Why is this wrong?

Mark P.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Why is this wrong?

Can anybody explain why this is wrong?.. I can see pour as an alternative but why is pendant wrong here as it is, surely, expressing a duration.

Par exemple, la semaine prochaine, pendant Pâques, nous ferons une chasse aux œufs en français ! 

Giving "pour" as correct.

Asked 3 years ago
Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Thanks Mark. 

I suspect Easter is considered here as a single time point event, not as a event with a ‘duration’ (as it would often be considered in Australia at least, because of the holidays associated with it). Hence, pendant would not fit, whereas pour can be used to mean ‘for’, and in this exercise, it is also to indicate that ‘car’ doesn’t fit either.

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Mark, have you got a link for context ? On what is here, this seems to be a case of “for Easter” not “during Easter”.  Especially as “pour” is used for “future intended” events when referring to ‘duration’.

Mark P.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Hi Maarten, I am looking at the lesson on depuis, pendant and pour and see that pour is used for future events but I am also seeing for pendant.. and do not see why it cannot apply here.. and I am struggling with this!

Note that these cases all express a duration with a clear beginning and end. Whether they take place in the past, present, or future, they are considered as enclosed in a specific timeframe. 

Am trying the exercise 

Practise how to express "for" in French (depuis/pendant/car/pour) with this Fill-in-the-Blanks kwiz exercise

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Sorry, didn’t see the end of the message ! Will look a bit harder now.

Mark P.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Maybe Pâques is not expressing a duration but a period within which and pendant would imply that you were doing it for the whole period?.. and it is not a clear duration?.. but in that case,would pour be correct?

Mark P.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

French!!!

Mark P. asked:

Why is this wrong?

Can anybody explain why this is wrong?.. I can see pour as an alternative but why is pendant wrong here as it is, surely, expressing a duration.

Par exemple, la semaine prochaine, pendant Pâques, nous ferons une chasse aux œufs en français ! 

Giving "pour" as correct.

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Clever stuff happening!