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# while — English to French

How English *while* is translated into French in open, checked parallel texts: 4 translations with example sentences.

What it means: [while in the Elamur Dictionary](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/while/).

Sentence pairs counted, by form: while (360 220), whiles (4). By style: everyday 1 154 · literary 130 · biblical 235 · parliamentary 18 198 · legal and administrative 16 562 · UN documents 323 945.

## alors

Used about 54 173 times in the texts (everyday ≈ 24 · parliamentary ≈ 1 896 · legal and administrative ≈ 2 415 · UN documents ≈ 49 838).

- You do nothing, **while** I work.
  Tu ne fais rien **alors** que je travaille.
  ([Tatoeba](https://tatoeba.org/) · Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR · sentences by \_undertoad and elencw · checked, community translation · [\#3335860](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/3335860) [\#1577051](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/1577051))

- You will tell me that Israel has a democracy, **while** Iran has a dictatorship.
  Vous me direz qu’Israël est une démocratie, **alors** que l’Iran est une dictature.
  ([Europarl v8](https://www.statmt.org/europarl/) · Source: European Parliament proceedings, Europarl v8 (Koehn 2005) via OPUS (Tiedemann 2012) · checked, professional translation · segment 778947)

- the test shall be carried out **while** the HVDC system starts from shut down;
  l'essai est réalisé **alors** que le système HVDC est à l'arrêt;
  ([DGT-TM v2021](https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/language-technology-resources/dgt-translation-memory_en) · Source: European Commission, DGT-TM (Steinberger et al. 2012), re-used under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU; the Commission keeps ownership of the data · checked, professional translation · segment 4037644)

- Some countries have prospered, **while** others have fallen behind.
  Quelques pays prospéraient **alors** que d &apos; autres restaient en marge du processus.
  ([United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0](https://conferences.unite.un.org/UNCorpus) · Source: United Nations, United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0 (Ziemski, Junczys-Dowmunt and Pouliquen 2016) · checked, professional translation · segment 8547816)

- Symbolic of this is wine, born of fermentation and a sign of civilisation, **while** in Australia it is an industrial commodity.
  Le symbole, c’est le vin, issu de la fermentation et signe de civilisation, **alors** qu’en Australie, c’est une marchandise industrielle.
  ([Europarl v8](https://www.statmt.org/europarl/) · Source: European Parliament proceedings, Europarl v8 (Koehn 2005) via OPUS (Tiedemann 2012) · checked, professional translation · segment 790985)

## tout

Used about 43 302 times in the texts (everyday ≈ 72 · literary ≈ 19 · biblical ≈ 5 · parliamentary ≈ 3 412 · legal and administrative ≈ 2 415 · UN documents ≈ 37 378).

- He dozed all the **while**.
  Il somnolait **tout** du long.
  ([Tatoeba](https://tatoeba.org/) · Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR · sentences by sundown and sacredceltic · checked, community translation · [\#290652](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/290652) [\#841249](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/841249))

- “You thanked me a **while** ago.”
  --Vous m'avez remercié **tout** à l'heure.
  ([Project Gutenberg books (Verne, Hugo, Maupassant and their translators)](https://www.gutenberg.org/) · Project Gutenberg, public domain · checked, professional translation · hugo les miserables, row 26701)

- They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the **while** we were with them keeping the sheep.
  Ils nous ont nuit et jour servi de muraille, **tout** le temps que nous avons été avec eux, faisant paître les troupeaux.
  ([World English Bible and Louis Segond 1910](https://ebible.org/) · World English Bible; Louis Segond 1910; public domain, eBible.org · checked, professional translation · 1SA 25:16)

- We have to address current and future challenges, **while** resolutely guaranteeing jobs in the sector.
  Nous devons faire face aux défis actuels et futurs, **tout** en préservant avec résolution les emplois du secteur.
  ([Europarl v8](https://www.statmt.org/europarl/) · Source: European Parliament proceedings, Europarl v8 (Koehn 2005) via OPUS (Tiedemann 2012) · checked, professional translation · segment 554094)

- continue trade **while** simultaneously implementing measurable risk mitigation efforts,
  la poursuite des échanges **tout** en menant simultanément des efforts d'atténuation mesurable des risques,
  ([DGT-TM v2021](https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/language-technology-resources/dgt-translation-memory_en) · Source: European Commission, DGT-TM (Steinberger et al. 2012), re-used under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU; the Commission keeps ownership of the data · checked, professional translation · segment 4323611)

## tandis

Used about 31 338 times in the texts (everyday ≈ 24 · literary ≈ 38 · biblical ≈ 10 · parliamentary ≈ 1 517 · legal and administrative ≈ 4 831 · UN documents ≈ 24 919).

- Every advance in civilization has been denounced as unnatural **while** it was recent.
  Chaque avancée dans la civilisation a été dénoncée car artificielle **tandis** qu'elle était récente.
  ([Tatoeba](https://tatoeba.org/) · Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR · sentences by Scott and jerom · checked, community translation · [\#411815](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/411815) [\#411956](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/411956))

- “**While**, at present, I am relieved.”
  --**Tandis** qu'à présent je suis soulagé!
  ([Project Gutenberg books (Verne, Hugo, Maupassant and their translators)](https://www.gutenberg.org/) · Project Gutenberg, public domain · checked, professional translation · hugo les miserables, row 30423)

- Seek the LORD **while** he may be found. Call on him **while** he is near.
  Cherchez l’Éternel pendant qu’il se trouve; Invoquez-le, **tandis** qu’il est près.
  ([World English Bible and Louis Segond 1910](https://ebible.org/) · World English Bible; Louis Segond 1910; public domain, eBible.org · checked, professional translation · ISA 55:6)

- Electricity is dependent on a number of different sources of energy and different producers, **while** gas tends to be more dependent on distributors.
  L'électricité dépend d'un certain nombre de différentes sources d'énergie et de différents producteurs, **tandis** que le gaz tend à dépendre plus des distributeurs.
  ([Europarl v8](https://www.statmt.org/europarl/) · Source: European Parliament proceedings, Europarl v8 (Koehn 2005) via OPUS (Tiedemann 2012) · checked, professional translation · segment 1109609)

- This has adversely affected cash flow, **while** stock levels have increased and employment has decreased.
  Cette situation a affecté les flux de liquidités, **tandis** que les stocks ont augmenté et que l'emploi a baissé.
  ([DGT-TM v2021](https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/language-technology-resources/dgt-translation-memory_en) · Source: European Commission, DGT-TM (Steinberger et al. 2012), re-used under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU; the Commission keeps ownership of the data · checked, professional translation · segment 489680)

## était

Used about 7 407 times in the texts (literary ≈ 11 · biblical ≈ 29 · parliamentary ≈ 1 137 · UN documents ≈ 6 230).

- Marius was the brass vase, **while** Father Gillenormand was the iron pot.
  Marius **était** le vase d'airain, mais le père Gillenormand était le pot de fer.
  ([Project Gutenberg books (Verne, Hugo, Maupassant and their translators)](https://www.gutenberg.org/) · Project Gutenberg, public domain · checked, professional translation · hugo les miserables, row 14852)

- After a **while**, the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
  Mais au bout d’un certain temps le torrent fut à sec, car il n’**était** point tombé de pluie dans le pays.
  ([World English Bible and Louis Segond 1910](https://ebible.org/) · World English Bible; Louis Segond 1910; public domain, eBible.org · checked, professional translation · 1KI 17:7)

- It was quite straightforward for our fellow citizens **while** the Berlin Wall was there.
  Pour nos concitoyens, tant que le mur de Berlin **était** en place, c'était simple.
  ([Europarl v8](https://www.statmt.org/europarl/) · Source: European Parliament proceedings, Europarl v8 (Koehn 2005) via OPUS (Tiedemann 2012) · checked, professional translation · segment 1000510)

- The largest discrepancy in total mileage was up to 117,248 kilometres **while** the largest discrepancy in fuel consumption was up to 39.67 litres per 100 kilometres (para. 293)
  L &apos; écart de kilométrage le plus important **était** de 117 248 kilomètres, et le plus gros écart de consommation de carburant était égal à 39,67 litres aux 100 kilomètres (par. 293).
  ([United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0](https://conferences.unite.un.org/UNCorpus) · Source: United Nations, United Nations Parallel Corpus v1.0 (Ziemski, Junczys-Dowmunt and Pouliquen 2016) · checked, professional translation · segment 21565262)

- **While** he was speaking, the Bishop had gone and shut the door, which had remained wide open.
  Pendant qu'il parlait, l'évêque **était** allé pousser la porte qui était restée toute grande ouverte.
  ([Project Gutenberg books (Verne, Hugo, Maupassant and their translators)](https://www.gutenberg.org/) · Project Gutenberg, public domain · checked, professional translation · hugo les miserables, row 1699)

## More sentences

Sentence pairs with the word where no single translation was found: it may be translated by a phrase, or left out.

- It's been a **while** since we last talked!
  Ça fait un bail qu'on n'a pas discuté !
  ([Tatoeba](https://tatoeba.org/) · Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR · sentences by menaud and menaud · checked, community translation · [\#13483617](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/13483617) [\#13483614](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/13483614))

- Who will look after your cat **while** you are away?
  Qui va s'occuper de ton chat pendant ton absence ?
  ([Tatoeba](https://tatoeba.org/) · Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR · sentences by CC and Aiji · checked, community translation · [\#71309](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/71309) [\#7862883](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/7862883))

- I missed you a lot **while** you were in Boston.
  Tu m'as beaucoup manqué pendant que tu étais à Boston.
  ([Tatoeba](https://tatoeba.org/) · Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR · sentences by CK and Aiji · checked, community translation · [\#5158732](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/5158732) [\#5289396](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/5289396))

## Grammar

Notes on grammar and translation on Mova: [English grammar](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/en/) · [French grammar](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/fr/) · [translating between English and French](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/translation/pairs/en-fr/) · [translating from English](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/translation/from-en/) · [translating into French](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/translation/into-fr/).

## About these examples

Translations are found by how often the two words stand in the same sentence pairs, and the highlighted words are matched automatically: both are approximate. Counts are estimated from a sample of each source. Every example names its source and licence. [Submit a better translation or example](https://md.translate.elamur.ai/free/en/submit/?pair=en-fr&word=while).


Every example is quoted under its source's licence and credited with it; the rest of the site is open under the Elamur Cosmic License.