un an
The English phrase "one year" is translated into French as un an.
un an refers to a period of twelve months. It is primarily used when counting units of time or expressing a specific duration.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between un an and une année. Use un an when you are counting units of time. In contrast, use une année when you want to emphasize the duration of the period or the specific events and quality of the year itself.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun an is masculine. Consequently, any adjectives used to describe the year must also be in the masculine form.
Did you know?
- The word an originates from the Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to go', reflecting the idea of a year as a cycle or a journey.
- The term annuaire for a 'directory' or 'yearbook' is derived from the same Latin root as an.
- While un an counts time, the French use une année in the expression une année scolaire to describe the academic year.
Examples in context
- Il est mort il y a un an.He died one year ago.This sentence shows how to use un an to express time passed in the past.Tatoeba #131578 by Aiji, translation #293815 by CK
- Je le connais depuis un an.I've known him for one year.This sentence uses un an to indicate the duration of a state.Tatoeba #1082280 by Aiji, translation #1176288 by paula_guisard
- Un an après, Paul était né.One year later, Paul was born.This sentence uses un an to denote a point in time relative to another event.Tatoeba #3690418 by Elliv, translation #683972 by DancingHorses
- Nous avons attendu un an pour ce moment spécial.We have waited one year for this special moment.
- Le projet a duré une année entière.The project lasted a whole year.
- Ça fait déjà une année qu'on se connaît!We've already known each other for a year!
- Il a acheté cette maison il y a un an tout rond!He bought this house exactly a year ago!
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Lucas are talking about their time living in Paris.
- ChloéTu habites ici depuis combien de temps ?How long have you been living here?
- LucasJ'habite ici depuis un an.I have been living here for one year.
- ChloéLe temps passe vraiment vite !Time really flies!
- LucasOui, c'est déjà un an.Yes, it has already been one year.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries an, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
