Faz, Há, or Desde? Talk About Time and Duration in Portuguese

Use faz to talk about an amount of time

When the sentence names a period such as dois meses or três semanas, faz helps answer “how long?” or “how long ago?” Read the rest of the sentence to see whether the period continues now or marks time since a completed event.

Use há for time that has passed or a duration

Há can mean “there is/are,” but it also expresses elapsed time. Há dois anos trabalho aqui can mean that you have worked here for two years; há duas semanas means two weeks ago or for two weeks, depending on the sentence. The verb haver is impersonal in this time use, so há stays the same.

Portuguese speakers may choose faz or há in similar duration sentences. These patterns are useful to recognize in speech and writing. Do not confuse elapsed-time há with the preposition a in a future time expression such as daqui a dois dias (in two days).

Use desde to name the starting point

Desde means since or from, and it introduces a starting point: desde 2022 (since 2022), desde segunda-feira (since Monday), or desde criança (since childhood). It focuses on when a period began rather than how long the period is.

Combine desde with a present-tense verb when an activity began in the past and still continues: Trabalho aqui desde março (I’ve worked here since March). If the action is over, use a past-tense context that makes that clear.

Choose between a duration and a starting date

Ask yourself whether you want to name an amount of time or the moment the period began. Use faz or há with an amount—há três anos—and desde with a starting point—desde 2023. This contrast helps you describe work, study, relationships, and life in a new city.

For more date and schedule practice, use Real Life Portuguese guides to appointments, months, and daily routines. I Speak Portuguese teachers can ask how long you have studied and when you started, giving you a natural way to practice the difference.