Mastering French Time Markers: Depuis, Pendant, and Il y a

One of the most notorious obstacles for English speakers learning French is mastering temporal prepositions. In English, you frequently rely on the versatile prepositions "for", "since", and "ago". In French, however, these ideas are divided strictly between depuis, pendant, and il y a.

Using the wrong time marker often leads to grammatical misunderstandings, particularly because each preposition demands specific verb tenses. In this definitive guide, we break down the rules, highlight common traps, and provide practical examples so you can use these essential French time markers naturally.

1. « Depuis »: Actions That Started in the Past and Continue Now

The Core Rule

Use depuis when an action began in the past and is still ongoing in the present moment.

In English, you would normally use the present perfect or present perfect continuous ("I have been living here for two years"). In French, because the action is currently happening, you must use the present tense (présent de l'indicatif).

Two Ways to Use « Depuis »

1. With a duration of time (translates to "for"):

  • J'habite à Paris depuis trois ans. (I have lived / have been living in Paris for three years — and I still live there).

2. With a specific starting point (translates to "since"):

  • Elle travaille ici depuis septembre. (She has worked here since September).

    • Past Narration: Using the Imparfait

  • Nous marchions depuis une heure quand l'orage a éclaté. (We had been walking for an hour when the storm broke out).

    • When you are telling a story set in the past, depuis can be paired with the imparfait to denote an action that had been going on before another past event took place:

    2. « Pendant »: Completed Durations

    The Core Rule

Pendant means "during" or "for", but strictly in the context of a defined, self-contained duration. The action has either already ended or is framed as a complete cycle.

Tenses Typically Used with « Pendant »

  • Passé composé (Finished actions):
  • J'ai dormi pendant huit heures. (I slept for eight hours — I am awake now).
  • Il a habité au Japon pendant cinq ans. (He lived in Japan for five years — he no longer lives there).
  • Futur simple (Future events):
  • Je vais voyager pendant tout l'été. (I will travel for the entire summer).
  • Présent (Habitual truths):
  • Elle lit pendant vingt minutes chaque soir. (She reads for twenty minutes every evening).

Pro Tip: In conversational French, pendant is often dropped when the context is obvious: J'ai attendu [pendant] vingt minutes. Both forms are grammatically acceptable.

3. « Il y a »: Referring to Time Ago

The Core Rule

While il y a famously means "there is" or "there are", when followed by a measurement of time, it directly translates to "ago".

It marks a completed action that occurred at a specific moment in the past relative to the present moment. As a result, it is virtually always used with the passé composé.

Formula and Examples

  • Passé composé + il y a + time duration
  • Je suis arrivé en France il y a trois semaines. (I arrived in France three weeks ago).
  • Le cours a commencé il y a dix minutes. (The class started ten minutes ago).

Notice that unlike English, where "ago" is placed after the duration (ten minutes ago), French places il y a before the duration (il y a dix minutes).

Quick Comparison Cheat Sheet

The Major Pitfall: Do Not Use « Pour » for Duration!

Marker Action Status Primary Verb Tense English Equivalent
:--- :--- :--- :---
Depuis Ongoing action (started in past) Present tense Since / For
Pendant Completed duration or entire timeframe Passé composé / Future During / For
Il y a Specific completed point in past Passé composé Ago
  • Incorrect: ~~J'ai étudié le français pour deux ans.~~
  • Correct: J'ai étudié le français pendant deux ans. (If finished) OR J'étudie le français depuis deux ans. (If still studying).

    • The single most common mistake among English speakers is using pour to translate "for":

  • Je pars en mission pour six mois. (I am leaving on a mission planned for six months).

    • In French, pour is only used for duration when referring to an anticipated or scheduled duration in the future:

    Practice Exercise

Test yourself by filling in the blanks with depuis, pendant, or il y a:

1. Thomas a visité le musée ______ trois heures hier après-midi.

2. Nous avons emménagé dans cette maison ______ six mois.

3. Vous apprenez cette leçon ______ ce matin ?

4. L'avion a décollé ______ cinq minutes.

Answers: 1. pendant 2. il y a 3. depuis 4. il y a.

Keep this guide handy during your study sessions, and you will naturally stop translating word-for-word from English!