Can someone please explain when to use depuis, ca fait, and il y a? I know they're time expressions but I'm so confused about when to put what. Thanks!
Thank you for using the Jiskha Homework Help Forum. Since you know they are time expressions, it would help to see the examples you have seen. Without that, we might not explain it in context, or exactly the way it was used.
Ça fait = literally "that makes" as in the expression: Ça fait une heure qu'il attend = "that makes an hour that he is waiting" However do NOT translate it literally! It means more like "He has been waiting an hour!"
depuis = this could be an adverb (since) or a preposition (since, for). An example could be "Je suis à Paris depuis trois jours" = again NOT literally (I am in Paris since 3 days) BUT "I have been in Paris for 3 days.
il y a = this expression is both singular and plural = there is / there are. il y a un livre sur la table = there is a book on the table / il y des livres sur la table = there are some books on the table. However, in time expressions, il y a can mean "ago" as in il y a une heure = an hour ago. It is often used with the passé composé to say when something happened (il y a une heure qu'il est arrivé = literally there is one hour that he arrived BUT translated "He arrived an hour ago."
Hopefully that has explained what you wanted to know. If not, let us know!
Mme
I was wondering the samething as well, thank-you SraJMcGin
Understanding the differences between "depuis", "ça fait", and "il y a" will help clarify their usage as time expressions in French. Here's an explanation:
1. "Depuis" is used to indicate the starting point of an action and implies that the action is still ongoing in the present. It is often used with the present tense or present perfect. For example:
- Je travaille ici depuis un an. (I have been working here for a year.)
- Il étudie le français depuis trois mois. (He has been studying French for three months.)
2. "Ça fait" is used to express the duration of an action or a state. It corresponds to "it has been" or "it has been...ago" in English. It is often used with the present perfect or past tense. For example:
- Ça fait dix ans que j'habite à Paris. (I have been living in Paris for ten years.)
- Ça fait une semaine que nous sommes arrivés. (We arrived a week ago.)
3. "Il y a" is used to indicate a specific point in the past. It is similar to "ago" in English. It is often used with the past tense. For example:
- J'ai vu Pierre il y a deux heures. (I saw Pierre two hours ago.)
- Il est parti il y a cinq minutes. (He left five minutes ago.)
To determine which expression to use, consider the context and the intended meaning of the sentence. Pay attention to the verb tense and whether the action or state is ongoing or completed. Practice using these expressions in different sentences to become more comfortable with their usage.