Understanding L’expression de la Durée in French: “Depuis”, “Il y a”, and “Pendant” for B1-Level Learners
Understanding L’expression de la Durée in French: “Depuis”, “Il y a”, and “Pendant” for B1-Level Learners
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Table of contents
Learning how to express duration in French can be challenging, especially when you want to know the correct way to say, “I have been doing something for X amount of time” or “I did something X time ago.” In French, the expression of duration often depends on how long something has been happening, when it started, or how long it lasted. This is where the three important French terms — depuis, il y a, and pendant — come into play.
If you’re a Hindi speaker, this post will also explain how these expressions relate to Hindi grammar to make things clearer for you. Let’s dive in!
1. Depuis – For Ongoing Actions or States
When to Use “Depuis”:
“Depuis” is used to indicate the start of an action or state that is still ongoing. It’s similar to the English construction “since” or “for” when talking about an event that started in the past and is continuing into the present.
Examples:
- French: J’habite à Paris depuis 5 ans.
- English Translation: I have been living in Paris for 5 years.
- Pronunciation (Roman Hindi): J’abit a Paari se 5 saal se.
Here, “depuis” indicates that the action (living in Paris) started 5 years ago and is still ongoing.
Hindi Comparison:
In Hindi, you would typically use expressions like “se” or “se lekar” for ongoing actions. For example, “Main 5 saal se Paris mein reh raha hoon.” This matches the structure of depuis.
“Depuis” is used for actions that started in the past and are still continuing, while “il y a” is used to indicate that something happened a certain time ago and is now finished.
“Pendant” is used to describe an action that lasted for a specific period of time, regardless of whether it is finished or ongoing.
“Depuis” is typically used with the present tense to describe actions that began in the past and are still happening. Example: Je travaille ici depuis 2010.
2. Il y a – For Completed Actions in the Past
When to Use “Il y a”:
“Il y a” is used to express that an action took place a certain amount of time ago. It refers to a completed action in the past and translates roughly to “ago” in English.
Examples:
- French: Il y a 2 ans, je suis allé en Espagne.
- English Translation: Two years ago, I went to Spain.
- Pronunciation (Roman Hindi): Il ya 2 saal pehle, main Spain gaya tha.
Here, “il y a” tells us that the event (going to Spain) happened in the past, 2 years ago, and is no longer ongoing.
Hindi Comparison:
In Hindi, this can be compared to using “pehle” or “2 saal pehle”, as in: “Main 2 saal pehle Spain gaya tha.” This construction is very similar to how “il y a” works in French.
3. Pendant – For Actions That Lasted for a Specific Duration
When to Use “Pendant”:
“Pendant” is used when referring to actions that lasted for a specific amount of time in the past or the future. It’s similar to saying “for” in English when referring to a specific time period, but it does not necessarily imply that the action is still happening now.
Examples:
- French: Il a étudié pendant 3 heures.
- English Translation: He studied for 3 hours.
- Pronunciation (Roman Hindi): Il a étudié pandra 3 ghante ke liye.
In this case, “pendant” tells us that the action of studying lasted for 3 hours but is now complete. It’s a clear, finite duration.
Hindi Comparison:
In Hindi, this would correspond to “ke liye”. For example, “Usne 3 ghante tak padhai ki.” The structure of pendant + specific time period closely resembles this Hindi usage.
Summary: Key Differences
| Expression | Usage | Example in French | Hindi Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depuis | Ongoing action that started in the past and continues into the present | J’habite à Paris depuis 5 ans. | Main 5 saal se Paris mein reh raha hoon. |
| Il y a | Completed action in the past, expressing “ago” | Il y a 2 ans, je suis allé en Espagne. | Main 2 saal pehle Spain gaya tha. |
| Pendant | Action or event that lasted for a specific period of time | Il a étudié pendant 3 heures. | Usne 3 ghante tak padhai ki. |
Final Thoughts:
Understanding when to use depuis, il y a, and pendant is essential for expressing duration and timing in French. As you practice, pay attention to the tense, whether the action is ongoing or completed, and the specific time frame involved. For Hindi speakers, aligning these French expressions with their Hindi equivalents will make it easier to grasp their usage.
By mastering these three phrases, you’ll be able to express time more accurately in French and avoid common mistakes that language learners often make. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll feel confident talking about durations in French!
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