PRÉPOSITIONS AVEC LE TEMPS

POUR, DANS, et EN

REVIEW

Depuis means "since" or "for." It is used with a French verb in the present tense to talk about an action that began in the past and continues in the present.

• J'étudie le français depuis 3 ans.   I've studied French for 3 years (and still do).

Pendant means "for" and refers to the entire duration of an action in the past or future, with no relation to the present.

• J'ai étudié le français pendant 3 ans.   I studied French for 3 years (and then stopped).

REVIEW

Pendant followed by a noun means "during." In this sense, it is synonymous with durant.

• J'ai vu un film pendant mon séjour.    I saw a film during my stay.

“Il y a” means "ago" and can only be used for things that are already completed. The verb in the sentence must be in the past and il y a must be followed by some reference to time.

• Je suis arrivée il y a une heure.    I arrived an hour ago.

POUR

Pour means for. It can express the duration of an event only in the future. Note that pendant could also be used in all of these.

EXEMPLES

   Je vais y habiter pour 2 mois.     I'm going to live there for 2 months.

   Il étudiera en Europe pour 3 ans.    He'll study in Europe for 3 years.

   Le projet est suspendu pour un an.    The project is suspended for a year.

BE CAREFUL…

Although the verb in the final example is not in the future, the use of pour indicates that the one-year suspension is either about to start or is currently underway. If the suspension had already occurred, you would have to use pendant:    Le projet a été suspendu pendant un an.    The project was suspended for a year.

DANS

Dans means in. It is used to indicate a moment in the future in which something will occur.

EXEMPLES

Je partirai dans deux ans.

I will leave in two years.

Le film finira dans une heure.

The film will end in one hour.

EN

En means in. It is used to indicate the amount of time needed to complete an action.

EXEMPLES

Je complète le cours en dix minutes.

I complete the course in ten minutes.