Prepositions of Time in French

Prepositions of time in French are words that indicate when an event happens. They help specify moments in time, durations, and relationships between events. Understanding how to use these prepositions is essential for talking about schedules, dates, and durations in French.

1. Common Prepositions of Time in French

French PrepositionEnglish TranslationUsageExample Sentence in FrenchEnglish Translation
àat, onSpecific times, days, or agesJe me lève à 7 heures.I wake up at 7 a.m.
eninMonths, years, centuries, durationsNous partons en décembre.We are leaving in December.
dansinFuture point in timeIl reviendra dans une heure.He will return in an hour.
pendantduring, forDuration of a completed actionElle a dormi pendant huit heures.She slept for eight hours.
depuissince, forAction that started in the past and continuesIl travaille ici depuis 2015.He has been working here since 2015.
il y aagoTime in the pastJ’ai vu ce film il y a une semaine.I saw this movie a week ago.
pourforPlanned future durationNous partons pour deux semaines.We are leaving for two weeks.
parper, byRecurrent actions or frequencyElle vient ici deux fois par semaine.She comes here twice per week.
versaroundApproximate timeNous arriverons vers midi.We will arrive around noon.

2. How to Use Prepositions of Time

a. À (at, on)

  • Used for specific times or days.
    • Le train arrive à 10 heures. (The train arrives at 10 a.m.)
    • Nous nous voyons à Noël. (We see each other at Christmas.)

b. En (in)

  • Used for months, years, centuries, or durations.
    • Elle est née en 1990. (She was born in 1990.)
    • Je finis ce travail en deux jours. (I finish this work in two days.)

c. Dans (in)

  • Refers to a future point in time.
    • Je partirai dans cinq minutes. (I will leave in five minutes.)

d. Pendant (during, for)

  • Indicates the duration of an action in the past or future.
    • Nous avons voyagé pendant une semaine. (We traveled for a week.)

e. Depuis (since, for)

  • Refers to an action that started in the past and continues into the present.
    • Je vis ici depuis trois ans. (I have been living here for three years.)

f. Il y a (ago)

  • Indicates how long ago something happened.
    • J’ai fini mes études il y a dix ans. (I finished my studies ten years ago.)

g. Pour (for)

  • Expresses planned durations in the future.
    • Ils sont partis pour deux mois. (They left for two months.)

h. Par (per, by)

  • Used for frequency or recurrence.
    • Elle travaille trois jours par semaine. (She works three days per week.)

i. Vers (around)

  • Used for approximate times.
    • Je viendrai vers 8 heures. (I will come around 8 o’clock.)

3. Examples in Context

  1. Nous dînons à 19 heures.
    • We have dinner at 7 p.m.
  2. Ils voyagent en juin.
    • They are traveling in June.
  3. Elle reviendra dans trois jours.
    • She will come back in three days.
  4. Il travaille ici depuis cinq ans.
    • He has been working here for five years.
  5. J’ai terminé le projet il y a une semaine.
    • I finished the project a week ago.

4. Tips for Mastery

  1. Learn in Context: Practice prepositions of time in full sentences to understand their use.
  2. Practice Common Phrases: Memorize phrases like à midi (at noon), en été (in summer), or depuis longtemps (for a long time).
  3. Distinguish Between Similar Prepositions: For example, en is used for durations while dans is for future points in time.
  4. Listen to Native Speakers: Notice how prepositions are used in conversations or media.

Mastering prepositions of time in French will allow you to speak confidently about schedules, plans, and past experiences!

You can take the multiple-choice quiz.

French prepositions of time, such as “pendant,” “depuis,” “en,” and “à,” are used to describe the temporal relationship of events or actions in relation to specific periods or points in time. Choose the correct preposition of time for each sentence.

 

#1. J’arrive au cinéma ……… 7 heures.

#2. Marie part en vacances ………. été.

#3. Mon anniversaire est …….. dix jours.

#4. Mon vol pour Paris est prévu ……… lundi.

#5. Bernard et Ève se sont mariés ……… printemps.

#6. Je vais chez ma mère …….. 10 heures et midi.

#7. Je suis en vacances …….. trois semaines.

#8. …….. deux semaines, je suis malade.

#9. ………. le petit-déjeuner, je vais au travail.

#10. Les cours de français commencent ……… septembre.

#11. Pierre travaille ici …….. 2023.

#12. J’ai commencé le piano …… 2015.

#13. En Irlande, il pleut ……. plusieurs jours.

#14. Je me brosse les dents ………. d’aller dormir.

#15. Nous sommes en retards, mais nous arrivons ……. quinze minutes.

#16. Tu viendras …….. 5 heures pour amener ma soeur à l’école.

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Pour or par? in French