How long has spanish been spoken in the US?

It's difficult to give a precise date for when Spanish was first spoken in the US, as it depends on how you define "spoken." Here's a breakdown:

* Spanish was spoken in the territory that is now the US long before European colonization. This is because the US was once inhabited by indigenous groups, some of whom spoke languages related to Spanish (like the Pueblo languages in the Southwest).

* Spanish was brought to the US by Spanish explorers and colonists in the 16th century. Spanish became the official language of vast areas of what is now the US, including Florida, California, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and parts of the Southwest.

* Spanish remained a dominant language in these areas for centuries. Many people of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican, and other Latin American backgrounds have spoken Spanish in the US for generations.

* Spanish speakers migrated to the US in significant numbers in the 19th and 20th centuries. This contributed to the growth of Spanish-speaking communities throughout the country.

Therefore, it's accurate to say Spanish has been spoken in the US for centuries, with its presence going back to before the country's founding.