Complete Subjunctive Mastery
The mood that distinguishes native speakers
The subjunctive isn't just grammar - it's the soul of French expression. It carries doubt, emotion, necessity, and possibility. Master this, and you speak not just correctly, but beautifully.
Advanced Subjunctive Triggers (18)
Quoique / Bien que
Although
↻
kwah-kuh / bee-AN kuh
+ subjunctive always
Pour peu que
If only/Provided that
↻
poor puh kuh
Minimal condition
Si... et que
If... and (that)
↻
see... ay kuh
Second clause = subj
Non que
Not that
↻
non kuh
Denial trigger
De crainte que
For fear that
↻
duh krant kuh
+ ne explétif
En attendant que
While waiting for
↻
on ah-ton-DON kuh
Temporal subjunctive
Jusqu'à ce que
Until
↻
zhüs-kah suh kuh
End point trigger
Le seul qui
The only one who
↻
luh suhl kee
Superlative trigger
Le fait que
The fact that
↻
luh feh kuh
When emphasized
Il arrive que
It happens that
↻
eel ah-REEV kuh
Occasional event
Où que
Wherever
↻
oo kuh
Indefinite location
Qui que
Whoever
↻
kee kuh
Indefinite person
Quoi que
Whatever
↻
kwah kuh
vs quoique (although)
Si... que
However... (that)
↻
see... kuh
Si intelligent qu'il soit
Tant que
As long as
↻
ton kuh
INDICATIVE (not subj!)
Après que
After
↻
ah-PREH kuh
INDICATIVE (not subj!)
Il semble que
It seems that
↻
eel sombl kuh
Subj (vs il me semble = ind)
Penser/Croire polarity
Think/Believe rule
↻
Negative = subjunctive
Je ne pense pas qu'il vienne
The Subjunctive Hierarchy
Remember: Facts take indicative, feelings take subjunctive. "Après que" is indicative (completed action). "Avant que" is subjunctive (uncertain future). The subjunctive lives in the space between reality and possibility, certainty and doubt.
Literary French
The language of Proust and Voltaire
Literary French isn't archaic - it's the height of expression. These forms appear in Le Monde, in speeches, in cultivated conversation. Master them to access the full richness of French culture.
Literary Forms & Expressions (15)
Le passé simple
Literary past tense
↻
Il fut / Elle vint
Written narrative
Eût-il / Fût-ce
Had he / Were it
↻
ü-teel / fü-suh
Literary inversion
Point ne
Not at all (literary)
↻
pwan nuh
Emphatic negation
Ne... point
Not... at all
↻
nuh... pwan
Literary negative
Que ne
Why don't
↻
kuh nuh
Literary question
Il est des
There are (poetic)
↻
eel eh day
Il est des jours...
D'ores et déjà
From now on
↻
dor ay day-ZHAH
Literary emphasis
Cependant que
While/Whereas
↻
suh-pon-DON kuh
Literary contrast
Las!
Alas!
↻
LAH
Literary lament
Moult
Much/Many (archaic)
↻
MOOL
Medieval flavor
Oncques
Never (old)
↻
ONK
Literary never
Force
Many (literary)
↻
FORS
Force détails
Partant
Therefore
↻
par-TON
Literary conclusion
Voire
Even/Indeed
↻
VWAHR
Emphasis marker
Que + subj
May/Let (command)
↻
Qu'il vienne!
3rd person imperative
Literary Usage:
These forms appear in Le Figaro editorials, academic writing, and formal speeches. Recognize them all, use sparingly in speech, but confidently in formal writing.
Perfect Grammar Precision
The details that reveal mastery
Perfect French isn't about avoiding mistakes - it's about making precise choices. Every agreement, every pronoun placement, every concordance reveals your command of the language.
Advanced Grammar Points (15)
L'accord du participe
Past participle agreement
↻
With avoir + preceding COD
Les fleurs que j'ai achetées
Le ne explétif
Expletive ne
↻
After craindre, avant que
Je crains qu'il ne vienne
La concordance des temps
Sequence of tenses
↻
Past → past subjunctive
Je voulais qu'il vînt
Le gérondif vs participe
Gerund vs participle
↻
En parlant vs parlant
Simultaneity vs description
Dont vs duquel
Whose/Of which
↻
dont = simple / duquel = compound
La maison dont / à côté de laquelle
Ce dont vs ce que
What (with de vs direct)
↻
Ce dont j'ai besoin vs ce que je veux
Preposition determines form
L'inversion complexe
Complex inversion
↻
Marie peut-elle
Noun → pronoun repeat
Tout + agreement
All + agreement rules
↻
Toute seule vs tout entière
Adverb vs adjective
Y vs en order
Pronoun order
↻
Il y en a
Y before en always
Faire + infinitive
Causative construction
↻
Je le fais faire / Je lui fais faire
Direct vs indirect
Tel que agreement
Such as agreement
↻
Tels que vs tel que
Agrees with antecedent
Quelque vs quel que
Some vs whatever
↻
Quelque chose vs quel que soit
One word vs two + subj
Même position
Even/Same placement
↻
Les mêmes vs même les
Same vs even
Demi agreement
Half agreement
↻
Une demi-heure vs une heure et demie
Before = invariable, after = agrees
Nu/Mi invariables
Bare/Mid invariable
↻
Nu-pieds, mi-clos
Never agree when compound
The Agreement Hierarchy
Master this order: 1) Past participle with être always agrees. 2) With avoir, only if direct object precedes. 3) Reflexive verbs follow special rules. 4) Invariable past participles: fait + infinitive, laissé + infinitive (new spelling).
Native Nuance
The subtleties that make you sound French
Native French isn't just correct - it's intuitive. These are the patterns, the rhythms, the choices that French speakers make without thinking. Master these, and you'll no longer translate - you'll think in French.
Native Patterns (12)
On for nous
We (informal)
↻
On y va? (not nous y allons)
Daily speech default
C'est vs Il est
It is (rules)
↻
C'est + noun / Il est + adj
C'est difficile (spoken)
Ça for cela
That (informal)
↻
Ça va? Comment ça?
Never "cela" in speech
Ne dropping
Negative reduction
↻
J'sais pas (not je ne sais pas)
Informal speech
Question intonation
Rising tone questions
↻
Tu viens? ↗
More common than inversion
Double subject
Emphasis pattern
↻
Moi, je pense que
Topic emphasis
Filler words
Discourse markers
↻
Bon, ben, euh, quoi
Natural pauses
T'as for tu as
Contraction
↻
T'as vu? T'es sûr?
Universal in speech
Là for emphasis
There (emphatic)
↻
Ce type-là, maintenant là
End emphasis
Genre
Like (filler)
↻
Genre, je sais pas
Young speech marker
Grave
Totally (youth)
↻
C'est grave bien
Intensifier
Du coup
So/Therefore
↻
Du coup, on fait quoi?
Ubiquitous connector
Native Balance:
Know when to be formal and when to relax. Business email: perfect grammar. Café with friends: drop the "ne," use "on," say "ça." The art is knowing which register fits the moment.
Ready for French Perfection?
"You now possess the tools for exceptional French - not just correct, but beautiful. Remember: perfection isn't about never making mistakes; it's about making precise, intentional choices. Every word you choose elevates how France receives you." - Geneviève