Depuis with Passé Composé

HelenC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Depuis with Passé Composé

If a date or measurement of time is not included in a sentence, can you use passé composé with depuis? Examples:

 "On parle de ce qui s'est passé depuis qu'on s'est vues."

" Depuis quelques années, le lac a diminué."

Thank you!

Asked 4 years ago
CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Hi Helen,

You can use the passé composé with depuis after certain negative sentences and the following Kwiziq lesson will give you some examples -

https://kwiziq.learnfrenchwithalexa.com/revision/grammar/when-to-use-either-le-passe-compose-or-le-present-in-negative-sentences-with-depuis

Your example of the lake is interesting because if you use the passé composé,  it indicates that the level has stabilized.

But if you used the present tense -

Le lac diminue depuis quelques années

you have the impression that this lowering of the lake level is ongoing.

Interesting question, sorry about the delay...

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

The first sentence seems ok to me. In the second sentence I would use the present tense, indicating that the lake has started to shrink in the past and is still continuing now: Depuis quelques années, le lac diminue.

Depuis with Passé Composé

If a date or measurement of time is not included in a sentence, can you use passé composé with depuis? Examples:

 "On parle de ce qui s'est passé depuis qu'on s'est vues."

" Depuis quelques années, le lac a diminué."

Thank you!

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