Hey all, I have to share something new I learned today. It’s quite simple, but I find it really useful. It’s all about the French word « depuis »!
Just a heads up, I’m not a professional teacher, but rather another learner. The information I share might not be entirely accurate.
I know most of you already know about « depuis ». Personally, I typically only associated it with the concept of time.
For example, I used this phrase a lot: “I have been learning French for a year.” → « J’apprends le français depuis un an. »…. ^^
But did you know it could also be used to talk about location?
Take this sentence: “I am pleased with the beautiful view from our hotel room.”
How would you write that in French?
I initially wrote: « Je suis contente de la belle vue de notre chambre d’hôtel. »
But did you know that you can use « depuis » instead of « de »?
« Je suis contente de la belle vue depuis notre chambre d’hôtel. ».
Even though “depuis” and “de” can both mean “from” in English, they’re used differently in French. “Depuis” is used to show a starting point in time, space, or perspective, while “de” usually shows the source or origin of something. So, if I used “de” in that sentence, idk.. would it still make sense?
This discovery doesn’t end here! I’ll give you another new usage of « depuis » (and it works on a similar principle!). 😜
Consider: “I arrived in France from Korea.”
How do you write that in French?
At first, I wrote: « Je suis arrivée en France de la Corée. »
However, the correct way is to use « depuis ». So it becomes:
« Je suis arrivée en France depuis la Corée »
Here, “depuis” highlights the starting point of a long journey, while “de” is used for simpler, more direct origins, such as:
Je viens de Paris. (I come from Paris.)
J’ai sorti le livre du sac. (I took the book from the bag.)
During your last holiday, which country did you travel to, and which country did you come back from? Share your answer in the comments below in French using « depuis » 🇫🇷
Je suis arrivée an Ithaca, New York, depuis Santa Cruz, California. Oui?