French Phrase
Ça fait combien de temps que tu collectionnes ?
Meaning
Literally, "How long has it been that you collect?" In everyday English it means "How long have you been collecting (something)?" The speaker is asking about the duration of the listener's hobby or activity.
When to use
Use this question in informal or semi‑formal conversations when you want to know how long someone has been pursuing a collecting hobby – stamps, comics, vintage toys, etc. It works well when the activity is ongoing and the speaker is genuinely curious.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Çafaitcombiendetempsquetucollectionnes?
Ça fait + durée + que + verbe
The construction "ça fait + [duration] + que + [verb]" expresses how long an action has been ongoing. It is equivalent to "it has been ... that ..." in English.
Combien de temps ?
Used to ask about a length of time. It can be placed after "ça fait" or after "depuis".
Verb conjugation – tu collectionnes
With the subject pronoun "tu" the verb "collectionner" is conjugated in the present indicative: "tu collectionnes".
Que + sujet + verbe (subordinate clause)
The clause introduced by "que" is a subordinate clause that follows the main time‑expression clause.
🗨In Conversation
Ça fait combien de temps que tu collectionnes les timbres ?
How long have you been collecting stamps?
Je les collectionne depuis cinq ans maintenant.
I've been collecting them for five years now.
✕Common Mistakes
Ça fait combien de temps que tu collectionne ?
The verb must agree with the subject "tu"; the correct form is "collectionnes" with an -s.
Ça fait combien de temps depuis que tu collectionnes ?
Do not combine "ça fait" and "depuis" in the same clause; choose one construction.
Combien de temps tu collectionnes ?
When using "combien de temps" you need a supporting verb like "ça fait" or "depuis"; otherwise the sentence sounds incomplete.
↔Alternatives
Depuis combien de temps collectionnes‑tu ?
Since how long have you been collecting?
Tu collectionnes depuis quand ?
Since when have you been collecting?
Ça fait combien d'années que tu collectionnes ?
How many years have you been collecting?
Cultural Tip
In French, "ça fait" is a very common, slightly informal way to talk about elapsed time, while "depuis" is more neutral. "Ça fait combien de temps que…" is perfectly acceptable in everyday speech, but in formal writing you might prefer "Depuis combien de temps…". Also, note that the verb "collectionner" is often used with a direct object (e.g., "collectionner les timbres"); without it the sentence still works but sounds a bit vague.