Italian for Ongoing Hobbies: Saying How Long You've Been Doing Something
Learn to say how long you've been painting, studying, or playing guitar in Italian using the present tense with da, plus duration phrases like da anni and da tre mesi.
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In Italian, to say how long you have been doing something, you normally use the present tense together with da: Studio italiano da due anni (I've been studying Italian for two years). This is different from English, which uses the present perfect (I have been studying). Italian treats an action that started in the past and continues now as present. In this lesson you will build sentences about long-term hobbies such as painting, learning guitar, running, and singing, adding duration and frequency so you can say more than just Mi piace dipingere (I like painting).
By the end, you can…
- say how long I have been doing a hobby using the present tense and da.
- ask someone how long they have been doing an activity and understand their answer.
- add frequency and duration details to a simple hobby statement.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Dipingi da molto tempo?
Have you been painting for a long time?
dee-PEEN-jee dah MOL-toh TEM-poh
Use with someone you know; the present tense dipingi covers both 'you paint' and 'you have been painting'.
Dipingo da anni.
I've been painting for years.
dee-PEEN-goh dah AN-nee
da anni means 'for years'. The verb stays in the present.
Suono la chitarra da tre mesi.
I've been playing guitar for three months.
SWOH-noh lah kee-TAR-rah dah treh MEH-zee
Use suonare for playing an instrument; la chitarra takes the article.
Sto imparando a suonare la chitarra.
I'm learning to play guitar.
stoh eem-pah-RAN-doh ah SWOH-nah-reh lah kee-TAR-rah
The stare + gerund form stresses that the learning is in progress right now.
Vado in palestra due volte a settimana.
I go to the gym twice a week.
VAH-doh een pah-LES-trah DOO-eh VOL-teh ah set-tee-MAH-nah
Adds frequency; due volte a settimana means 'twice a week'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is present tense + da + duration: Lavoro qui da cinque anni (I've been working here for five years). Da can be followed by a time expression such as due anni, tre mesi, molto tempo, or da quando...? (since when?). For activities you are actively learning, use stare + gerund: Sto imparando a cucinare (I'm learning to cook). For instruments, use suonare + article + instrument: suono il pianoforte, suono la chitarra. Compare Ho dipinto un quadro (I painted a picture, completed) with Dipingo da anni (I've been painting for years, ongoing).
When to use it
Use present + da when the activity started in the past and is still true now: Abito a Roma da un anno (I've been living in Rome for a year). Use da quanto? to ask how long: Da quanto tempo studi italiano? (How long have you been studying Italian?). If you want to stress the ongoing process of learning, use stare + gerund: Sto imparando a nuotare (I'm learning to swim). Do not use the passato prossimo for an activity that continues: Ho studiato italiano da due anni sounds wrong; say Studio italiano da due anni.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Ciao! Da quanto tempo dipingi?
Hi! How long have you been painting?CHAH-oh dah KWAHN-toh TEM-poh dee-PEEN-jeeDipingo da circa tre anni. Sto anche imparando a suonare la chitarra.
I've been painting for about three years. I'm also learning to play guitar.dee-PEEN-goh dah CHEER-kah treh AN-nee stoh AN-keh eem-pah-RAN-doh ah SWOH-nah-reh lah kee-TAR-rahChe bravo! Da quanto tempo suoni la chitarra?
How nice! How long have you been playing guitar?keh BRAH-voh dah KWAHN-toh TEM-poh SWOH-nee lah kee-TAR-rahSuono da sei mesi, ma vado a lezione due volte a settimana.
I've been playing for six months, but I go to a lesson twice a week.SWOH-noh dah say MEH-zee mah VAH-doh ah leh-TSYOH-neh DOO-eh VOL-teh ah set-tee-MAH-nahA little context goes a long way
In Italian, da is the standard way to express duration for ongoing activities, and the present tense is normal even for long periods. Regional and individual usage varies: you may hear da più tempo, da un po', or da parecchio in different parts of the country, but these are not strictly tied to north or south. When talking about lessons or courses, Italians often say vado a lezione (I go to a lesson) rather than using a possessive, and the plural lezioni is common for a regular schedule.
One thing to watch for
Ho dipinto da tre anni.
Try this instead: Use the present tense: Dipingo da tre anni. The passato prossimo ho dipinto means 'I painted' and suggests the activity is finished, not ongoing.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I've been studying Italian for two years'?
Show a sample answer
Studio italiano da due anni.
Present tense studio plus da due anni expresses an ongoing duration. Da due anni is the standard phrase; da un paio d'anni is also possible but less precise.
2Translate: 'She's learning to play the piano.'
Show a sample answer
Sta imparando a suonare il pianoforte.
Sta imparando (stare + gerund) stresses the learning process, and suonare il pianoforte uses the article with the instrument. Lei impara a suonare il pianoforte is also correct but less focused on the ongoing process.
3Ask a friend how long they have been running.
Show a sample answer
Da quanto tempo corri?
Da quanto tempo is the standard question for duration. Corri is the informal tu form; use corre with formal Lei.
For hobbies that started in the past and continue now, use the Italian present tense with da: Dipingo da anni, Suono la chitarra da tre mesi. Add stare + gerund when you want to stress that you are actively learning something.
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