The verb is a word by which we affirm something. It is the essential word in a sentence: without it (expressed or understood) no sentence can be construed.
Verbs are divided into Auxiliary, Transitive and Intransitive.
The Auxiliary verbs in Spanish are: Haber, Tener, Ser, Estar.
Haber is a true auxiliary because it helps to form compound tenses[112] but it presents the following peculiarities—
1. It is used as an impersonal verb (as well as the verb hacer which is given here for the sake of completeness) for expressions of time, as—
Dos años ha (or ha dos años) or hace dos años la exportación de los Caldos españoles estaba muy floreciente: Two years ago the exportation of Spanish wines and oils was very flourishing.
Ha dos años (or hace dos años) que la casa Guillermo Fernandez y Cía está establecida en La Coruña como Comisionistas: The firm, G.F. & Co., has been established in Corunna as Commission Agents these last two years.
¿Cuanto tiempo ha (or hace) que estudia V. el castellano? How long have you been studying Spanish?
[Footnote 112: The Past Part. following "haber" IS ALWAYS INVARIABLE.]
2. It is also used impersonally as "there to be" (French, "y avoir"), as—