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How to Say ‘Two weeks ago’ in French

Il y a deux semaines

eel ee ah d-uh suh-MEN

[eel ee ah d-uh suh-MEN]

💬 Usage Tip: Il y a followed by a length of time means "ago", and it goes before the time, not after. For example: il y a un mois "a month ago".

Phrase Breakdown

Il y a

eel ee ah

ago

Placed before a length of time, 'il y a' means 'ago'. Say it as 'eel-ee-ah', or 'ya' in casual speech.

Example

Il y a un an.

A year ago.

Words in this phrase

Il

[eel]

it (in 'il y a')

Impersonal subject in the expression 'il y a', meaning 'ago' before a time.

Example

Il y a un an, j'étais à Lyon.

A year ago, I was in Lyon.

y

[ee]

there (in 'il y a')

Part of 'il y a'; with a time period it means 'ago'.

Example

Il y a trois jours.

Three days ago.

a

[ah]

has (in 'il y a' = ago)

Form of 'avoir'; 'il y a' + time means 'ago'.

Example

Il y a une heure.

An hour ago.

deux semaines

d-uh suh-MEN

two weeks

Say it as 'duh suh-men'. The 'x' in 'deux' and the 's' in 'semaines' are silent.

Example

Je pars dans deux semaines.

I'm leaving in two weeks.

Words in this phrase

deux

[d-uh]

two

The number 2.

Example

Ils sont venus tous les deux.

They both came.

semaines

[suh-MEN]

weeks

Plural of 'semaine', feminine noun.

Example

Deux semaines de vacances.

Two weeks of vacation.

Related guides

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