In order to express a "deadline", a point in time by which an action will have been completed, you use the following expression:
by + [point in time] = d'ici + [moment dans le temps]
Look at the following examples:
Il pense avoir fini ce rapport d'ici jeudi.
He thinks he'll have finished this report by Thursday.
Vous aurez déménagé d'ici avril.
You'll have moved out by April.
Nous aurons fini de creuser la piscine d'ici le mois prochain.
We'll have finished digging the swimming pool by next month.
Marie peut te l'apporter d'ici la semaine prochaine.
Marie can bring it to you by next week.
Vous devriez le recevoir d'ici demain.
You should receive it by tomorrow.
You can also d'ici to express a duration of time within which an action will take place :
within + [duration] = d'ici + [durée]
Je dois partir d'ici une demi-heure.
I have to leave within half an hour.
Vous recevrez une réponse d'ici une semaine.
You'll get an answer within a week.
Ils doivent finir ça d'ici deux heures.
They must finish this within two hours.
But also :
Ils doivent finir ça d'ici deux heures.
They must finish this by 2 o'clock.
You will use d'ici là to say by then :
Ils seront mariés d'ici là.
They'll be married by then.
Je devrais aller mieux d'ici là.
I should feel better by then.
You can also use d'ici peu - or sous peu - to express shortly, soon :
Ma mère devrait arriver d'ici peu.
My mother should get here soon.
La version Android sera disponible sous peu.
The Android version will be available shortly.
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Je devrais aller mieux d'ici là.
I should feel better by then.
Vous devriez le recevoir d'ici demain.
You should receive it by tomorrow.
Nous aurons fini de creuser la piscine d'ici le mois prochain.
We'll have finished digging the swimming pool by next month.
Vous recevrez une réponse d'ici une semaine.
You'll get an answer within a week.
La version Android sera disponible sous peu.
The Android version will be available shortly.
Ma mère devrait arriver d'ici peu.
My mother should get here soon.
Ils doivent finir ça d'ici deux heures.
They must finish this by 2 o'clock.
Marie peut te l'apporter d'ici la semaine prochaine.
Marie can bring it to you by next week.
Ils seront mariés d'ici là.
They'll be married by then.
Ils doivent finir ça d'ici deux heures.
They must finish this within two hours.
Vous aurez déménagé d'ici avril.
You'll have moved out by April.
Il pense avoir fini ce rapport d'ici jeudi.
He thinks he'll have finished this report by Thursday.
Je dois partir d'ici une demi-heure.
I have to leave within half an hour.
Q&A
DeAnna
Kwiziq community member
23 July 2018
1 reply
By now...
Hi! Is there a "d'ici..." Version to express by now? As in, "By now you should be on chapter 5 of your book" or "You should be finished by now", etc.
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
24/07/18
Hi DeAnna,
There isn't a fit all expression in French for by now. It will depend on the context.
In the examples you give I would say:
" À l'heure qu'il est/ maintenant tu devrais être au chapitre 5 de ton livre. "
"Tu aurais dû finir à l'heure qu'il est/maintenant."
Hope this helps!
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
27/06/18
Hi Ann,
I think you would know from the context but you could always use 13 heures for 1 pm, taking away the confusion.
e.g.
Nous aurons la réponse d'ici une heure. (We'll have the answer within one hour.)
Nous aurons la réponse d'ici treize heures. (We'll have the answer by 1 pm.)
Hope this helps!
Ann
Kwiziq community member
27/06/18
Chris
Kwiziq community member
7/06/18
Hi Donald,
I think that "une heure" in this context refers to a time span. If you wanted to make it clear that you were speaking of a point in time, I guess you'd use "une heure du matin".
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
8/06/18
Hi Donald,
Il sera rentré chez lui dans une heure.
could be translated - He will be home in an hour's time.
The difference being -
d'ici une heure= within the hour (but no longer)
dans une heure = in an hour's time (you don't expect him to be home before that time).
Hope this helps!
Chris
Kwiziq community member
4/06/18
Hi Jennifer,
the construction is actually very simple and parallels one in English:
Il pense avoir fini ce rapport. -- He thinks to have finished that report. (a bit stilted, admittedly).
penser quelque chose -- to think something. And "something" can also be an infinitive group such as "avoir fini".
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
Jennifer
Kwiziq community member
6/06/18
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
4/06/18
Do you have a question Jennifer?
Ron
Kwiziq community member
1 January 2019
1 reply
Could I say at one o/clock “Il arrive d’ici deux heures” to mean he is arriving at 2 o/clock?
Chris
Kwiziq community member
1 January 2019
1/01/19
That would mean that he will be coming within two hours. If you want to say that he is arriving at 2 o'clock, you'd say, "Il arrive à deux heures."