# FR: Il y avait longtemps qu'on ne les (voir) plus



## Diddlina

I need to conjugate the verb but I don't understand the sentence.

*Il y avait longtemps qu'on ne les (voir) plus.*

My suggestion.

It was a long time since they had been seen.

Or something like that, like they're missing but I'm just making this up as I go along, just guessing so if you would be so kind as to point me in the right direction I would be a happy little camper.


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## Crescent

Diddlina said:


> I need to conjugate the verb but I don't understand the sentence.
> 
> *Il y avait longtemps qu'on ne les (voir) plus.*
> 
> My suggestion.
> 
> It was a long time since they had been seen.


Hey, Diddlina! 
You're nearly right, the sentence means: _They haven't been seen for a long time _or _We haven't seen them in ages._ 

The conjugation that you need for your verb is: on ne les *voit* plus. 
Hope you're less confused!


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## Nil-the-Frogg

You got it. I think that "They had not been seen in a long time." would do as well.


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## Nil-the-Frogg

Crescent said:


> Hey, Diddlina!
> You're nearly right, the sentence means: _They haven't been seen for a long time _or _We haven't seen them in ages._
> 
> The conjugation that you need for your verb is: on ne les *voit* plus.
> Hope you're less confused!


Sorry to disagree, Crescent.  Oh, and I don't think Diddlina wants the answer right away, which is a good thing, in my opinion...


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## Diddlina

Nil-the-Frogg said:


> Sorry to disagree, Crescent.  Oh, and I don't think Diddlina wants the answer right away, which is a good thing, in my opinion...



Given my guess of what this sentence ment I had already thought of using imparfait, because it is not a very clear timeframe but again, I could be wrong.


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## Crescent

Nil-the-Frogg said:


> Sorry to disagree, Crescent.  Oh, and I don't think Diddlina wants the answer right away, which is a good thing, in my opinion...


 
Bonjour, Nil! 

Je suis désolée d'être bête comme une cruche (tee-hee expression épatante, n'est-ce pas?) mais ..sur quoi exactement n'êtes-vous pas d'accord avec moi? J'ai pas compris, je crains! Vous avez donné plus ou moins la même réponse que moi, alors...!


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## Nil-the-Frogg

Crescent said:


> Bonjour, Nil!
> 
> Je suis désolée d'être bête comme une cruche (tee-hee expression épatante, n'est-ce pas?) mais ..sur quoi exactement n'êtes-vous pas d'accord avec moi? J'ai pas compris, je crains! Vous avez donné plus ou moins la même réponse que moi, alors...!


"They had not been", not "they have not been"... 

Otherwise, it would have been: "il y a longtemps qu'on..."


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## Nil-the-Frogg

So, I'd say: "Il y avait longtemps qu'on ne les voyait plus." But this could also be "Il y avait longtemps qu'on ne les avait plus vus (quand ils reparurent)."


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## Diddlina

Nil-the-Frogg said:


> So, I'd say: "Il y avait longtemps qu'on ne les voyait plus." But this could also be "Il y avait longtemps qu'on ne les avait plus vus (quand ils reparurent)."



ok, like I mentioned above, go with the imparfait?


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## Nil-the-Frogg

Diddlina said:


> ok, like I mentioned above, go with the imparfait?


I think so. But the other (passé composé) could be good too, depending on context.


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## Diddlina

Nil-the-Frogg said:


> I think so. But the other could be good too, depending on context.



Given there is no context (this is from a textbook) which would you personally chose?


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## Nil-the-Frogg

Just allow me to flip a coin! 

Well, I think I would choose the imparfait.


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## Diddlina

Nil-the-Frogg said:


> Just allow me to flip a coin!
> 
> Well, I think I would choose the imparfait.



*giggles* 
Well, thank very much.


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## Maître Capello

Nil-the-Frogg said:


> I think so. But the other (passé composé) could be good too, depending on context.


You mean _plus-que-parfait_, not _passé composé_, right?

Anyway, without any context I'd also use the _imparfait_…


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## Nil-the-Frogg

Maître Capello said:


> You mean _plus-que-parfait_, not _passé composé_, right?


Yes, of course


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## trench feature

Nil-the-Frogg said:


> Just allow me to flip a coin!
> 
> Well, I think I would choose the imparfait.



I would also choose the imparfait, since you are working within the context of a textbook exercise.


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