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Depuis, pendant or pour? A French time-expression cheat sheet

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Choose depuis, pendant or pour for ongoing learning, a timed activity or a planned stay. Compare clear examples, then try four questions.

Three ways to translate “for”

Use depuis for time that has elapsed up to now: J’apprends le français depuis deux ans. Use pendant for an activity’s duration, and pour for an intended stay or booking: Je pars pour trois jours. The time relationship decides the word.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learnRed watch out

A packed suitcase ready for a short stay.
A planned stay gives pour trois jours a concrete setting. Illustration: Atelier

Depuis · pendant · pour

1 · Depuis + a length: still true now

For an activity or state continuing now, use the present. English often uses “have been” where French uses a present-tense verb.

J’apprends le français depuis deux ans.I’ve been learning French for two years.

Nous habitons ici depuis six mois.We’ve lived here for six months.

2 · Depuis + a starting point: since

A date, day or age tells you when the situation began. The situation continues up to the reference time.

depuis lundisince Monday
depuis l’âge de six anssince the age of six

Elle joue du piano depuis l’âge de six ans.She’s played the piano since she was six.

3 · Pendant: how long the activity lasts

Measure the activity as a whole. Pendant works with past activities, habits and future activities. Before a named period, it means “during”.

Hier, j’ai révisé pendant une heure.Yesterday, I revised for an hour.

Demain, nous travaillerons pendant deux heures.Tomorrow, we’ll work for two hours.

Je révise pendant les vacances.I revise during the holidays.

4 · Pour: the intended length of a stay or booking

Use pour with a planned stay or the period covered by a reservation. The verb can be in the present or past: the duration belongs to the stay or reservation.

Nous partons à Bordeaux pour quatre jours.We’re going to Bordeaux for four days.

J’ai réservé une chambre pour deux nuits.I booked a room for two nights.

What is the difference between depuis, pendant and pour?

Study the time relationship first
SituationFrenchMeaning
Still living hereJ’habite ici depuis deux mois.Two months have passed; I still live here.
A completed stayJ’ai habité ici pendant deux mois.I lived here for a two-month period.
The rental periodJ’ai loué ce studio pour deux mois.The rental agreement covers two months.

You can also leave out pendant before a duration: J’ai travaillé deux heures. With depuis, the reference point can be in the past: J’attendais depuis une heure quand le cours a commencé means “I had been waiting for an hour when the lesson started”. The hour leads up to the start of the lesson.

Question 1No account needed
You started learning in September and are still learning. Complete the sentence.J’apprends le français ___ septembre.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

depuis. Depuis septembre links the starting point to learning that continues now.

Question 2No account needed
Which sentence says that tomorrow’s work session will last two hours?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Demain, nous travaillerons pendant deux heures.. Pendant deux heures measures the future activity. Pendant also works with tomorrow’s plans.

Question 3No account needed
Which word introduces the intended length of this hotel booking?J’ai réservé une chambre ___ trois nuits.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

pour. Pour trois nuits states the period covered by the reservation, even though the booking was made in the past.

Question 4No account needed
What does J’attendais depuis une heure quand le cours a commencé mean?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

I had been waiting for an hour when the lesson started.. The waiting began an hour before the lesson. Depuis measures up to that past reference point.

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