French · Chapter 15 · Lesson 15 · Grammar primer
Depuis, pendant, il y a, pour
depuis + the present for an action still going on, pendant for a bounded duration, il y a for 'ago', pour for a planned future stretch - and the depuis present-tense trap.
The short version
Depuis keeps the verb in the present
If the action is still running, French treats it as a present fact however long it has gone on. J'apprends le français depuis trois ans is I have been learning French for three years, with a plain present apprends. Reaching for the passé composé here is the big depuis error.
J'apprends le français depuis trois ans.
Pendant for time spent, pour for time planned
Pendant measures a finished, bounded stretch: j'ai travaillé pendant deux heures. Pour is for an intended duration still ahead of you: je pars pour une semaine. English uses for in both, which is why learners write j'ai travaillé pour deux heures, and it is wrong.
J'ai travaillé pendant deux heures.
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