Back when vs Formerly

Quand utiliser chacun en anglais, avec le sens, le registre et des exemples.

Back when

Top 2000 (courant)

Formerly

FormelAu-delà de 10 000 (moins courant)B2adverb
Le plus formel: FormerlyLe plus courant: Back when
 Back whenFormerly
Prononciation🇬🇧 //bæk wɛn//🇺🇸 //bæk wɛn//🇬🇧 /["/ˈfɔːməli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfɔːrmərli/"]/
SensA phrase used to talk about a time in the past.in the past; before now
ExempleI remember back when we used to play outside until dark.Namibia, formerly known as South West Africa
RegistreNeutreFormel
FréquenceTop 2000 (courant)Au-delà de 10 000 (moins courant)
Niveau CEFR-B2
Nature grammaticaleadverb
Collocationsback when I was young, back when things were different, back when we had funformerly a leader, formerly known, formerly used
Antonymes-currently, now
Erreurs fréquentesUsing it with present tense instead of past., Omitting necessary context in sentences., Confusing it with 'back then' which may imply a longer time span.Confused with 'formally' — 'formerly' relates to the past, while 'formally' relates to official contexts., Omitting it when describing past roles or states, which can lead to ambiguity.
Notes d'usageUsed in storytelling or reminiscing about past experiences. Avoid in formal writing; suitable in casual conversation.Use 'formerly' to describe something that was true in the past but is no longer the case. It is more formal than saying 'used to'. Avoid in casual conversations.

Questions fréquentes : Back when vs Formerly

Quelle est la différence entre Back when et Formerly ?

Back when: A phrase used to talk about a time in the past. Formerly: in the past; before now

Lequel est le plus formel : Back when et Formerly ?

Formerly est le plus formel de tous.

Lequel est le plus courant : Back when et Formerly ?

Back when est le plus courant dans l'anglais de tous les jours.

Peux-tu montrer un exemple de chacun ?

Back when: I remember back when we used to play outside until dark. Formerly: Namibia, formerly known as South West Africa

Puis-je utiliser Back when et Formerly de façon interchangeable ?

Pas toujours. Back when et Formerly sont proches et se recoupent parfois, mais elles diffèrent par le registre, la fréquence et l'usage, donc remplacer l'une par l'autre peut changer le sens ou le ton. Regarde les différences ci-dessus avant de substituer.