is the how long and how far is the same thing? I am confused a little bit.
They are not the same thing exactly, but they are similar.
How long is used to ask about an amount of time or a length (short lengths). For example, you would use “how long” to ask about how much time someone has lived in a city or learned a language. If you want to know the size of your pencil (a short distance), you would also use “how long”.
- How long have you been a member of this gym? (asking about a length of time)
- How long is the piece of paper? (asking about a short length)
- How long until we get back home? (asking about a length of time)
How far is used to ask about a distance (longer than lengths) or the time it will take to go across that distance. This is used to describe something that is far – usually you aren’t able to reach out and touch it.
- How far is the next gas station from here? (asking about a distance, and the answer is likely longer than 1km or 1 mi; or you could answer with an time, such as “It’s about a three-minute drive)
- How far is the pier from here? (you could answer a distance or the time it takes to get there)
