il y a dix minutes
The English phrase 'ten minutes ago' is translated into French as il y a dix minutes.
This phrase is used to describe an event that took place ten minutes before the present moment.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'there is ten minutes', where il y a means 'there is' or 'there are'.
Which one should you use?
The phrase il y a dix minutes refers to the past, whereas dans dix minutes means 'in ten minutes' and refers to the future.
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike English, which places the word 'ago' at the end of the time expression, French uses the fixed construction il y a at the beginning of the phrase.
Did you know?
- The word dix shares the same Proto-Indo-European root as the English word 'december', which is the tenth month of the old Roman calendar.
- The construction il y a functions as a 'dummy' subject, meaning the il does not actually refer to a person or thing, but simply fills a grammatical slot.
Examples in context
- L'avion a décollé il y a dix minutes.The airplane took off ten minutes ago.This sentence is useful for showing how to use il y a dix minutes regarding an airplane's takeoff.Tatoeba #622787 by qdii, translation #44359 by CK
- Elle a quitté la maison il y a dix minutes.She left home ten minutes ago.This sentence is useful for showing how to use il y a dix minutes regarding someone leaving a house.Tatoeba #5689322 by Aiji, translation #73372 by CK
- Il est venu ici il y a dix minutes.He came here ten minutes ago.This sentence is useful for showing how to use il y a dix minutes regarding someone arriving at a location.Tatoeba #136575 by hortusdei, translation #289835 by CK
- Il y a dix minutes, j'ai envoyé le rapport.Ten minutes ago, I sent the report.
- Y'a dix minutes, j'ai envoyé le rapport.About ten minutes ago, I sent the report.
- Il y a une dizaine de minutes, il est parti.About ten minutes ago, he left.
Example conversation
Léa is looking for Nathan in the living room.
- LéaSalut Nathan ! Tu étais où il y a dix minutes ?Hi Nathan! Where were you ten minutes ago?
- NathanJ'étais dans la cuisine, Léa.I was in the kitchen, Léa.
- LéaLe téléphone a sonné il y a dix minutes.The phone rang ten minutes ago.
- NathanAh, je n'ai pas entendu.Oh, I didn't hear it.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, dix, il, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
