Depuis or not depuis

Question

The test question "I have studied in Toulouse for two years" does not indicate that i am still studying or that i studied twenty years ago! Whereas  "I have been studying for two years.. " is continuing.  So could the translation be "J'etudiais a Toulouse pendant deux ans". ?

Accepted Answer

Bonjour Jack,

"I have studied in Toulouse for two months." -> J'étudie à Toulouse depuis deux mois.
Here the meaning would be similar to "I have been studying", i.e. it's an ongoing activity that is still happening in the present of speech.

"I have studied in Toulouse for two months." -> J'ai étudié à Toulouse pendant deux mois.
Here it's a past statement about having studied there at one point in the past, it being now over and done.

"I was studying in Toulouse for two months." -> J'étudiais à Toulouse depuis deux mois [...quand...]
Here L'Imparfait would refer to an ongoing situation in the past which acts like the set of another punctual action.

I hope this is helpful.
Bonne journée !

Answer

I would have translated "J'étudiais à Toulouse depuis deux mois" as "I had been studying in Toulouse for two months"

"I was studying in Toulouse for two months" is a little unnatural, but it sounds like you were going to be there for two months in total.

I think "I have been studying in Toulouse for two months" is more natural, if it's still continuing. If it's in the past, I'd say "I studied in Toulouse for two months". "I have studied in Toulouse for two months", sounds slightly odd to me in either scenario, and therefore ambiguous.

It's hard to explain, but I think it depends on the verb - "I have lived in Toulouse for ten years" [and still do] is fine.

Answer

Yes, thank you Celline.

Answer

Celine has helped me with this question thanks. But just a comment, its odd that where in english we use the perfect tense i have studied in french we use the imperfect J'etudais and when english uses the imperfect I studied, french uses the perfect j'ai etudie.

Answer

I agree. It's been said here that "I have studied for two years in Toulouse" implies that the action is still ongoing, but it being said many times doesn't make it true. English is ambiguous in this sense. "I have lived here three years" very likely means it is still ongoing, whereas "I have studied here for two years" is definitely NOT clearly denoting I'm still studying here. I think this question in the test needs to be fixed.