(Yes, they all talk about time… but they don’t mean the same thing!)
🎯 Goal: Learn to talk about time correctly in French using three essential expressions.
🧠 What’s the difference?
| French expression | English meaning | Use it for… |
|---|---|---|
| depuis | since / for | An action that started in the past and is still true now |
| pendant | for | An action that lasted a set period and is finished |
| il y a | ago | A moment that happened in the past |
🟢 1. Depuis → since / for (ongoing)
Use depuis to talk about something that started in the past and continues now.
It is used with the present tense in French (not the past like in English!).
✅ Examples:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| J’habite ici depuis 2010. | I’ve lived here since 2010. |
| Elle travaille ici depuis 2 ans. | She has been working here for 2 years. |
| Nous sommes amis depuis l’enfance. | We’ve been friends since childhood. |
🔵 2. Pendant → for (completed period)
Use pendant to say how long something lasted.
The action is finished or clearly limited in time.
It can be used with past or future tenses.
✅ Examples:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Il a étudié pendant 3 heures. | He studied for 3 hours. |
| Nous avons voyagé pendant 2 semaines. | We traveled for 2 weeks. |
| Je vais rester ici pendant une semaine. | I’ll stay here for a week. |
🟡 3. Il y a → ago
Il y a means “ago” and comes before the time expression.
It’s used with the past tense (most often passé composé).
✅ Examples:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| J’ai vu ce film il y a deux jours. | I saw that movie two days ago. |
| Il est parti il y a 10 minutes. | He left 10 minutes ago. |
| Nous avons déménagé il y a un an. | We moved one year ago. |
📊 Visual Summary
🔁 depuis → still happening
🔚 pendant → finished period
⏪ il y a → past point in time
🧪 Exercise
Choose the correct word: depuis, pendant, or il y a
- J’habite à Paris _ 2019.
- Il a dormi _ huit heures.
- Elle a commencé le yoga _ un mois.
- Nous sommes ensemble _ trois ans.
- Tu as attendu _ une heure ?
✅ Show answers
- depuis
- pendant
- il y a
- depuis
- pendant
📝 Quiz: Let’s practice French time expressions!
Now that you’ve learned how to use depuis, pendant and il y a, it’s time to check your understanding with a short quiz.
Choose the correct expression for each sentence!
✅ Recap
| Expression | Meaning | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| depuis | since / for | Still happening (use with present tense) |
| pendant | for | Completed action (in the past ) |
| il y a | ago | Happened at a past point in time |
✨ Want to practice with a native French teacher?
Grammar is easier when you hear it and use it in real conversation!
Book a lesson with a native French teacher and start speaking with confidence today.
👉 Contact me and let’s get started!