# EN: Cela fait cinq ans qu'il ne fume plus



## mrmanchild

C'est quoi << Cela fait cinq ans qu'il ne fume plus>> veut dire en Anglais ? Est-ce que 'cela fait' et 'ca fait' sont pareil ? Et s'il en est ainsi, comment doit-on traduire la phrase ?

It's been five years that he hasn't smoked?
He hasn't smoked for five years?
This makes five years that he hasn't smoked?

Est-ce que je dois traduire << plus >> ?

It's been five years that he's no longer smoked?

Merci d'avance


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## lhb

mrmanchild said:


> Est-ce que 'cela fait' et 'ça fait' sont pareil ?


 Oui.


mrmanchild said:


> It's been five years that he hasn't smoked?
> He hasn't smoked for five years?
> This makes five years that he hasn't smoked?


For me the first and last translations are ok. The second one could mean that now he smokes again, and because of the "plus", it's not true. 
"plus" means no more/no longer, then I think you can even translate with something like "he has stopped to smoke five years ago" or "he no longer smokes since five years"


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## Dagnogo

Hi, think that could be ok. He has give up smoking five years ago.


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## marget

I feel that "He hasn't smoked in five years" is correct.  "He _gave up_ smoking five years ago" conveys the same notion.


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## Maître Capello

So far the best translations were provided by Marget…


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## pieanne

marget said:


> I feel that "He hasn't smoked in five years" is correct. "He _gave up_ smoking five years ago" conveys the same notion.


Quite so  
Or "he quit smoking 5 years ago"

Yet I find that when we say "he hasn't smoked in five years", well, it's just what you can say about the 5 previous years. But maybe he's gonna start again. We're just talking of how long he hasn't had a cig.
With "He gave up/quit...", it's more certain he's not gonna start again. We're talking of quitting, here.


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## Maître Capello

What about “He hasn't been smooking for five years.” Isn't that a bit more optimistic?


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## pieanne

Not to me...  (I haven't been smoking for 5 minutes...)


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## marget

Maître Capello said:


> What about “He hasn't been smoking for five years.” Isn't that a bit more optimistic?


 
To me, "He hasn't been smoking for five years"  seems to place more emphasis on the time element than the action.  If I use a different verb, such as to work, "He hasn't been working for five years" seems pessimistic to, if the person wants to work and has been looking for a job all that time.


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## Dagnogo

(1)I have not smoked for five years= je n'ai pas fumé pendant cinq anées.(2) I have not smoked in five years=je n'ai pas fumé en cinq années. (3)I have given up smoking for five years= j'ai abandonné le tabagism pendant cinq années.


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## pieanne

I don't think your propositions are correct, Dagnogo...


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## Dagnogo

I think my answers are ok! If you have got translator. You may use the translator to check my answers. Thanks


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## Albert 50

Contexts involving periods of time are very hard to translate from language to language, and it can be especially difficult when you go from a Latin language to English. It's an area where humility (and maybe a sense of humor) is needed when you suggest a possible translation and your mother tongue is not English (or French)...

My suggestions for "cela fait cinq ans qu'il ne fume plus" = "He hasn't smoked in 5 years" or "He quit smoking five years ago" depending on your emphasis. Usually the "plus", which is used a lot in French, is omitted in English though you might say "He hasn't smoked again/any more in 5 years" but it sounds a little awkward. "Plus" is injected much more (for emphasis) into time-frames in French than in English.

Cordialement
Albert


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## Dagnogo

Can you check on google translator. Thanks


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## Maître Capello

Dagnogo, I wouldn't count on Google translator to provide accurate translations… The best translations are those from Marget/Albert50:

He hasn't smoked in five years
He quit/gave up smoking five years ago


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## Laineuse

I totally agree with Maître Capello that Marget/Albert50's translations are the best.  I am wondering if there is any difference in emphasis in French between 'Cela fait cinq ans qu'il ne fume plus' and 'il ne fume plus depuis cinq ans' - merci


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## Maître Capello

I'd say that “Cela fait cinq ans qu'il ne fume plus” is to “Il ne fume plus depuis cinq ans” what “He hasn't been smoking for five years” is to “He hasn't smoked in five years.”

Quoting Marget I'd say that the former “seems to place more emphasis on the time element than the action.”


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## Laineuse

merci Maître Capello


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## Laineuse

I would suggest then for 'Cela fait cinq ans qu'il ne fume plus' - it's been 5 years since he gave up smoking.  Quit smoking is used in the USA rather than UK.  Thanks


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## mrmanchild

Cheers for you all your help!!! I think in future i'll bear in mind Alberts advice and not always worry about translating the 'plus'. Thanks again


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