Time Expressions: depuis, il y a, pendant, dans
Les expressions de temps : depuis, il y a, pendant, dans • A2 • 12 cartes
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Exemples
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depuis (action continuing in the present)
Use 'depuis' with the present tense to express an action that started in the past and continues now (equivalent to English 'since' or 'for').
📌 Note de grammaire
When an action is ongoing, French uses the present tense + 'depuis' + a duration or a starting point. Do not use the past tense here.
Exemple
depuis + specific starting point
Use 'depuis' followed by a specific year, month, day, or event to mean 'since'.
📌 Note de grammaire
Unlike durations, this points to the exact moment an action began. The verb remains in the present tense.
Exemple
il y a + completed past action
Use 'il y a' followed by a time period to mean 'ago', indicating how long ago an event happened in the past.
📌 Note de grammaire
This expression is always paired with a past tense, usually the passé composé. It is fixed and does not change with person or number.
Exemple
pendant + completed duration
Use 'pendant' to express the total duration of a completed action in the past or future (equivalent to English 'for').
📌 Note de grammaire
'Pendant' highlights a specific timeframe with a clear beginning and end. It is commonly used with the passé composé or future tense.
Exemple
pendant vs. depuis (contrast)
Compare 'pendant' (completed action duration) with 'depuis' (ongoing action continuing into the present).
📌 Note de grammaire
Choosing between them depends entirely on whether the action is finished (pendant + past/future) or still happening now (depuis + present).
Exemple
dans + future time frame
Use 'dans' followed by a time period to mean 'in' or 'in ... time', indicating when a future action will take place.
📌 Note de grammaire
'Dans' points to a moment in the future relative to now. It is almost always used with the future tense (futur simple or futur proche).
Exemple
en + duration to complete a task
Use 'en' to express the amount of time it takes to complete an action (equivalent to English 'in' or 'within').
📌 Note de grammaire
While 'dans' tells you when something starts in the future, 'en' measures how long a specific task takes to finish (e.g., finishing a book in two hours).
Exemple
durant vs. pendant
Use 'durant' as a more formal synonym for 'pendant' to mean 'during' or 'for' a period of time.
📌 Note de grammaire
'Durant' and 'pendant' are largely interchangeable when meaning 'during', but 'pendant' is much more common in everyday spoken French.
Exemple
depuis que (subordinate clause)
Use 'depuis que' followed by a subject and verb to mean 'ever since'.
📌 Note de grammaire
When you want to link a continuous state to a whole event or clause rather than a simple noun, use 'depuis que' + sentence.
Exemple
il y a + duration in descriptive contexts
Recognize that 'il y a' can also mean 'there is' or 'there are', completely separate from its time-ago meaning.
📌 Note de grammaire
Context is key. When followed by a time expression, it means 'ago'. When followed by a noun, it indicates existence.
Exemple
pendant que (while)
Use 'pendant que' to mean 'while', connecting two simultaneous actions in a sentence.
📌 Note de grammaire
Do not confuse 'pendant' (a preposition meaning 'for/during') with 'pendant que' (a conjunction meaning 'while').
Exemple
Summary of time prepositions (depuis, il y a, pendant, dans)
Review the core time markers: depuis (ongoing), il y a (past ago), pendant (duration), dans (future offset).
📌 Note de grammaire
Mastering these four words is essential for A2 fluency because they anchor every story and daily conversation in the correct timeline.
Exemple
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