En vs Dans with time (French Prepositions of Time)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE

Last updated: 2023-09-20

When talking about time or durations introduced by in - in two hours, in 1876,... - in French you will either use dans or en.

Dans or en with time/durations in French

Here is how to know which one to use :

En une heure = (With)in an hour

Nous avons mangé en 40 minutes.We ate in forty minutes.

Ils ont fini ce marathon en quatre heures quarante minutes. They finished that marathon in four hours and forty minutes.

Léonard de Vinci a peint la Joconde en quatre ans.Leonardo Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa in four years.

En expresses the length of time something takes to be done.

Dans une heure = In an hour

Nous mangerons dans une heure We will eat in an hour's time

Je serai là dans deux semaines.I will be there in two weeks.

Votre colis sera livré dans cinq jours.Your package will be delivered in 5 days.

Dans indicates the time until something will happen.

En 1998 / En octobre = In 1998 / In October

En 1815, Napoléon fut vaincu.In 1815, Napoleon was defeated.

En quelle année vous êtes-vous rencontrés?In what year did you meet?

Mon fils est né en septembre.My son was born in September.

Il part toujours en vacances en juillet.He always goes on holiday [US: vacation] in July.

En is used with years and months.

You will never say : dans 1998 / dans octobre

See also how to pronounce years in French : Expressing dates in French

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Learn more about these related French grammar topics

Préposition

Examples and resources

Il est né en 1765.He was born in 1765.