By + [point in time] = d'ici ...

Posted by Aurélie Drouard

In: Level B1, Idioms, Idiomatic Usage, and Structures, Adverbe, Préposition, Futur antérieur, Idiotisme

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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

Adverbe

Préposition

Futur antérieur

Idiotisme

Examples and resources

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.

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.

Q&A Forum 9 questions, 14 answers

JohnC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Use of a verb tense (Futur antérieur) that hasn't been studied?

In this lesson examples such as "Vous aurez déménagé d'ici avril" and "Nous aurons fini de creuser la piscine d'ici le mois prochain and others use the futur antérieur, yes?

Futur antérieur is not difficult to understand. However, I am following the Lawless French website algorithm for studying B1 subjects. Up to the point of "By + [point in time] = d'ici ..." the futur antérieur verb structure has not been introduced.

It's a little disconcerting to mix key grammar points, such as futur antérieur, into examples before they have been studied.

Asked 5 months ago

John asked:View original

Use of a verb tense (Futur antérieur) that hasn't been studied?

In this lesson examples such as "Vous aurez déménagé d'ici avril" and "Nous aurons fini de creuser la piscine d'ici le mois prochain and others use the futur antérieur, yes?

Futur antérieur is not difficult to understand. However, I am following the Lawless French website algorithm for studying B1 subjects. Up to the point of "By + [point in time] = d'ici ..." the futur antérieur verb structure has not been introduced.

It's a little disconcerting to mix key grammar points, such as futur antérieur, into examples before they have been studied.

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JamesC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

In the test I used `d`ici nuit`...

Asked 8 months ago

CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Hi James,

'D'ici nuit' has no meaning in French , you could say -

D'ici minuit = by midnight (but it has a different meaning.)

D'ici ce soir is the correct phrase here, it is because we use 'soir' very loosely in French to denote the time before you go to bed...

Hope this helps!

Like08 months ago

CécileKwiziq team member

Hi James,

Could you give me the context ?

Like08 months ago

JamesC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Hi Cécile,

The question was regarding the use of `by then` or `by a specific time`: I will be finished by tonight.

By tonight, I used `d`ici nuit` and was marked as incorrect. The answer was `d`ici ce soir`

Like08 months ago

JamesC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Got it!!

Like08 months ago

James asked:View original

In the test I used `d`ici nuit`...

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SaraC1Kwiziq community member

Could i say bientôt instead of d'ici peu?

Asked 8 months ago

CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

HI Sara,

You could say ‘bientôt’ but ‘d’ici peu‘ is more elegant...

Like08 months ago

Sara asked:View original

Could i say bientôt instead of d'ici peu?

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RonC1Kwiziq community member

Could I say at one o/clock “Il arrive d’ici deux heures” to mean he is arriving at 2 o/clock?

Asked 10 months ago

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

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."

Like010 months ago

Ron asked:View original

Could I say at one o/clock “Il arrive d’ici deux heures” to mean he is arriving at 2 o/clock?

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DeAnnaC1Kwiziq community member

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.

Asked 1 year ago

CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

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!

Like01 year ago

DeAnna asked:View original

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.

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AnnC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

If d'ici une heure can mean within an hour or by 1:00, how can one know which meaning to take from it?

Asked 1 year ago

CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

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!

Like01 year ago

AnnC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Yes, it does help. So in other words, it was a tricky question. But that's okay, I guess. Maybe it will help me to remember....when speaking I will use treize heures.

Like01 year ago

Ann asked:View original

If d'ici une heure can mean within an hour or by 1:00, how can one know which meaning to take from it?

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DonaldC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Marcel sera rentré d'ici une heure.

Je comprends qu'on veut dire qu'il sera rentré chez lui <within et by>. Mais, je ne crois pas qu'il soit une difference entre les deux. On dit en anglais, il sera rentre chez lui dans une heure...? Ça veut dire <he will be home in one hour ou quoi?

Asked 1 year ago

CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

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!

Like11 year ago

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

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).

Like01 year ago

Donald asked:View original

Marcel sera rentré d'ici une heure.

Je comprends qu'on veut dire qu'il sera rentré chez lui <within et by>. Mais, je ne crois pas qu'il soit une difference entre les deux. On dit en anglais, il sera rentre chez lui dans une heure...? Ça veut dire <he will be home in one hour ou quoi?

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JenniferC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Il pense avoir fini ce rapport etc

he thinks he will have finished. Is there a lesson this construction?

Asked 1 year ago

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

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).

Like01 year ago

JenniferC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Thank you

Like01 year ago

Jennifer asked:View original

Il pense avoir fini ce rapport etc

he thinks he will have finished. Is there a lesson this construction?

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JenniferC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

I

Asked 1 year ago

CécileKwiziq team member

Do you have a question Jennifer?

Like01 year ago

Jennifer asked:View original

I

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