Use "depuis" to indicate the duration of time of an action (state or repetition) that began in the past and that continues on into the present or into the past moment one is focusing on: "Il travaille depuis trois jours." The French replace "depuis" with "il y a...que," ça fait...que," "voilà...que" in order to place emphasis on the duration of time: "Il y a trois jours qu'il travaille." All these expressions are translated "for."

Use only "depuis" to indicate the past moment since which an action has been going on and has continued on into the present or into the past moment being focused upon: "Il travaille depuis hier." In this case, "depuis" is translated "since."

I PRESENT SITUATION
A. In the affirmative, use the present tense.

Example
1. Je travaille depuis deux ans; Il y a (ça fait, voilà) deux ans que je travaille.= I have been working for three years.
3. Je voyage depuis octobre.= I have been working since October.

B. In the negative, use the present tense to suggest that the non-action may continue and the past tense to suggest that the non-action may end.
Ex.
1. Je ne travaille pas depuis deux ans. Ça fait trois ans que je ne travaille pas.=I have not worked for two years (and I may continue not working).
2. Je n'ai pas travaillé depuis deux ans. Voilà deux ans que je n'ai pas travaillé.=I have not worked for two years (but this may change).

NOTE: In the affirmative and in a negative sentence implying continuation, the English past perfect ("have done") is translated by the French present tense.

-French, unlike English, focuses on the present or past moment from which one looks back at a continuing action.

-English focuses on the origin or duration of the continuing action.

Exercise A. Translate:Click for vocabulary help
1. They have been living here since 1991.

2. We have been paying our debts for three years [emphasize the period of time].

3. I have not eaten meat for a decade [suggest that I will continue to not eat meat].

4. We have not slept for two days [suggest that I will soon get some sleep].

II. PAST SITUATION
In the affirmative, use the imperfect tense:

Example
1. Je voyageais depuis trois jours. Il y a trois jours que je voyageais.=I had been traveling for three days.
2. Je voyageais depuis samedi.=I had been traveling since Saturday.

In the negative, use the pluperfect tense:

Example
1. Je n'avais pas voyagé depuis trois ans. Voilà trois ans que je n'avais pas voyagé.=I had not traveled for three years.
2. Je n'avais pas voyagé depuis l'année dernière.=I had not traveled since last year.

NOTE: In the affirmative, the English pluperfect is translated by a French imperfect.

Exercise B. Translate:Click for vocabulary help
1. We had been working on the toilet for days when the plumber finally arrived.

2. They had not seen a single shooting star for twenty minutes [emphasize the duration of time].

Vocabulary:
debt=la dette
the toilet=la toilette
the plumber=le plombier
to finally do something=finir par + infinitif
shotting star=une étoile filante
decade=une décennie

Nom de l'exercice:

Nom:

Adresse de courrier électronique:

pour soumettre vos réponses au professeur.