French Preposition “Pendant”
The French preposition pendant is commonly used to indicate a duration of time during which an action occurs. You can get a PDF of this lesson guide in my private French Grammar Library.
1. Basic Meaning of “Pendant”
The French preposition “pendant” translates to “during” or “for” in English and is used to describe actions or events that take place within a specific period.
Rule: Pendant is used to talk about the duration of an action in the past, present, or future.
Il a dormi pendant deux heures.
He slept for two hours.
2. Duration of Action
When expressing how long an action lasts, pendant is the preposition of choice.
Rule: Use the French preposition pendant when talking about a duration, and it is followed by a noun indicating time.
Elle a étudié pendant trois heures.
She studied for three hours.
3. Events or Actions in the Past
Pendant is also used for actions that happened in the past.
Rule: To describe an event that occurred over a period of time in the past, use pendant with the passé composé or other past tenses.
Nous avons voyagé pendant l’été.
We traveled during the summer.
4. Ongoing Actions
In the present tense, pendant can express the ongoing nature of an event.
Rule: When describing something happening continuously, use pendant with the present tense.
Ils travaillent pendant la journée.
They work during the day.
5. Pendant in the Future
Pendant can also be used when talking about actions that will take place in the future, particularly to express the duration of an event that will happen at a later time.
Rule: Use pendant with the future tense to talk about how long something will last in the future.
Je vais étudier pendant deux heures ce soir.
I will study for two hours this evening.
Elle chantera pendant une heure au concert.
She will sing for an hour at the concert.
6. Pendant in Negative Sentences
Pendant is used in negative sentences just as it is in positive ones, to indicate that the action did not happen during the period mentioned.
Rule: Use pendant in the same way in negative structures.
Il n’a pas travaillé pendant les vacances.
He did not work during the vacation.
Summary of Rules
1. Use pendant to express duration of an action in the past, present, or future.
2. Follow pendant with a noun indicating a period of time (hours, days, weeks, etc.).
3. Use pendant in both positive and negative sentences.
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