French word

pendant

Pronunciation

IPA/pɑ̃dɑ̃/

Meaning

  • prepositionduring

Example

Je l'ai vu pendant la réunion.

I saw him during the meeting.

Illustration for pendant (during)

More examples

Pendant les vacances, Lina joue dans le jardin.

During vacation, Lina plays in the yard.

Nous avons voyagé pendant les vacances.

We traveled during the holidays.

Core concept

A bounded stretch of time containing an event from start to finish.

Common phrases

  • pendant les vacances

    during the holidays

  • pendant le trajet

    during the journey

  • pendant un moment

    for a while

Similar words

depuis: Continuing from a given point in time up to now.
durant: In or throughout a particular period of activity.
au cours de: During a period while an event or situation is unfolding.
lors de: When a particular event takes place.

Definition in French

Indique la durée pendant laquelle se déroule une action ou qui situe un fait à l'intérieur d'une période.

Word origin

Pendant comes from the present participle of Old French pendre, from Latin pendere, meaning "to hang," and developed a temporal sense for something lasting through a span.

Usage tips

  • Pendant usually describes a completed or bounded period, while depuis marks an action or state that began earlier and still continues.

Opposites

Word lists with this word