Understanding Depuis, Pendant, and Pour
Depuis: Expressing Ongoing Actions
Depuis is used to talk about an action or situation that began in the past and is still ongoing in the present. It often translates to “since” or “for” in English, depending on the context.
- Je vis à Paris depuis 2015. (I have lived in Paris since 2015.)
- Il étudie le français depuis deux ans. (He has been studying French for two years.)
Notice that in French, you use the present tense with depuis even when in English you might use the present perfect (“have lived”, “has been studying”). This is a key difference to remember when constructing sentences.
Pendant: Describing Completed Durations
Pendant refers to a completed action or event that lasted for a certain period of time. It translates to “for” in English when talking about the duration of something that is finished.
- J’ai étudié en France pendant six mois. (I studied in France for six months.)
- Nous avons parlé pendant une heure. (We spoke for an hour.)
Pendant is not used for ongoing actions. It specifically marks the duration of a completed or finished event, usually in the past tense.
Pour: Indicating Intended Duration
Pour is used to talk about a planned or intended duration, especially when referring to the future. It translates as “for” when you are saying how long you intend to do something, not how long you have already done it.
- Je vais à Paris pour deux semaines. (I am going to Paris for two weeks.)
- Elle a loué un appartement pour un an. (She rented an apartment for a year.)
Remember, pour is about intention or planned duration, not something that is already completed or currently ongoing.
Common Mistakes and Tips
Many French learners confuse depuis, pendant, and pour because they all can translate as “for” in English. Here are some helpful tips to remember:
- Use depuis for actions that started in the past and continue into the present: I have been doing… since/for…
- Use pendant for actions that happened for a set period and are now finished: I did… for…
- Use pour for future or intended durations: I will do… for…
Practice Makes Perfect
The best way to master these prepositions is to practice using them in real sentences. Try writing your own examples or use language learning tools like Talkpal to get personalized feedback. Pay attention when reading or listening to French, and notice how native speakers use depuis, pendant, and pour in context.
Summary Table
| Preposition | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Depuis | Ongoing action from past to present | Je travaille ici depuis 2018. |
| Pendant | Completed action over a specific duration | Il a voyagé pendant trois mois. |
| Pour | Planned or intended future duration | Ils partent en vacances pour deux semaines. |
Conclusion
Choosing between depuis, pendant, and pour is all about understanding whether the action is ongoing, completed, or planned for the future. With regular practice and by using resources like the Talkpal blog, you’ll be able to use these time expressions like a native French speaker. Keep practicing, and soon these tricky prepositions will become second nature in your French communication!
