B1 · Joining sentences
The words that join two clauses
English lost its subjunctive, so the French list has to be learnt as a list.
One half of these conjunctions takes the indicative and gives no trouble: parce que (because), puisque (since, given that), pendant que (while), dès que (as soon as), même si (even if), alors que (whereas).
The other half takes the subjonctif: bien que and quoique (although), pour que and afin que (so that), avant que (before), sans que (without), à moins que (unless), jusqu'à ce que (until). English marks none of this — although he is and before he leaves look like any other clause — so there is nothing to carry over and the list has to be learnt as a list.
One idea makes it easier to hold. What has not happened yet, or is only being granted, takes the subjonctif. Après que therefore belongs with the indicative, since it did happen, even though French speakers are often heard doing otherwise.
And when both halves share a subject, French drops the clause and uses an infinitive: avant de partir, not avant que je parte; pour finir, not pour que je finisse. English does something similar with the -ing form — before leaving — but in English it is a choice, and in French it is the only option.
Die Form
| because it is raining | parce qu’il pleut |
| although it is raining | bien qu’il pleuve |
| so that you know | pour que tu saches |
| before he leaves | avant qu’il parte |
| before I leave | avant de partir |
| as soon as he arrives | dès qu’il arrive |
Die Regeln im Einzelnen
parce que takes the indicative.
Je suis resté parce qu’il pleuvait.I stayed because it was raining.
bien que and pour que take the subjonctif.
Bien que je sois fatigué, je sors.Although I am tired, I am going out.
Same subject means an infinitive.
Je ferme la fenêtre avant de partir.I close the window before I leave.
après que takes the indicative.
Après qu’il est parti, tout est redevenu calme.After he left, everything went quiet again.
Woran man es erkennt
- parce que
- bien que
- pour que
- avant que
- avant de
Beispielsätze
Je prends un parapluie au cas où il pleuvrait.I am taking an umbrella in case it rains.
Il est parti sans que personne le voie.He left without anyone seeing him.
On attendra jusqu’à ce qu’elle arrive.We will wait until she arrives.
Malgré le froid, nous sommes restés dehors.Despite the cold, we stayed outside.
Die typisch deutsche Falle
Aufgepasst
English puts the present after when, as soon as and until, even about the future: as soon as he arrives, until she comes. French splits that in two. After dès que and quand it uses the future — dès qu'il arrivera — and after jusqu'à ce que it uses the subjonctif — jusqu'à ce qu'elle arrive. One English tense, two French answers, and neither of them is the present.
dès que takes the future; jusqu'à ce que takes the subjonctif.
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