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French Phrase

Sois précis sur quand ça a commencé et combien de temps ça a duré.

/swa pʁe.si syʁ kɑ̃ sa a kɔ.mɑ̃.se e kɔ̃.bjɛ̃ də tɑ̃ sa a dy.ʁe/
Meaning"Be precise about when it started and how long it lasted."
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Meaning

This phrase is an informal imperative, urging someone to provide exact details regarding the start time and duration of an event or situation. It emphasizes the need for accuracy and specific information rather than vague estimates. It's a direct request for clarity on a timeline.

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When to use

You would use this phrase when you need someone to give you exact dates, times, or durations for an event. This could be in a casual conversation about a past experience, when discussing project timelines, or when trying to understand the full scope of a situation. It's suitable for informal settings due to the use of 'sois'.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Soisprécissurquandçaa commencéetcombien de tempsçaa duré

1

Sois (Être Imperative)

'Sois' is the informal (tu form) imperative of the verb 'être' (to be). It's used to give a command or make a strong suggestion to a single person you address informally.

2

Précis

'Précis' means 'precise' or 'exact'. It agrees in gender and number with the subject, here it's masculine singular because it refers to 'tu' (implied in 'sois').

3

Sur

'Sur' is a preposition meaning 'on' or 'about'. In this context, it means 'about' or 'concerning', indicating the topic of precision.

4

Quand

'Quand' means 'when'. It introduces a clause asking for the specific time an event occurred.

5

Ça a commencé / Ça a duré (Passé Composé)

'Ça a commencé' (it started) and 'ça a duré' (it lasted) are both in the passé composé, indicating completed actions in the past. 'Ça' is a common informal contraction of 'cela' (that/it).

6

Combien de temps

'Combien de temps' is an interrogative phrase meaning 'how long'. It's used to ask about the duration of an event.

🗨In Conversation

A

J'ai eu un problème avec mon ordinateur hier.

I had a problem with my computer yesterday.

Ah bon? Sois précis sur quand ça a commencé et combien de temps ça a duré.

Oh really? Be precise about when it started and how long it lasted.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Est précis sur quand ça a commencé et combien de temps ça a duré.

    Using 'est' (indicative) instead of 'sois' (imperative) for a command. 'Est' is for 'he/she/it is'.

  • Sois précis de quand ça a commencé et combien de temps ça a duré.

    Using 'de' instead of 'sur'. The correct preposition to mean 'about' or 'on' in this context is 'sur'.

  • Sois précis sur quand ça commence et combien de temps ça dure.

    Using present tense instead of passé composé for past events. The phrase refers to something that has already started and lasted.

↔Alternatives

  • Soyez précis sur quand ça a commencé et combien de temps ça a duré.

    Be precise about when it started and how long it lasted. (Formal)

  • Donne-moi les dates exactes et la durée.

    Give me the exact dates and the duration.

  • Dis-moi exactement quand ça a débuté et combien de temps ça a pris.

    Tell me exactly when it began and how long it took.

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Cultural Tip

French communication often values precision, especially when discussing facts or events. While 'sois' indicates an informal context, the request for precision remains strong. In more formal or professional settings, 'soyez' would be used, and the expectation for detailed information would be even higher. It's common to be asked for specific timelines rather than vague approximations.