法语语法学习--第二十四课

Tenses used with depuis, voici (voilà)... que, il y a... que; pendant.--Future with quand, lorsque, aussitôt que, dès que.--Inverted order after expressions such as à peine, aussi, etc., and after direct quotations.

 

Examples

 

Il est ici depuis un mois. He has been here for a month.

Il a parlé pendant une heure. He talked for an hour (but has stopped).

Voici une heure que je vous attends. I have been waiting for you an hour.

Elle travaillait depuis une heure. She had been working for an hour.

Aussitôt qu'il arrivera, je le lui dirai. As soon as he comes, I'll tell him.

À peine mon frère fut-il parti... Hardly had my brother gone...

A. 1. He has been in business for two years. 2. How long[1] had you been waiting for me? 3. It was more than a year that he had been busy[2] with that affair. 4. It has been a long time that he has been here. 5. He could hardly finish the service. 6. The curate saw him take the money, therefore he went straight to him and accused him of theft. 7. "You have stolen," he said to him. 8. As soon as[3] I have finished, I shall go and speak to him. 9. I shall stop in Paris for two weeks. 10. I had been there a long time, when he arrived. 11. As soon as[4] I arrive, I shall tell him to start on his way. 12. At the end of a certain time, they gave up the project. 13. In vain did he look for the merchant. 14. Perhaps he will do that for me. 15. Scarcely had he entered, when he saw the lady that he had been looking for[5] so[6] long. 16. When he pays me, I will tell you (it). 17. How long has he owed you the money? 18. I am looking for a man who knows[7] the road to Constantinople. 19. I stopped so[8] he could[7] talk to me. 20. The merchant fell ill, so[8] he could[9] not go to Constantinople. 21. I am going to pass the winter there, without[10] anybody's[11] knowing[7] it. 22. War is the worst thing that can[7] happen.

 

[Footnotes 1: Depuis quand. 2: s'occuper. 3: aussitôt que. 4: dès que. 5: chercher. 6: si. 7: subjunctive, why? 8: de sorte que. 9: indicative, why? 10: sans que. 11: personne.]

 

B. Word Study. In the following anecdote, substitute equivalents for expressions in italics: