How to Use "Depuis," "Il y a," and "Pendant" for Talking About Time in French

Mastering time expressions in French can be tricky, but three key terms—"depuis," "il y a," and "pendant"—are essential for speaking and writing fluently. Each of these expressions serves a different function when talking about past, present, and future events. This guide will break down their meanings, uses, and common mistakes so you can confidently incorporate them into your French conversations.

1. "Depuis" – Expressing Ongoing Actions or Situations

Meaning and Usage

"Depuis" is used to indicate an action that began in the past and is still continuing in the present. In English, it often translates to "since" or "for."

Sentence Structure

Depuis + time expression

• Depuis + specific point in time (e.g., "since 2010"): Je vis à Paris depuis 2010. (I have been living in Paris since 2010.)

• Depuis + duration (e.g., "for five years"): Elle apprend le français depuis cinq ans. (She has been learning French for five years.)

Verb Tense with "Depuis"

The verb following "depuis" is typically in the present tense in French, even though in English we would use the present perfect continuous.

✅ Je travaille ici depuis trois ans. (I have been working here for three years.) 🚫 J'ai travaillé ici depuis trois ans.(Incorrect)

Common Mistakes

1. Using the passé composé instead of the present tense

   • Incorrect: J'ai attendu depuis une heure.

   • Correct: J'attends depuis une heure. (I have been waiting for an hour.)

2. Confusing "depuis" with "pendant" (which we'll cover later)

2. "Il y a" – Talking About Past Events

Meaning and Usage

"Il y a" is used to indicate that something happened a certain amount of time ago. It translates to "ago" in English.

Sentence Structure

Il y a + duration

• J'ai rencontré Marie il y a deux ans. (I met Marie two years ago.)

• Nous avons voyagé en Italie il y a trois mois. (We traveled to Italy three months ago.)

Verb Tense with "Il y a"

Since "il y a" describes a completed action in the past, it is typically used with the passé composé or other past tenses.

✅ Elle a appelé il y a dix minutes. (She called ten minutes ago.) 🚫 Elle appelle il y a dix minutes. (Incorrect)

Common Mistakes

1. Using "il y a" with the present tense

   • Incorrect: Je travaille ici il y a cinq ans.

   • Correct: J'ai commencé à travailler ici il y a cinq ans. (I started working here five years ago.)

2. Confusing "il y a" with "pendant" or "depuis"

   • Il y a refers to a completed action, not an ongoing one.

3. "Pendant" – Describing a Completed Duration

Meaning and Usage

"Pendant" is used to describe the duration of an action that has been completed. It translates to "for" in English when referring to time.

Sentence Structure

Pendant + duration

• J'ai vécu en Espagne pendant trois ans. (I lived in Spain for three years.)

• Nous avons attendu pendant une heure. (We waited for an hour.)

Verb Tense with "Pendant"

Since "pendant" describes a completed action, it is often used with the passé composé.

✅ J'ai lu pendant deux heures. (I read for two hours.) 🚫 Je lis pendant deux heures. (Incorrect unless referring to a scheduled future event.)

Common Mistakes

1. Using "pendant" for ongoing actions (Use "depuis" instead)

   • Incorrect: Je travaille pendant trois ans.

   • Correct: Je travaille ici depuis trois ans. (I have been working here for three years.)

2. Confusing "pendant" with "il y a" ("Il y a" refers to when something happened, not how long it lasted.)

4. Comparing "Depuis," "Il y a," and "Pendant"

ExpressionMeaningUsage ExampleVerb TenseDepuisOngoing action ("since/for")J'habite ici depuis 2015. (I have lived here since 2015.)PresentIl y aCompleted action ("ago")J'ai dîménagé ici il y a trois ans. (I moved here three years ago.)Passé composéPendantCompleted duration ("for")J'ai voyagé pendant deux semaines. (I traveled for two weeks.)Passé composé

5. Practice Exercises

Fill in the blanks

1. Je travaille chez Google ____ cinq ans. (since five years)

2. Il a appelé ____ dix minutes. (ten minutes ago)

3. Nous avons attendu ____ une heure. (for one hour)

4. J'habite à Lyon ____ 2012. (since 2012)

5. Elle a voyagé en France ____ trois semaines. (for three weeks)

Answers

1. depuis

2. il y a

3. pendant

4. depuis

5. pendant

6. Summary & Key Takeaways

• Use depuis to describe an action that started in the past and continues in the present.

• Use il y a to indicate when something happened in the past.

• Use pendant to express a completed action’s duration.

• Be mindful of verb tenses: "depuis" uses the present tense, "il y a" and "pendant" use the passé composé.

By mastering these three expressions, you'll gain confidence in talking about time in French. Keep practicing, and soon using them will become second nature!