When talking about your experiences living abroad, you'll often need to express how long you've been doing something.
Ongoing Duration with "Ça fait... que"
In English, we use the present perfect tense for an action that started in the past and is still continuing (e.g., "I have been working...").
In French, because the action is still happening right now, you use the present tense. To express the duration, place ça fait at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the amount of time, and then que.
- Ça fait
- [duration] + que
- [present tense clause]
- [duration] + que
| I have been working here for two years. | Ça fait deux ans que je travaille ici. |
| We have been living abroad for a few months. | Ça fait quelques mois que nous vivons à l'étranger. |
Using "Il y a... que"
You can also use il y a... que. It means the exact same thing as ça fait... que, but is slightly more formal.
- Il y a
- [duration] + que
- [present tense clause]
- [duration] + que
| This expatriate has been studying the language for a long time. | Il y a longtemps que cet expatrié étudie la langue. |
| I have wanted to settle down abroad for several weeks. | Il y a plusieurs semaines que je veux m'installer à l'étranger. |
Expat Life and Challenges
These phrases pair perfectly with vocabulary about settling in and the emotional challenges that come with it, such as culture shock (le choc culturel) and homesickness (le mal du pays).
| I have been trying to adapt for a month, but the culture shock is strong. | Ça fait un mois que j'essaie de m'adapter, mais le choc culturel est fort. |
| I have been homesick for a few days. | Ça fait quelques jours que j'ai le mal du pays. |
