How to Say "since" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “since” is “desde” — use 'desde' when 'since' indicates a starting point in time, meaning 'from a specific time until now'..
desde
/DEHS-deh//ˈdes.de/
Examples
Vivo aquí desde 2015.
I have lived here since 2015.
No la he visto desde el lunes.
I haven't seen her since Monday.
Desde ahora, voy a estudiar más.
From now on, I'm going to study more.
A Key Difference from English
In Spanish, you can use the simple present tense with 'desde' to talk about an action that started in the past and continues. 'Vivo aquí desde 2015' is perfect, while 'I live here since 2015' is incorrect in English.
A Point in Time vs. A Period of Time
Mistake: “Estudio español desde tres años.”
Correction: Use 'desde' for a specific starting *point* ('desde 2020'). To talk about a *length* of time, use 'desde hace': 'Estudio español desde hace tres años' (I've been studying Spanish for three years).
porque
/por-keh//ˈpoɾke/
Examples
No salgo porque llueve.
I'm not going out because it's raining.
Estudio español porque quiero viajar a México.
I'm studying Spanish because I want to travel to Mexico.
Llegué tarde porque había mucho tráfico.
I arrived late because there was a lot of traffic.
Answering 'Why?'
'Porque' is the answer to the question '¿Por qué?' (Why?). Think of it as a pair: '¿Por qué?' asks the question, and 'porque' gives the answer.
Connecting Two Ideas
Use 'porque' to link a result with its cause. For example: [Result: I'm happy]... 'porque'... [Cause: it's Friday].
Mixing up 'porque' and 'por qué'
Mistake: “Estudio español por qué me gusta.”
Correction: Estudio español porque me gusta. Use 'porque' (one word) to mean 'because'. Use '¿por qué?' (two words, with an accent) to ask 'why?'.
como
/KO-mo//ˈko.mo/
Examples
Como no tenía paraguas, me mojé.
Since I didn't have an umbrella, I got wet.
Como era tarde, decidimos volver a casa.
As it was late, we decided to go back home.
Como el restaurante estaba cerrado, fuimos a otro.
Since the restaurant was closed, we went to another one.
'Como' for Reasons
When you use 'como' to give a reason, it almost always goes at the beginning of the whole sentence. The reason comes first, then the result.
Using 'Como' Instead of 'Porque'
Mistake: “Me quedé en casa como estaba lloviendo.”
Correction: Use 'porque' in the middle of a sentence to mean 'because': 'Me quedé en casa porque estaba lloviendo.' Use 'como' to start the sentence: 'Como estaba lloviendo, me quedé en casa.'
estando
es-TAHN-doh/esˈtando/
Examples
Estando en casa, aproveché para limpiar.
Being at home, I took the opportunity to clean.
No podemos salir, estando la puerta cerrada.
We can't leave, with the door being closed.
Estando tan cansado, decidió acostarse temprano.
Since he was so tired, he decided to go to bed early.
The '-ing' Form
The 'estando' form is called the gerund. It is the Spanish equivalent of the English '-ing' form (like 'running' or 'singing'), but it never changes its spelling.
Forming Continuous Actions
You combine a conjugated form of 'estar' (like 'estoy,' 'estás,' etc.) with another gerund to show an action happening right now: 'Estoy comiendo' (I am eating).
Adverbial Use
When used alone, 'estando' often explains the circumstance or reason for the main action, acting like the English phrases 'since I was' or 'while she was' (Example: 'Estando lloviendo' = Since it was raining).
Confusing Gerund and Infinitive
Mistake: “Using 'estar' when you need the continuous action: 'Yo estoy hablar.'”
Correction: You must use the gerund form of the main action: 'Yo estoy hablando.' (I am talking). Remember 'estando' is only used for the verb 'to be' itself.
dado
/DAH-doh//ˈda.ðo/
Examples
Dado que ya es tarde, nos vamos a casa.
Given that it's already late, we're going home.
No pudimos ir a la playa, dado que el coche no funcionaba.
We couldn't go to the beach, since the car wasn't working.
A Fixed Phrase
Think of 'dado que' as a single block that means 'given that'. It's a formal way to introduce the cause or reason for something.
Using it Casually
Mistake: “In a text to a friend: 'Dado que tengo hambre, voy a comer.'”
Correction: It's not wrong, but it sounds a bit too formal. A friend would more likely say 'Como tengo hambre...' or 'Porque tengo hambre...'.
visto
/bees-toh//ˈbisto/
Examples
Visto que no llamas, supongo que no vienes.
Seeing that you're not calling, I suppose you're not coming.
Visto el mal tiempo, se canceló el partido.
Given the bad weather, the game was canceled.
Starting a Sentence with a Reason
Use 'Visto que...' or just 'Visto...' at the beginning of a sentence to state a fact that explains what comes next. It's like saying 'Because of this fact...'.
Confusing Reason vs. Time
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.