pendant que vs alors que

EarlC1Kwiziq community member

pendant que vs alors que

Why is alors que wrong rather than pendant que. Is alors que only used for opposition? 

Asked 1 year ago
CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Hi Earl, 

You will use 'alors que' when there is a contrast between the two activities, here they are just simultaneous.

Mia construira un chateau de sable pendant que je lirai sur le banc

Bonne Continuation ?

 

JimC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Hi Earl,

I assume that you are referring to the text   "feed the ducks (while) eating ...." and "then we'll walk up to the playground......"

I would expect "pendant que" to be used in the first text and "alors que" in the second.

Alors que takes the sense of "at that time / then" 

"pendant que" takes the sense of "while" (actual periods of time seen to completion)

There is more here:   https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/conjunctive-phrases/

https://www.francaisfacile.com/exercices/exercice-francais-2/exercice-francais-65758.php

I hope that this may help?

Bonne journée

Jim

pendant que vs alors que

Why is alors que wrong rather than pendant que. Is alors que only used for opposition? 

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