pendant que
/pɑ̃.dɑ̃ kə/
The English word "while" can be translated into French as pendant que. Wiktionary also lists tant que and tandis que.
Meaning: during the same time that (conj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| pendant que | /pɑ̃.dɑ̃ kə/ |
| tant que | /tɑ̃ kə/ |
| tandis que | /tɑ̃.di kə/ /tɑ̃.dis kə/ |
| alors que | /a.lɔʁ kə/ |
In French, these phrases are used to express that one action occurs during the same time as another. Use pendant que when you want to emphasize that an action is occurring during the time another action is in progress.
Which one should you use?
Tandis que is often used to express a contrast between two simultaneous facts, similar to "whereas" in English. Alors que is frequently used to highlight a contradiction or a surprising contrast between two situations.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase pendant que is followed by the indicative mood, not the subjunctive mood.
How do you pronounce it?
pendant que is pronounced /pɑ̃.dɑ̃ kə/. It has two syllables.
Did you know?
- The French word tant in tant que is a direct descendant of the Latin 'tantum', which is also the ancestor of the English word 'tantamount'.
- Even though 'while' can be a noun in English, the French expressions for 'while' are strictly conjunctions and cannot be used as nouns to mean 'a period of time'.
Examples in context
- Espère, tant que tu vis !Hope while you live.This sentence shows how to use tant que to express a duration of life.Tatoeba #4601873 by sacredceltic, translation #626012 by aandrusiak
- Sors, tant que tu le peux !Get out while you can.This sentence uses tant que to express the timeframe of ability.Tatoeba #3515580 by sacredceltic, translation #3514925 by CK
- Mange tant que c'est chaud.Eat, while it's still hot.This sentence uses tant que to describe an action occurring while a condition of temperature is met.Tatoeba #4533026 by Whidou, translation #4325089 by monahxo
- Pendant que je travaille, tu peux te reposer.While I work, you can rest.
- Tandis que Marie prépare le dîner, Pierre regarde la télévision.While Marie prepares dinner, Pierre watches TV.
- Alors que les enfants jouent, les adultes discutent.While the children play, the adults talk.
- Je lis un livre pendant que tu cuisines.I am reading a book while you cook.
- J'ai attendu en buvant du café.I waited while drinking coffee.
- 279 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are working in the kitchen together.
- EmmaJe cuisine pendant que tu fais la vaisselle.I am cooking while you do the dishes.
- LucasD'accord, je m'en occupe.Okay, I'll take care of it.
- EmmaTu peux aussi ranger la table pendant que tu finis.You can also clear the table while you finish.
- LucasPas de problème, Emma.No problem, Emma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “while” translations and entries pendant que, tant que, tandis que, alors que, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alors, que, tandis, tant, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
