Difference between prendre vs mettre du temps

Question

Bonjour à tous,In translating the idea of the time it takes to do something, are mettre and prendre interchangeable?  Or are there specific situations for the use of each ? Thanks in advance.

Accepted Answer

Hi Jean,
That's an interesting question and no, they are not interchangeable and they are used differently.
You will use mettre du temps when the subject / a person is doing the action -
e.g
J'ai mis un temps fou ce matin pour venir au travail = It took me forever this morning to get into work
Sébastien a mis du temps à me répondre = Sébastien took a long time to answer me
You will use 'prendre du temps' when the action is the subject -
Ça a pris un temps fou! = It took forever!
Apprendre le français prend énormément de temps = Learning French takes a great deal of time
Hope this helps!

Answer

Thanks so much for your very easily understood explanation.

Answer

I would like to ask an additional question to Cecile's answer. So, we can say:

J'ai mis quelques années pour apprendre le français.

Ça m'a pris quelques années pour apprendre le français.

Is that correct ?

Answer

Hi Stupéfaite,
Yes you can say that too, you would be conveying ‘in order to ‘ rather than ‘to’.
Bonne Continuation!