Depuis, venir de and the passive
J'habite ici depuis deux ans, je viens d'arriver, en sortant, après avoir mangé and the passive with par (Higher).
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Depuis, venir de and the passive, explained point by point
Everything the GCSE specification expects you to be able to do, and how to actually do it - the same lesson a signed-in student studies from.
Say how long with depuis and the present
For something that started in the past and is still going on, French uses the present with depuis: j'apprends le français depuis cinq ans means I have been learning French for five years. Depuis quand asks since when.
Say what has just happened with venir de
Venir de with an infinitive means to have just done something: je viens de manger (I have just eaten), le train vient de partir. Only venir changes.
Say you are busy doing something with être en train de
To stress that an action is happening right now, use être en train de with an infinitive: je suis en train de faire mes devoirs. The plain present also works, so keep this for emphasis.
Use en with a present participle
Take the nous form, drop -ons and add -ant: nous regardons gives en regardant. With en, it means while or by doing: je mange en regardant la télé, on apprend en écoutant. Être, avoir and faire give étant, ayant and faisant.
Use avant de and après avoir
Avant de with an infinitive means before doing: je me lave les mains avant de manger. Après avoir with a past participle means after doing: après avoir mangé, je suis sorti.
Use the passive in the present
The passive says what is done to the subject, using être and a participle that agrees: le repas est préparé par mon père, les fenêtres sont nettoyées par les élèves. Par introduces who does it.
Recognise on in place of the passive
French often prefers on with an active verb: on parle français ici means French is spoken here. Recognise both, and write the one you can build accurately.
Depuis, venir de and the passive key terms
The words the specification and the mark schemes use, each defined the way an examiner wants it.
- depuis
- Since or for, with the present tense, for something still going on: j'habite ici depuis 2019.
- venir de
- To have just done something, with an infinitive: nous venons d'arriver means we have just arrived.
- être en train de
- To be busy doing something right now: il est en train de lire means he is in the middle of reading.
- Present participle
- The -ant form of a verb, made from the nous form of the present: parlant, finissant, prenant.
- en with a present participle
- While or by doing something: en marchant means while walking or by walking.
- avant de
- Before, followed by an infinitive: avant de partir means before leaving.
- après avoir
- After having, followed by a past participle: après avoir fini means after finishing.
- Passive voice
- A sentence that says what is done to the subject, made with être and a participle: la maison est vendue means the house is sold.
- par
- By, naming who does the action in a passive sentence: le film est apprécié par les jeunes means the film is enjoyed by young people.
Common mistakes in Depuis, venir de and the passive
The slips that cost marks year after year, and what to do instead.
Using the perfect with depuis, as in j'ai habité ici depuis trois ans.
If the action is still going on, French uses the present: j'habite ici depuis trois ans means I have lived here for three years.
Translating have just word for word, as in j'ai juste mangé.
Have just is venir de with an infinitive, in the present: je viens de manger, elle vient de partir.
Putting a verb with its subject after avant de, as in avant de je pars.
Avant de takes an infinitive: avant de partir. The rest of the sentence shows who is doing it.
Leaving out avoir after après, as in après mangé.
After doing is après avoir with a past participle: après avoir mangé, après avoir fini mes devoirs.
Leaving off the agreement in the passive, as in la voiture est réparé.
In the passive, the participle agrees with the subject like an adjective: la voiture est réparée, les livres sont vendus.
Practice
Try a Depuis, venir de and the passive question
A GCSE-style original question from this topic. Have a go before you open the working - deciding on an answer first is what makes the working stick.
Which is the best translation of 'I have been waiting for twenty minutes.'?
- J'ai attendu depuis vingt minutes.
- J'attends depuis vingt minutes.
- J'attends pour vingt minutes.
- Je suis attendu depuis vingt minutes.
Show the answer and the working
Answer: J'attends depuis vingt minutes.
For something still going on, French uses the present with depuis: j'attends depuis vingt minutes.
- You are still waiting: the present, j'attends.
- For twenty minutes: depuis vingt minutes.
- So J'attends depuis vingt minutes.