d'un moment à l'autre

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Permalink Reply by Chantal Savignat on September 25, 2013 at 3:38pm

Hello

'd'un moment à l'autre" is not exactly "à tout moment"

"à tout moment" = n'importe quand = maintenant, dans 5 minutes, dans 1 heure, dans 2 heures,  ...

"elle peut arriver à tout moment" is heard when we don't exactly when she will arrive.

"d'un moment à l'autre" = "à tout moment" mais dans un temps très rapproché.

"elle peut arriver d'un moment à l'autre" is heard when we don't know when she will arrive, but we know that she will arrive soon (before the end of the event where she is wait)

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EducatorPermalink Reply by George Hunt on September 25, 2013 at 3:48pm

What about "d'un moment à autre"?

Is that an exact equivalent?

Is it poor French?

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Permalink Reply by Chantal Savignat on September 25, 2013 at 9:34pm

no "d'un moment à autre" is wrong. (There is "de temps à autres" with the same way.  Maybe it's that"

there is  "à un moment ou à un autre" too.

"elle viendra à un moment ou à un autre" = we don't know when she will come, it's more uncertain, vague but we are confident.

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Permalink Reply by alan gould on September 25, 2013 at 8:14pm

Thanks for the clarification.  So "à tout moment" in English would be "She'll be here (or "she should be here" or "she's expected") any minute (or moment) and you could add "now."

The other then would be "she'll be here sooner or later" (or "at some point")

 

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Permalink Reply by Chantal Savignat on September 25, 2013 at 9:36pm

I think "sooner or later" = "Tôt ou tard"

"she'll be here sooner or later" = "tôt ou tard, elle viendra"

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Permalink Reply by Vedas on September 25, 2013 at 10:38pm

Hello,

d'un moment à l'autre : she should turn up  quite /very  soon

à tout moment : she could turn up at any time now

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Permalink Reply by alan gould on September 25, 2013 at 10:45pm

if you're distinguishing "should" from "could" correctly, then you're saying that when using "d'un moment" it means, she's expected to arrive momentarily whereas for the other she's expected from this moment on and therefore may arrive momentarily

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Permalink Reply by Vedas on September 25, 2013 at 10:51pm

not really à tout moment is rather depending on the situation and context, it may be subjective , it could be right now or tomorrow or later. Like in English it just insists on the fact that from now on you can expect her to turn up, you are aware that she's likely to arrive but we don't know exactly when (but rather sooner than later).

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