Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

This lesson covers the Spanish prepositions "desde" (from) and "hasta" (until), teaching how to indicate starting and ending points in time or space, with examples like "desde las 10:00" and "hasta las 12:00."
  1. "Desde" indicates the starting point.
  2. "Hasta" indicates the end point.
  3. Both prepositions can be used together to indicate the duration of an action, time, or to describe the distance between two places.
Fórmula (Formula)Uso (Use)Ejemplo (Example)
Desde + [Punto de Inicio] (Starting Point)Inicio de un periodo de tiempo (Beginning of a period of time)El curso de cocina ha sido muy interesante desde el primer día.
Hasta + [Punto Final] (Full Stop)Final de un periodo de tiempo (End of a period of time)El instructor está en el taller hasta las 5.
Combinación de (Combination of) "Desde" y "Hasta"Se usan juntos para definir una duración (They are used together to define a duration.)La sesión es desde las 10:00 hasta las 12:00.

Exceptions!

  1. Both prepositions desde and hasta can indicate both time and distance.

Exercise 1: Las preposiciones: "Desde" y "Hasta"

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

hasta, desde, Desde

1. Punto final:
: Viviré en Valencia ... el final de este mes.
(I will live in Valencia until the end of this month.)
2. Punto final:
: El museo está abierto ... las ocho de la tarde.
(The museum is open until eight in the evening.)
3. Punto de inicio:
... que empecé el taller, aprendí mucho.
(Since I started the workshop, I've learned a lot.)
4. Duración:
: El evento durará ... las 8 de la mañana ... las 4 de la tarde.
(The event will last from 8 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon.)
5. Punto final:
Puedes practicar la guitarra ... la sesión final del curso.
(You can practise the guitar until the final session of the course.)
6. Duración:
: El taller organiza todo, ... la inscripción ... la sesión final.
(The workshop organizes everything, from registration to the final session.)
7. Punto de inicio:
: Estudio inglés ... hace dos años.
(I have been studying English for two years.)
8. Punto final:
: Tengo clases ... el viernes pero el sábado estoy libre.
(I have classes until Friday but I'm free on Saturday.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence that properly uses the prepositions "desde" and "hasta" to indicate the starting or ending point of an action or a period of time.

1.
"Hasta" indicates an ending point; here the intention is to express the start, which is why it is incorrect.
A specific ending point is missing for "hasta", which should be a clear hour or moment.
2.
Confusion in the time format; a clear and consistent format must be used.
The order is inverted; "desde" should indicate the start and "hasta" the end.
3.
Incorrect use of "hasta" to indicate the start and "desde" the end, which is wrong.
The preposition "hasta" is missing to properly define the ending point.
4.
The inverted order changes the meaning and is grammatically incorrect.
Although common, the absence of "hasta" does not respect the rule taught to mark the full period.

Understanding the Spanish Prepositions: "Desde" and "Hasta"

This lesson focuses on the Spanish prepositions "desde" and "hasta", which indicate the starting and ending points of an action or period, respectively. Both are essential for expressing time frames, distances, or ranges in Spanish.

Key Concepts

  • Desde + [Starting Point]: Used to specify the beginning of a period or action.
    Example: El curso de cocina ha sido muy interesante desde el primer día.
  • Hasta + [Ending Point]: Used to indicate the end of a period or action.
    Example: El instructor está en el taller hasta las 5.
  • Desde... hasta...: Combined use to define duration or span.
    Example: La sesión es desde las 10:00 hasta las 12:00.

Usage in Context

These prepositions can refer to either time or distance:

  • Marking the start and end of periods (hours, days, months). For example, desde enero hasta marzo means "from January until March".
  • Defining spatial range between two points.

Important Highlights

  • Desde always indicates the starting moment or place.
  • Hasta confirms the concluding moment or place.
  • When used together, they clearly define the full extent of time or space.

Notes on Differences Between English and Spanish

In English, similar expressions often use "from" and "to" or "until". For example, "from 9 AM to 5 PM." In Spanish, this range is conveyed with desde and hasta. Unlike English, in Spanish, the order is strictly from start (desde) to end (hasta), never reversed.

Useful phrases include:

  • Desde las ocho (Starting at eight)
  • Hasta las cinco (Up to five)
  • Desde enero hasta marzo (From January until March)
These help express durations smoothly and accurately in day-to-day conversations or formal contexts.

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