Usages particuliers du subjonctif
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The French subjunctive is most often found in subordinate clauses (e.g., Il faut que tu partes), but it can also be used in main or independent clauses.* In general, this latter usage tends to be formal.
À noter : This is an advanced lesson on using of the French subjunctive. Before you continue, make sure that you understand the basics of the subjunctive.
1) Third person imperative: que + subjunctive
The subjunctive can be used after que as a third person imperative, for commands, wishes, concessions, suppositions, and exclamations.
| Qu’ils mangent de la brioche ! | Let them eat brioche! | |
| Que Dieu vous bénisse. | (May) God bless you. | |
| Qu’il y réussisse cette fois ! | Let him succeed this time! I hope he succeeds this time! | |
| Qu’il repose en paix. | May he rest in peace. | |
| Qu’il soit en retard, il faut l’attendre avant de manger. | He may be late, we have to wait for him before eating. |
2) Polite and/or literary imperative: without que
The subjunctive can be used without que for polite and/or literary commands, wishes, etc., but only for a few verbs:
| Usage | |||
| être | Soit un triangle ABC. | Let ABC be a triangle. Let’s consider the triangle ABC. | science, math |
| pouvoir | Puissiez-vous dire vrai ! | Let’s hope you’re right! | literary |
| savoir | Je ne sache pas que cela existe. | I’m not aware that that exists. | formal |
| Pas autant que je sache. | Not that I know of. | literary | |
| venir | Vienne l’aube, les oiseaux chantent. | Come dawn, the birds sing. | poetic, literary |
| vivre | Vive la France ! | Long live France! | third person command |
| vouloir | Veuillez m’excuser. | Please excuse me. | very polite command |
3) Fixed expressions
| Ainsi soit-il | So be it | |
| Advienne que pourra | Come what may | |
| autant que je sache | to the best of my knowledge | |
| coûte que coûte | at all costs | |
| Dieu soit loué ! | Thank goodness! | |
| Dieu vous protège. | May God protect you. | |
| Grand bien vous fasse ! | You’re welcome to it! May it serve you well! (sarcastic) | |
| n’en déplaise à… | with all due respect to… | |
| pas que je sache | not to my knowledge | |
| Plaise à Dieu que … | God grant that … | |
| Qu’à cela ne tienne. | Never mind that, That doesn’t matter. | |
| Sauve qui peut ! | Save yourselves (if you can)! |
*Note: For que + subjunctive and many of the fixed expressions, you can see why the subjunctive is needed if you consider that a main clause has been dropped, leaving what used to be a subordinate clause to stand alone.
(Je veux) Que Dieu vous bénisse.
(Nous souhaitons que) Grand bien vous fasse !
More French subjunctive
Related lessons
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