the present tense in these cases, not the present perfect.

Understanding “Desde” in Portuguese

What Does “Desde” Mean?

Desde is used to refer to the starting point of an action or event. It means “since” in English and is used to show when something began and that it continues up to the present.

How to Use “Desde” for Time and Duration

To use “desde,” you should follow it with a specific point in time (a date, a year, an event, etc.). Here are some examples:

• Desde 2010 – Since 2010
• Desde ontem – Since yesterday
• Desde o começo do mês – Since the beginning of the month

“Desde” with Verbs

When you want to express that an action started at a certain point in time and continues to the present, use “desde”:

• Moro aqui desde janeiro. – I have lived here since January.
• Estudo português desde 2022. – I have been studying Portuguese since 2022.

Key Differences Between “Há” and “Desde”

Understanding the difference between these two terms is crucial:

• Há is used for durations or to mean “ago” – it answers the question “how long?” or “how long ago?”
• Desde refers to the starting point of an action and means “since” – it answers the question “since when?”

For example:

• Há três anos – Three years ago / for three years
• Desde 2021 – Since 2021

Common Mistakes and Tips for Learners

• Don’t use “há” and “desde” interchangeably. They are not synonyms.
• “Há” is never used with a specific starting point, only with durations.
• “Desde” is always followed by a specific date, event, or time marker.
• Practice with real-life examples and try to notice their usage in Portuguese conversations or on the Talkpal AI platform.

Practice Exercises

Try translating these sentences into Portuguese using either “há” or “desde”:

1. I have been studying Portuguese for six months.
2. I have lived in Brazil since 2018.
3. She arrived three days ago.
4. He has been working here since last year.

Check your answers at the end of this article to see if you’ve mastered the difference!

Conclusion

Learning how to use “há” and “desde” correctly is an essential skill for anyone who wants to speak Portuguese fluently and accurately. By understanding these words and practicing their use, you can communicate clearly about time and duration. For more tips, exercises, and interactive practice, be sure to visit the Talkpal AI language learning blog, your resource for mastering Portuguese and other languages.

Answers:

1. Eu estudo português há seis meses.
2. Eu moro no Brasil desde 2018.
3. Ela chegou há três dias.
4. Ele trabalha aqui desde o ano passado.