Affirmative use of prétendre with subjunctive relative clause

Max K.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Affirmative use of prétendre with subjunctive relative clause

Pensée et Structure, copyright 1969 by John/Jean Darbelnet, a French textbook that has haunted me since 1971, distinguishes between using prétendre in the affirmative with the indicative and with the subjunctive - a distinction blessedly no longer "felt" by the modern Frenchman, or so I am told....

So, per this evidently out-of-date usage:

Il prétend qu'il a tout compris, c'est-a-dire, il affirme que.....

Il prétend qu'on ne fasse rien sans le consulter, c'est-a-dire, il exige que......

The text makes further such distinctions for comprendre, supposer, dire, et il me semble que. This can be found in numbered paragraph 215. My original copy was so marked up, I bought a second copy on Amazon. 

I would love input from native French speakers....

Asked 2 years ago
CélineKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Bonjour Max,

"Prétendre que" can be followed by Le Subjonctif or L'Indicatif whether it is used affirmatively, negatively, or interrogatively:

Il prétend qu'il a tout compris = He claims that he's understood everything -> affirmative / L'Indicatif 
Il ne prétend pas qu'il ait tout compris = He doesn't claim that he's understood everything -> Negative / Le Subjonctif
Prétend-il qu'il ait tout compris ? = Does he claim that he's understood everything? -> interrogative / Le Subjonctif

See links here on the different meanings of "prétendre"prétendre - Académie françáise   -   prétendre (under "CONSTRUCTION ET SENS")

I hope this is helpful.

Bonne journée !

Affirmative use of prétendre with subjunctive relative clause

Pensée et Structure, copyright 1969 by John/Jean Darbelnet, a French textbook that has haunted me since 1971, distinguishes between using prétendre in the affirmative with the indicative and with the subjunctive - a distinction blessedly no longer "felt" by the modern Frenchman, or so I am told....

So, per this evidently out-of-date usage:

Il prétend qu'il a tout compris, c'est-a-dire, il affirme que.....

Il prétend qu'on ne fasse rien sans le consulter, c'est-a-dire, il exige que......

The text makes further such distinctions for comprendre, supposer, dire, et il me semble que. This can be found in numbered paragraph 215. My original copy was so marked up, I bought a second copy on Amazon. 

I would love input from native French speakers....

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Thinking...