"Depuis" in French

"Depuis" is a versatile and commonly used preposition in French that generally translates to "since" or "for" in English. It's essential for expressing how long something has been happening or when an action started in the past and continues to the present.

Basic Usage

"Depuis" is used to indicate:

1. A point in time when something started
2. The duration of an ongoing action or state

Examples with Present Tense

When used with the present tense, "depuis" indicates an action that began in the past and is still ongoing:

• J'habite à Paris depuis 2010. (I've been living in Paris since 2010.)
• Elle apprend le français depuis six mois. (She has been learning French for six months.)

With Past Tense

"Depuis" can also be used with the imperfect tense to describe a situation that was ongoing in the past:

• Quand je l'ai rencontré, il travaillait là depuis deux ans. (When I met him, he had been working there for two years.)

Common Phrases

Some common expressions using "depuis":

• Depuis quand ? (Since when?)
• Depuis longtemps (For a long time)
• Depuis peu (Recently)

"Depuis que" for Clauses

When followed by a clause, use "depuis que":

• Depuis que j'ai déménagé, je me sens mieux. (Since I moved, I feel better.)

Remember, "depuis" is a key word for discussing time and duration in French. Practice using it in various contexts to enhance your French expression skills.