Learn how to use French time expressions "depuis," "jusqu'à," and "pendant" to describe ongoing actions, limits in time, and durations. This lesson includes clear examples and highlights key differences from English usage to help A1 learners master expressing time in French.
- Use "depuis" with a starting point for a continuous action.
- Use "jusque" with a date/time to indicate a limit.
- Use "pendant" with a duration for a complete action in time.
| Mot (Word) | Exemple (Example) |
|---|---|
| Depuis (Since) | Je vis ici depuis 2010. (I have been living here since 2010.) |
| Jusque / Jusqu'à (Until / Up to) | La réunion dure jusque / jusqu'à 18h. (The meeting lasts until 6pm.) |
| Pendant (During) | Nous parlons pendant deux heures. (We speak for two hours.) |
Exceptions!
- Jusqu' is used when jusque is followed by "à" or "au", because these words begin with a vowel or a mute "h", to make the pronunciation smoother. Example: Je travaille jusqu'à 18h aujourd'hui.
- Jusqu'à is the most common and standard form, used to indicate both time and space, and it is the one you will encounter most often in French.
Exercise 1: Expression du temps: "Depuis, Jusqu'à, Pendant, etc..."
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
jusque, pendant, depuis, jusqu'à
1.
Je vis ici ... cinq ans avec ma famille.
(I have been living here for five years with my family.)
2.
Ma tante et mon cousin sont en vacances ... lundi prochain.
(My aunt and my cousin are on holiday until next Monday.)
3.
Nous parlons avec notre mère ... cinq heures.
(We talk with our mother for five hours.)
4.
Elle habite chez ses parents ... janvier.
(She has been living with her parents since January.)
5.
Le couple reste ici ... vingt heures.
(The couple stays here until eight o'clock.)
6.
Avec mon frère on parle ... deux heures le soir.
(My brother and I talk for two hours in the evening.)
7.
Je suis marié ... quinze ans.
(I have been married for fifteen years.)
8.
Mon grand-père et mon oncle se réunissent ... le weekend.
(My grandfather and my uncle get together during the weekend.)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Je travaille ___ huit heures ce matin.
(I have been working ___ eight o'clock this morning.)2. La réunion dure ___ dix-neuf heures.
(The meeting lasts ___ seven o'clock.)3. Je lis ___ une heure chaque soir.
(I read ___ one hour every evening.)4. Nous attendons ___ dix minutes.
(We have been waiting ___ ten minutes.)5. Elle travaille ___ midi cet après-midi.
(She works ___ noon this afternoon.)6. Ils regardent la montre ___ quarante-cinq minutes.
(They watch the clock ___ forty-five minutes.)
