French Prepositions of Place and Time: à, dans, en, depuis, pendant… Explained Simply
French prepositions may be short words, but they carry a lot of meaning. Knowing when to use à, dans, en, depuis, or pendant can be confusing—even for intermediate learners. These words are essential for talking about location, movement, and time—and knowing them well brings your French to the next level.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the most important French prepositions of place and time, explain how they differ, and show how to use them correctly in real-life situations.
📍 1. Prepositions of Place: Where?
à = at / in / to
Used for specific locations, cities, or destinations.
✅ Je suis à Paris. – I’m in Paris.
✅ Elle va à l’école. – She’s going to school.
💡 Also used with activities: à pied (on foot), à vélo (by bike)
en = in / to (for feminine countries, months, transport)
✅ Je vais en France. – I’m going to France.
✅ Il travaille en juillet. – He works in July.
✅ Elle voyage en train. – She travels by train.
💡 Rule: Use en with countries in the feminine (ending in -e): en Espagne, en Italie
dans = inside / in (physically enclosed or future time)
✅ Les clés sont dans le sac. – The keys are in the bag.
✅ Le bus arrive dans 10 minutes. – The bus arrives in 10 minutes.
❗ Difference: dans implies inside something or within a time period.
🕒 2. Prepositions of Time: When? For How Long?
depuis = since / for (ongoing action)
✅ Je vis ici depuis 2020. – I’ve lived here since 2020.
✅ Il travaille depuis deux heures. – He’s been working for two hours.
💡 Use present tense with depuis to describe actions that started in the past and continue now.
pendant = for (completed action)
✅ J’ai étudié pendant trois heures. – I studied for three hours.
✅ Elle a vécu à Lyon pendant un an. – She lived in Lyon for one year.
💡 Use pendant when the action is finished—it’s time-specific, not ongoing.
en (time use) = within / in (duration to complete something)
✅ J’ai fini en deux jours. – I finished in two days.
✅ Il a lu le livre en une semaine. – He read the book in a week.
💡 En focuses on how long something takes to complete.
🔁 Common Confusions: à vs en, depuis vs pendant
Confusion
Correct Use
à vs en (place)
à for cities and destinations → à Luxembourgen for countries → en Belgique
depuis vs pendant
depuis for ongoing actions → Je travaille ici depuis 2021
pendant for finished actions → J’ai travaillé ici pendant deux ans
🧠 Tips to Master French Prepositions
🎯 Why This Matters
Prepositions may seem minor, but they’re a core part of fluent, accurate French. Understanding à vs en, depuis vs pendant helps you avoid common errors and speak with clarity.
At Educateme, our French courses break down complex grammar like prepositions into clear focused lessons. We help learners in Luxembourg and beyond build confidence in both grammar and real-life communication.
📘 Still unsure when to use en or dans?
Book a free consultation and let our expert tutors guide you through French grammar—step by step: https://Educateme.lu/#courses
In this article, we’ll explore some of the most important French prepositions of place and time, explain how they differ, and show how to use them correctly in real-life situations.
📍 1. Prepositions of Place: Where?
à = at / in / to
Used for specific locations, cities, or destinations.
✅ Je suis à Paris. – I’m in Paris.
✅ Elle va à l’école. – She’s going to school.
💡 Also used with activities: à pied (on foot), à vélo (by bike)
en = in / to (for feminine countries, months, transport)
✅ Je vais en France. – I’m going to France.
✅ Il travaille en juillet. – He works in July.
✅ Elle voyage en train. – She travels by train.
💡 Rule: Use en with countries in the feminine (ending in -e): en Espagne, en Italie
dans = inside / in (physically enclosed or future time)
✅ Les clés sont dans le sac. – The keys are in the bag.
✅ Le bus arrive dans 10 minutes. – The bus arrives in 10 minutes.
❗ Difference: dans implies inside something or within a time period.
🕒 2. Prepositions of Time: When? For How Long?
depuis = since / for (ongoing action)
✅ Je vis ici depuis 2020. – I’ve lived here since 2020.
✅ Il travaille depuis deux heures. – He’s been working for two hours.
💡 Use present tense with depuis to describe actions that started in the past and continue now.
pendant = for (completed action)
✅ J’ai étudié pendant trois heures. – I studied for three hours.
✅ Elle a vécu à Lyon pendant un an. – She lived in Lyon for one year.
💡 Use pendant when the action is finished—it’s time-specific, not ongoing.
en (time use) = within / in (duration to complete something)
✅ J’ai fini en deux jours. – I finished in two days.
✅ Il a lu le livre en une semaine. – He read the book in a week.
💡 En focuses on how long something takes to complete.
🔁 Common Confusions: à vs en, depuis vs pendant
Confusion
Correct Use
à vs en (place)
à for cities and destinations → à Luxembourgen for countries → en Belgique
depuis vs pendant
depuis for ongoing actions → Je travaille ici depuis 2021
pendant for finished actions → J’ai travaillé ici pendant deux ans
🧠 Tips to Master French Prepositions
- Think in phrases: Memorise full expressions like à la maison, en été, depuis longtemps.
- Listen to native French: These prepositions appear constantly in daily conversation and media.
- Practice in context: Don’t just learn lists of words—write or pronounce full sentences with prepositions.
- Get feedback: Prepositions are small but carry big meaning—small mistakes can change your sentence entirely.
🎯 Why This Matters
Prepositions may seem minor, but they’re a core part of fluent, accurate French. Understanding à vs en, depuis vs pendant helps you avoid common errors and speak with clarity.
At Educateme, our French courses break down complex grammar like prepositions into clear focused lessons. We help learners in Luxembourg and beyond build confidence in both grammar and real-life communication.
📘 Still unsure when to use en or dans?
Book a free consultation and let our expert tutors guide you through French grammar—step by step: https://Educateme.lu/#courses