• import the formatDistanceToNow function from date-fns:

import { formatDistanceToNow } from 'date-fns'

• format the date to now:

const date = new Date('2020-01-01T12:00:00Z')
console.log(formatDistanceToNow(date, { addSuffix: true }))

• as you've seen, we can also pass the second parameter as an object to specify the options, such as adding the suffix.
• you can see all the available options for formatDistanceToNow here

Using a different language

• we need to import the language from date-fns, for example, portuguese from Brazil:

import ptBR from 'date-fns/locale/pt-BR'

• then use the second parameter to specify the locale

import { formatDistanceToNow } from 'date-fns'
import ptBR from 'date-fns/locale/pt-BR'

const date = new Date('2020-01-01T12:00:00Z')
console.log(
  formatDistanceToNow(date, {
    addSufix: true,
    locale: ptBR,
  })
)

Reference

• date-fns docs
• Cover image from Roman Bozhko on Unsplash