Special Uses of the French Subjunctive
Usages particuliers du subjonctif
Although the French subjunctive is most often used in subordinate clauses (e.g., Je veux que tu fasses), it can also be used in main or independent clauses.* In general, this usage tends to be formal.
Note: This lesson is on advanced uses of the French subjunctive. Before you continue, make sure that you understand the basic subjunctive lesson.
| Que + subjunctive This construction is used for third person imperatives: commands, wishes, concessions, suppositions, and exclamations. |
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| Que Dieu bénisse l'Amérique. | (May) God bless America. | ||
| Qu'ils mangent de la brioche ! | Let them eat brioche! | ||
| Qu'elle finisse avant midi ! | Let her finish before noon! I hope she finishes before noon! |
||
| Que le bonheur vous sourie. | May happiness smile upon you. | ||
| Qu'il ait menti : il ne faut pas le punir. | He may have lied / It may be that he lied, but he shouldn't be punished. | ||
| The subjunctive is also used with certain verbs to indicate polite and/or literary commands, wishes, etc. | |||
| être | Soit un rectangle ABCD. | Let ABCD be a rectangle, Let's take the rectangle ABCD. |
science, mathematics |
| pouvoir | Puissiez-vous ne jamais voir une telle chose ! | May you never see such a thing! | literary |
| savoir | Je ne sache pas que cela existe. | I'm not aware that that exists, As far as I know, that doesn't exist. |
|
| Pas 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 de vous déranger. | Please excuse me for interrupting you. | very polite command |
| Finally, there are a few fixed expressions which take the subjunctive. | |||
| Ainsi soit-il | So be it | ||
| Advienne que pourra | Come what may | ||
| 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... | ||
| 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, the subjunctive is needed because the original main clause has been
dropped, leaving what used to be a subordinate clause to stand alone.
(Je veux) Que Dieu bénisse l'Amérique.
(Je souhaite que) Grand bien vous fasse !
| French Subjunctive ~ Le Subjonctif |
| Verb Timeline Grammar Glossary |
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