Depuis, pendant, and il y a all mean “for” or “ago” in English, but each one signals a different relationship between an action and time, and each requires a different French verb tense. This lesson explains the differences with clear examples.

When one French verb is followed by another in infinitive form, you often need à or de in between. Which one depends entirely on the main verb. This lesson covers the key verbs in each category, with tables and examples throughout.

The French futur antérieur (future perfect) is how you say what will have happened by a certain point in the future. If you know the futur simple and the passé composé, you already have all the pieces you need.