French grammar - Time ago - il y a |
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To say 'ago' in French, we use the expression il y a followed by the time duration. This should not be confused with using the same il y a to mean 'there is'. |
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J'ai mangé il y a une heure.
I ate an hour ago. |
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Elle est venue à Avignon il y a trois ans.
She came to Avignon three years ago. |
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Ils sont arrivés chez nous il y a presque une semaine.
They arrived at our house almost one week ago. |
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La bataille de Waterloo a eu lieu il y a plus de deux cents ans.
The Battle of Waterloo took place more than two hundred years ago. |
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J'y suis allée il y a sept ans.
I (female) went there seven years ago. |
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Il a vécu en France il y a vingt ans.
He lived in France twenty years ago. |
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Vous êtes venus la deuxième fois il y a trois mois.
You (formal) came the second time three months ago. |
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Elle a commencé ses études en langues étrangères il y a dix ans.
She began her studies in foreign languages ten years ago. |
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