Understanding Subordinating Conjunctions
French subordinating conjunctions introduce subordinate clauses that depend on a main clause. They create complex sentences by showing relationships like time, cause, condition, or purpose.
Unlike coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions create unequal relationships where one clause depends on the other.
Main types include:
Que (that) - reported speech/thoughts
Quand (when) - time relationships
Si (if) - conditions
Parce que (because) - reasons
Bien que (although) - concessions
These conjunctions are essential for sophisticated French expression.
Examples
Je sais que tu viens. (I know that you're coming.)
Que introduces reported knowledge
Quand il pleut, je reste. (When it rains, I stay.)
Quand introduces time condition
Si tu veux, nous partons. (If you want, we leave.)
Si introduces condition
QUE - That (Reported Speech/Thoughts)
Que is the most common subordinating conjunction, introducing reported speech, thoughts, or beliefs:
Examples
Je pense que tu as raison. (I think that you are right.)
Reporting thoughts
Il dit que Marie vient. (He says that Marie is coming.)
Reporting speech
Je crois que c'est vrai. (I believe that it's true.)
Expressing beliefs
Verbs Requiring QUE
Common verbs that introduce que clauses:
Verbs + QUE
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| penser que | to think that | Je pense que tu viens. |
| dire que | to say that | Il dit que c'est vrai. |
| croire que | to believe that | Elle croit que nous partons. |
| savoir que | to know that | Nous savons que tu réussis. |
QUE with Emotions
Que with verbs expressing emotions:
Je suis content que tu viennes. (I'm happy that you're coming.)
Il est triste que nous partions. (He's sad that we're leaving.)
QUE Elision
Que becomes qu' before vowels:
Je pense qu'il vient. (I think he's coming.)
Elle dit qu'elle part. (She says she's leaving.)
QUAND - When (Time)
Quand introduces time clauses, expressing when actions occur:
Examples
Quand il arrive, nous partons. (When he arrives, we leave.)
Time sequence
Je mange quand j'ai faim. (I eat when I'm hungry.)
Conditional time
Quand tu étais petit, tu jouais. (When you were little, you played.)
Past time reference
QUAND vs LORSQUE
Quand vs more formal lorsque:
Quand: common: Quand il vient, je pars. (When he comes, I leave.)
Lorsque: formal: Lorsqu'il vient, je pars. (When he comes, I leave.)
QUAND in Questions
Quand as interrogative word:
Quand viens-tu? (When are you coming?)
Quand est-ce que tu viens? (When are you coming?)
Future with QUAND
Using future tense after quand:
Quand tu viendras, nous partirons. (When you come, we will leave.)
Both clauses use future tense
SI - If (Conditions)
Si introduces conditional clauses, expressing hypothetical situations:
Examples
Si tu veux, nous pouvons partir. (If you want, we can leave.)
Present condition
Si j'étais riche, j'achèterais une maison. (If I were rich, I would buy a house.)
Hypothetical condition
Si tu avais étudié, tu aurais réussi. (If you had studied, you would have succeeded.)
Past hypothetical
SI Conditional Types
Three main types of si conditions:
SI Conditionals
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Type 1: Real | si + present, present/future | Si tu viens, je pars. |
| Type 2: Hypothetical | si + imperfect, conditional | Si j'étais riche, j'achèterais. |
| Type 3: Past hypothetical | si + pluperfect, past conditional | Si tu avais su, tu aurais dit. |
SI vs S'IL
Si contracts with il:
si + il = s'il: S'il vient, nous partons. (If he comes, we leave.)
si + elle = si elle: Si elle vient, nous partons. (If she comes, we leave.)
PARCE QUE - Because (Reason)
Parce que introduces reason clauses, explaining why something happens:
Examples
Il reste parce qu'il pleut. (He stays because it's raining.)
Giving a reason
Je suis content parce que tu viens. (I'm happy because you're coming.)
Explaining emotions
Nous partons parce que c'est tard. (We're leaving because it's late.)
Justifying actions
PARCE QUE vs CAR
Spoken vs formal reasons:
Parce que: spoken/common: Je reste parce qu'il pleut. (I stay because it's raining.)
Car: formal/written: Je reste car il pleut. (I stay for it's raining.)
PARCE QUE Elision
Parce que becomes parce qu' before vowels:
parce qu'il (because he)
parce qu'elle (because she)
BIEN QUE - Although (Concession)
Bien que introduces concessive clauses, expressing contrast or concession:
Examples
Bien qu'il soit fatigué, il travaille. (Although he is tired, he works.)
Concession with subjunctive
Bien que ce soit difficile, j'essaie. (Although it's difficult, I try.)
Acknowledging difficulty
BIEN QUE + Subjunctive
Bien que always requires subjunctive:
Bien qu'il ait de l'argent, il est avare. (Although he has money, he's stingy.)
Subjunctive ait, not indicative a
Other Concessive Conjunctions
Alternatives to bien que:
quoique (although): Quoiqu'il soit jeune, il est sage. (Although he's young, he's wise.)
malgré que (despite): Malgré qu'il pleuve, nous sortons. (Despite it raining, we go out.)
Purpose and Result Conjunctions
Conjunctions expressing purpose and result:
POUR QUE (So That/In Order That)
Expressing purpose (requires subjunctive):
Je parle lentement pour que tu comprennes. (I speak slowly so that you understand.)
Il étudie pour qu'il réussisse. (He studies so that he succeeds.)
AFIN QUE (In Order That)
More formal purpose expression:
Il travaille dur afin que sa famille vive bien. (He works hard so that his family lives well.)
Formal purpose with subjunctive
SI BIEN QUE (So That/With the Result That)
Expressing result (uses indicative):
Il a plu si bien que les rues sont inondées. (It rained so much that the streets are flooded.)
Result with indicative sont
Time Conjunctions
Additional time-related subordinating conjunctions:
AVANT QUE (Before)
Expressing time before (requires subjunctive):
Finis tes devoirs avant que nous partions. (Finish your homework before we leave.)
Subjunctive partions, not indicative partons
APRÈS QUE (After)
Expressing time after (uses indicative):
Nous partirons après qu'il aura fini. (We'll leave after he has finished.)
Indicative aura fini (future perfect)
PENDANT QUE (While)
Expressing simultaneous time:
Je lis pendant que tu cuisines. (I read while you cook.)
Simultaneous actions
Subordinating Conjunction Summary
Quick reference for mood requirements:
Conjunction + Mood
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| que (that) | indicative/subjunctive | depends on main verb |
| quand (when) | indicative | Quand il vient, je pars. |
| si (if) | indicative | Si tu veux, nous partons. |
| bien que (although) | subjunctive | Bien qu'il soit fatigué... |
| pour que (so that) | subjunctive | Pour que tu comprennes... |
Common Subordinating Conjunction Mistakes
Here are frequent errors students make:
1. Wrong mood: Using indicative instead of subjunctive after certain conjunctions
2. Missing que: Forgetting que in compound conjunctions
3. Si + future: Using future tense directly after si
4. Parce que elision: Not contracting parce que before vowels
Examples
❌ Bien qu'il est fatigué → ✅ Bien qu'il soit fatigué
Wrong: bien que requires subjunctive
❌ pour tu comprennes → ✅ pour que tu comprennes
Wrong: must include que in pour que
❌ Si tu viendras → ✅ Si tu viens
Wrong: no future tense directly after si
❌ parce que il → ✅ parce qu'il
Wrong: must contract before vowels