# FR: depuis que + temps



## MaLtA

salut  pouvez-vous me dire si cette phrase est correcte ou pas s'il vous plait?: _je connais Stephanie *depuis que j'etais* petite -_ est-ce qu'on peut ajouter l'imparfait apres l'expression depuis que...ou seulement le passe compose (si on parle du passe)?

merci beaucoup 

Malta

*Moderator note:* Multiple threads merged to create this one. This thread is about the tense in the temporal clause. If you want to know the tense of the main verb, see FR: depuis (que) X + temps du verbe principal.


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## moon.gaby

non on dira plutot "_je connais Stéphanie depuis que je suis petite."_
Tu peux ajouter l'imparfait après _"depuis que",_ mais seulement si le début de ta phrase est aussi à un temps passé. Après cette expression, on utilise plus souvent le présent, ou éventuellement le passé composé .


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## MaLtA

d'accord ... donc si je dis: _j'ai connu (ou je connaissais?) Stephanie depuis que j'etais petite_ est correcte?

merci beaucoup pour ne reponse rapide


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## moon.gaby

"Je connaissais Stéphanie depuis que j'étais petite" est la construction correcte en narration.


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## pheelineerie

"_je connais Stéphanie depuis que je suis petite."_ 
Même si je ne suis plus petite?! *confused*


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## DearPrudence

If you have time to lose  have a look at this thread:
FR: We've known each other since we were six
Don't worry, some natives were confused too  French is so not logical ...


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## MaLtA

et j'ai trouve aussi ... *je vis ici depuis que je suis ne* - dans ce cas la` le debout de la phrase est au present alors que la derniere partie est au passe.


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## pheelineerie

DearPrudence said:


> If you have time to lose  have a look at this thread:
> "*We've know each other since we were six*"
> Don't worry, some natives were confused too  French is so not logical ...


 

 WTF, that makes absolutely no sense to my poor, battered, non-native speaker brain.

I _will_ get to the bottom of this!


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## DearPrudence

Do please  I wish I had found a better explanation
I don't know why we can say:
*"Je la connais depuis que j'ai 3 ans"*
*"Je la connais depuis que je suis toute petite"*

but it's logical for other expressions:
*"Je vis ici depuis que je suis né"*
*"Depuis que j'ai découvert WR, je ne peux plus arrêter de poster"* ...

ps: he he, thanks for the expression "WTF"


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## EvenMore

IMO you shouldn't say "...depuis que j'ai trois ans"; ".... depuis que je suis toute petite."
.....unless you are still three or young. 

This would be the best way to handle this kind of situation.
_"je la connais depuis mes trois ans"
"je la connais depuis mon enfance"


".... depuis que je suis né"
" ... depuis que j'ai découvert"_
are correct because it's still going on...


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## uhohitsannie

...but I'm not still "toute petite" so why must one say "depuis que je suis toute petite"?


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## EvenMore

one must NOT say "depuis que je suis toute petite". 

you can say "....depuis que je suis grande/adulte"  or "quand j'étais petite"


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## ChiMike

pheelineerie said:


> WTF, that makes absolutely no sense to my poor, battered, non-native speaker brain.
> 
> I _will_ get to the bottom of this!


 
You should review the meaning and use of "depuis" as a preposition indicating time. It is a combination preposition (and in "depuis que" a combination conjuctive), from DE + PUIS = from that time period (from then) *until now* 

In English, we use a past or a past progressive tense in these circumstances, because the action started in the past (and often a past progressive to indicate that it is still on-going). In French, the durative present is used, because the action is still continuing today, at this time. If you think about it, this is a logical construction in French which does not have progressive analytic tenses.

*Il travaille ici depuis trois ans. *
_He has been working here for three years._
_He has worked here for three years._  This is why we say that the perfect tense in English is used to indicate action in the past which continues into the present (but most strongly with the perfect progressive "has been ...ing").

But sometimes we translate using a present tense:

*Il le fait ainsi depuis toujours.*
_He always does it that way._ 
But the true meaning is more like the colloquial: 
_He's been doing it like that (since) forever (since God made Adam)!_

If you understand this distinction about "depuis" you can see what is happening in "depuis que" sentences. 

Please note that after "depuis que" if the action is completely over (shown usually by a simple past tense in English or by a past perfect (had + past participle), you will use a past tense (passé composé or passé simple) in French:

_Il le fait ainsi depuis que Dieu créa (a crée) la femme!_

But if the verb in the principal clause is in the present and the action or state of being after "depuis que" continues into the present, then the verb after "depuis que" is in the present to indicate the persistance of the condition:

*J'y vais chaque jour depuis que je suis à Paris.*
_I've been going there every day since I've been in Paris._

I hope that makes it a bit clearer than mud.


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## Paf le chien

J'ai lu (tous !) les liens de DearPrudence et je trouve que l'explication la plus logique (en gros : c'est comme ça ) se trouve ici, sur le TFLi (voir *III. -- *_Loc. conj.  Depuis (...) que._)

*PS* un conseil d'ami : prévoyez de l'aspirine à portée de la main _avant lecture_


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## VixenFox

I just read all the "depuis que" threads without finding the answer I seek.

Is "depuis que" often followed by the present tense?

*Depuis que je mange cette pizza, je me sens malade.*
Since I began eating this pizza, I've been feeling sick.

*Depuis qu'il étudie, il réussit ses examens.*
Since he began studying, he's been passing his tests.

If you give me a better way of saying the two sentences I wrote above, could you also please give me some examples of when a person does say "depuis que" + présent?

Thank you very much!


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## moshpa

In your examples, I would choose the passé composé: 

Depuis que j'ai commencé à manger cette pizza, je me sens malade. 

and 

Depuis qu'il a commencé à étudier, il réussit ses examens. 

I can't actually think of an example off the top of my head where I'd use present instead of passé composé. Perhaps someone else will be able to.


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## Rouleau

Can I ask why it's important to have this adverbial phrase followed by the present tense?  The literal translation of your sample sentences would be "Since I eat, I feel ill," and "Since he studies, he passes his tests."


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## Cyrrus

VixenFox said:


> Is "depuis que" often followed by the present tense?


It's quite common. Your samples are correct. I don't see where's the problem.


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## VixenFox

Thank you, Cyrrus.  Answers to Rouleau follow . . .



> Can I ask why it's important to have this adverbial phrase followed by the present tense?"


I'm just having doubts about my understanding of "depuis que," and I was hoping someone would just spout out a series of sample sentences using "depuis que" + présent.



> The literal translation of your sample sentences would be "Since I eat, I feel ill," and "Since he studies, he passes his tests.


I'm more interested in equivalent ways of saying things than I am in literal translations.  I do thank you for your time, however.


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## KaRiNe_Fr

VixenFox said:


> [...] I'm just having doubts about my understanding of "depuis que," and I was hoping someone would just spout out a series of sample sentences using "depuis que" + présent. [...]


Ok, if you want examples, here are some:
Depuis que je porte cette mini-jupe, j'ai beaucoup plus de succès.
Depuis que je mange plus de salade, je ne suis plus jamais constipée.
Depuis que je fréquente ce forum, je me pose beaucoup plus de questions sur ma propre langue...


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## redrose

Bonjour,

Les deux phrases ci-dessous sont-elles bonnes?

"Depuis que je suis a la retraite, je peux prendre mes vacances quand je veux."

"Depuis que j'ai pris ma retraite, je peux prendre mes vacances quand je veux."

ou, autrement dit, est-ce qu'on peut souvent trouver un moyen de cette facon d'utiliser soit le present soit le passe compose avec "depuis que" pour exprimer (approximativement) la meme chose?

Excusez-moi si j'ai fait beaucoup de fautes, et merci d'avance de me proposer des expressions plus ?appropriees...


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## boterham

Les deux phrases sont parfaitement bonnes 

il manque seulement un petit accent sur *à* la retraite.


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## Nil-the-Frogg

Les deux phrases sont tout à fait correctes. Ici, le présent porte sur un verbe d'état, c'est à dire sur la situation actuelle: "je suis à la retraite, maintenant". Le passé composé fait en revanche référence à un évènement passé: "j'ai pris ma retraite il y a 80 ans", même si je suis encore retraité.

Notez que vous auriez pu poser la question dans le forum francophone...


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## LARSAY

Yes, you can use both, like in English; it depends on when the _depuis que _applies. In your example, you retire*d *(past),so, it is _depuis que j'ai pris ma retraite, _and, at the time you speak, you are "in retirement" (present), so _depuis que je suis en retraite_
Since I have left: _Depuis que j'ai quitté _
Since I'm here: _depuis que je suis ici_


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## kanoe

Hi Vixen Fox
i know it's late, but here's an explanation (maybe for the next time)


Depuis que + Past means :
"since the time when this event happened (the event was punctual and is now over), something has changed"

Depuis que + Present means :
"since i've started behaving/eating differently (wich i'm still doing), something's different"

hope it can be useful someday...
good luck writing in french
Kanoe


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## clara4

_Je la connais depuis que j'ai 2 ans._

does this mean 'i have known her since i was two'? or is it the wrong tense? if its incorrect, could someone please tell me the correct translation. merci!


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## Léa123

I would say: Je la connais depuis que j'ai deux ans.


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## yuechu

Bonjour,

J'ai entendu une phrase aujourd'hui en français : "Je fais de l'équitation depuis que j'ai huit ans."

Est-ce que c'est phrase est grammaticalement correcte ? Est-ce que la deuxième partie de la phrase devrait être au passé ?

Merci d'avance !


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## LART01

perfect!
or= depuis l'age de huit ans


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## Oddmania

_Je fais de l'équitation depuis que j'ai eu huit ans_ would pretty much means the same thing, but it's more like _since I turned 8._ It doesn't sound very natural to me. You kind of emphasize the day you turned eight (_since the day I turned 8_).


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## yuechu

Merci à vous deux !

Oh, that makes sense (that le passé composé can mean "to turn 8").

I am still confused about the "J'ai huit ans" though. The person is no longer eight years old.. would the "imparfait" therefore be more grammatically correct here then? Or is it wrong? "depuis que j'avais huit ans".


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## whims

Oui cette phrase est correcte et non, en français, pour ce type de phrase, on n'emploie pas le passé contrairement à l'anglais ! 

I know it is weird.
Maybe because she doesn't stop ridding since she was 8, it is a bit like she's always 8 ^^


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## whims

You also can say "j'ai commencé l'équitation quand j'avais 8 ans"


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## Oddmania

No, the Imparfait tense would be used to talk in the past.

_Je faisais de l'équitation depuis que j'avais 8 ans : I *had *been practicing horseriding since I was 8_ (or _since I had been 8 _?  )

So either the _Present tense_ or the _Passé Composé_ tense (which sounds overdone). Come to think of it, it's indeed strange, but it's the way it is!


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## Sholto

Is it possible to say

Depuis que nous etions la 

instead of

Depuis que nous sommes la

For some reason the first one to me sounds more fitting, but my mum says it's the second. Would the first one only be used if it was all in the past and we'd since gone away? 

Thanks in advance  

* computer freaks out a little if I try certain accents, sorry


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## Maître Capello

Yes, both are correct but they are not used in the same context: the former is used in the past, the latter in the present.

_Depuis que nous étions là_ = Since we *had* been there
_Depuis que nous sommes là_ = Since we *have* been here


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## Mariquilla81

Bonjour!!

J´ai une question, pourriez-vous m´aider, s´il vous plaît?

Est-ce que je peux dire:

  - J´avais étudié l´anglais depuis que j´étais toute petite?
  - J´ai étudié l´anglais depuis que j´étais petite?

La construction de "Depuis" avec un verbe au passé me semble très bizarre, mais je l´ai vu écrit comme ça.

Merci de vos réponses.


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## DearPrudence

*- J´avais étudié l´anglais depuis que j´étais toute petite? *→ Éventuellement possible, dans une narration.
*Ex : "J'avais étudié l'anglais depuis (que j'étais) toute petite quand j'ai dû arrêter..."*

*- J´ai étudié l´anglais depuis que j´étais petite? * même si on n'est plus petite 
→ *"J'étudie l'anglais depuis (que je suis) toute petite*

Avec un verbe au passé, c'est possible avec "depuis" cependant, mais pas avec "être" (ou "avoir") tout seul j'ai l'impression :
"J'étudie l'anglais depuis que je suis allée en voyage scolaire à Londres."
"J'étudie l'anglais depuis que j'ai vu Twilight au cinéma"

Par contre :
"J'étudie l'anglais depuis que je suis toute petite." (alors qu'on n'est plus petite)
"J'étudie l'anglais depuis que j'ai un copain américain." (par contre, ici, on a toujours un copain américain)


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## Oddmania

Hi,

_"J'*ai étudié* / J'*avais étudié* depuis_..._" _doesn't make any sense to me. What would this mean? You can't really use a compound tense with _depuis _(unless it refers to the starting point). It should be either:

_J'*étudie *l'anglais depuis que je suis petite / depuis que j'ai voyagé aux USA / depuis 5 ans _*[everyday speech].*
(_I *have* been learning English since I was a child / since I traveled to the USA / for 5 years_).

or _J'*étudiais *l'anglais depuis que j'étais petite / depuis que j'avais voyagé aux USA / depuis 5 ans_ *[narrative].*
(_I *had *been learning English since I was a child / since I had traveled to the USA / for 5 years_).


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## Saxo

After thinking...

Je le connais depuis que j'ai dix ans. All the verbs are in present mode "connais" and "ai".

If you want to apply the past, you've to say :

Je l'ai connu quand j'avais dix ans. (It merely means the same thing) then tthe two verbs are in past mode.


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## Maître Capello

No, the two sentences don't mean quite the same thing.

_Je le connais depuis que j'ai dix ans_ = I've known him since I was ten = I got to know him when I was ten and we are still in contact.
_Je l'ai connu quand j'avais dix ans_ = I got to know him when I was ten. (But nothing is said of our current relationship: I may be still in contact with him or I may have lost touch with him.)


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## Saxo

I didn't want to say that it means the same thing.  the "merely" was important but it wasn't the good word (sory :/ ), I had to use "quite" !
as you say It  means  that "I may be still in contact with him" so it can describe the same situation, it depends of the context (if you speak about your husband for example)...


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## Maître Capello

Saxo said:


> it depends of the context (if you speak about your husband for example)...


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## Saxo

Though, there still is a little difference, even if you speak about your husband.
With the first sentence, he is still alive (beacause of the present), with the second, you don't know. (I just think about that) 

So, I have a question about the english sentence : "'I have known him since I was ten "
Does that mean he is still alive, or doesn't we know that ?

If it doesn't, note that there is no correct translation !


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## djweaverbeaver

Maître Capello did offer two different translations.

*I have known him since...* is the _present perfect_ tense in English.  This was be the equivalent of the using le présent en français, as in his first sentence.  The person is still alive and you still know the person.
The second sentence would correspond to what you're asking about being dead.  I would correct his sentence, however, by changing it to _*I knew him since I was 10*_.  This means that he is either dead or that you're no longer in contact with him.  *To get to know someone* to me corresponds to *faire la connaissance de qqn* or *apprendre à connaître qqn*, not simply _connaître qqn_.


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## Maître Capello

djweaverbeaver said:


> I would correct his sentence, however, by changing it to _*I knew him since I was 10*_.  This means that he is either dead or that you're no longer in contact with him.  *To get to know someone* to me corresponds to *faire la connaissance de qqn* or *apprendre à connaître qqn*, not simply _connaître qqn_.


While _I knew him since I was 10_ implies that he is dead or you are no longer in contact with him, _Je l'ai connu quand j'avais 10 ans_ doesn't. In French, it depends on context because _connaître_ may mean either _to know_ (= connaître [depuis un certain temps]) or _to get to know_ (= faire la connaissance de). This is the very reason I opted for _got to know_ instead of _knew_ in my post.

If your wife is still alive:
_Je connais ma femme depuis que j'ai 10 ans_ = I've known my wife since I was 10.

If she is dead:
_Je connaissais ma femme depuis que j'avais 10 ans_ = I knew my wife since I was 10.

Whether she is dead or alive:
_J'ai connu _(= _j'ai rencontré_)_ ma femme quand j'avais 10 ans_ = I met my wife when I was 10.


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## zapspan

Bonjour.  I am just wondering if the use of "depuis que" plus the present tense is ambiguous in cases where the situation described by the present tense could either have ended or still be ongoing?  For example, if I say "Je le connais depuis que je suis professeur",  couldn't this be translated in both of the following ways in English, depending on whether or not the person is still a professor?

I have known him since I've been a professor. [i.e., I still am a professor, and I am still know him].
I have known him since I was a professor. [i.e., I am no longer a professor, but I still know him.]

If both translations are possible (again, depending on the context), is there a way to disambiguate in French?


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## Yendred

_I have known him since I've been a professor   Je le connais depuis que je suis professeur _(I still am a professor. This is your proposal)
_I have known him since I was a professor  Je le connais depuis que *j'ai été *professeur _(I am no longer a professor)

_"depuis que je suis professeur" _is not ambiguous: it cannot mean _I am no longer a professor_, so it cannot be translated by _"since I was a professor". _


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## zapspan

Thank you very much for your comments, Yendred.  I am a bit puzzled about the inability to use the present tense "suis" in the "depuis que"clause with the meaning that the speaker is no longer a professor, given the use of the present tense (after "depuis que") in examples like this:

*Je les connais depuis que j'ai dix ans.* [taken from I have known them well since I WAS 10 YEARS OLD] - here, the present tense is used "ai" after "depuis que", even if the speaker is no longer ten years old.

Je le connais despuis que je suis petit. [I made up this example based on I have always wanted to visit ever since I was a child - hopefully my sentence is correct]. - here the present tense "suis" is used after "depuis que", even though the speaker is no longer "petit".


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## moustic

Personally, I wouldn't use either "I have been / I was a professor" in this case.
If I had to say something like this it would be:_ I've known him since I became a professor / since I started teaching._


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## zapspan

moustic, I understand your personal preference, but my main point is that I thought that the original French sentence ("Je le connais depuis que je suis professeur") was ambiguous with regards to whether the situation described by the "depuis que" clause was still the case or no longer the case.  Also, if you do a Google search on "since I've been" or "since I was", you will see many hits, showing that at least in other contexts, these constructions are natural.


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## Maître Capello

_Je le connais depuis que je *suis* professeur_ = I've known him since I*'ve been* a professor → I am still a professor.
_Je le connais depuis que _(or: _depuis le temps où_)_ j'*étais* professeur_ = I've known him since I *was* a professor → I am no longer a professor.
_Je le connais depuis que j'*ai été* professeur_ = I've known him since I *was* a professor → I'm no longer a professor. I however wouldn't say that sentence as far as I'm concerned.
_Je le connais depuis que j'*ai été nommé* professeur_ = I've known him since I *became* a professor → Gives no information regarding whether or not I am still a professor.



zapspan said:


> *Je les connais depuis que j'ai dix ans.* [taken from I have known them well since I WAS 10 YEARS OLD] - here, the present tense is used "ai" after "depuis que", even if the speaker is no longer ten years old.


I believe this is an exception. In French, the present tense normally suggests the action or state is still ongoing. The verb following _depuis_ should therefore theoretically be in the passé composé (_depuis que j'*ai eu* dix ans_ = since I *turned* ten), which is also possible, but for some reason it is more idiomatic to use the present tense instead (_depuis que j'*ai* dix ans_)… I'm however afraid I cannot explain why this is the case. 

[…]


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## zapspan

Thank you very much for your comments, Maître Capello.  I am glad to hear that you believe that the "j'ai dix ans" sentence is an exception.  It is puzzling to me, based on the principle that you mention regarding the present tense.


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## zapspan

DearPrudence said:


> "J'étudie l'anglais depuis que j'ai un copain américain." (par contre, ici, on a toujours un copain américain)



Et si on n'a plus de copain américain?
Voilà mes essais:
J'étudie l'anglais despuis que j'avais un copain américain
J'étudie l'anglais despuis que j'ai eu un copain américain [I'm afraid that this sounds sexual, but that's certainly not how I mean it.]


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## olivier68

"depuis" (et non "despuis" ) marque le début d'une action ou une fin d'action. Vous ne pouvez pas utiliser l'imparfait. Consequently:

J'étudie l'anglais _despuis_ que j'ai eu un copain américain


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## zapspan

Merci de vos commentaires, olivier68.  J'ai peur que ma faute d'ortographe (avec le mot "despuis") ne soit contagieuse.


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## Maître Capello

olivier68 said:


> Vous ne pouvez pas utiliser l'imparfait.


Précisons toutefois que c'est bien le cas lorsque le verbe principal est au présent, mais pas dans l'absolu. 

_J'étudiais l'anglais depuis que j'avais un copain américain.
J'étudiais l'anglais depuis que j'avais 10 ans._


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## olivier68

Oui. Mais ces deux phrases me semblent alors manquer de "chute". Question de contexte.


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