Using desde (hace) with the present instead of the perfect tense to express since/for

How to express since/for (time) in Spanish

Have a look at these sentences:

To express that you have done something for + [duration] - i.e. to talk about an action or event that started in the past but is still ongoing in the present - in Spanish you use El Presente with desde hace + [duration] as such: 

 
Desde + [specific date] = since + [specific date]

In the same context, you will use desde instead of desde hace when your action's starting point is a specific date: 

Bear in mind that English sometimes uses the present perfect progressive (have been doing) rather than the present perfect (have done). For example:

Note that if you want to ask someone "since when they've done something" the question is:

For example:

See also:

• Use "hace" for "ago" with the preterite tense (El Pretérito Indefinido)
• Using Hace + length of time + que + present tense in Spanish to say how long one has done something