Qué pasó aqui?

Question

"Ustedes ________ solteros desde siempre. (You guys have been single since always)" This is from a recent Kwiz.  I chose hacen instead of están. When I was looking at the English clue in the parentheses, it sounded "past tense " to me. That is not the case as están is a present tense verb. What is going on here?

Answer

Hola Perry
The verb in English is indeed in the past tense "you have been...", and the Spanish sentence is using the present tense. This is because, in Spanish, we normally use the present tense with time phrases like "desde hace" or "desde" if you express something that has happened for a certain time and it's still the case. Here's a lesson on that topic. 
Also, the verb you chose was "hacen", (from hacer, to do/make) which isn't the one we use to talk about relationship statuses. We use "estar". 
I hope this clarified it.
Saludos
Inma

Answer

Excelente! Desde is the key word there! I have saved the lesson you suggested. After my Kwiz, I clicked on the lesson review for the question I got wrong and it took me to a lesson on estar.  I think it would have been more helpful to be sent to the lesson you suggested. Either way, thank you so much for the clarification. I love this site so much!