leçon 2 Dossier 9

Depuis, il y a.

Depuis: - es equivalente a las palabras; "desde, por". Y se usa en expresiones que comenzaron en el pasado pero continúan en el presente. 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. 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."

il y a: -means "ago" and can only be used for events that already completed. the verb in the sentence must be in the past.  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 travaille depuis trois jours.
 Je travaille depuis deux ans; Il y a (ça fait, voilà) deux ans que je travaille.= I have been working for three years.
Je voyage depuis octobre.= I have been working since October.

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.
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).
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).

 

 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.