One of the questions turns the sentence about dolphins into a question: Saviez-vous que les dauphins sont des mammifères? Could you say why "sont" isn’t concordant with "saviez"? In your article on this subject it says "You can't use the past tense in the main clause with the present tense in the subordinate - the latter must be in the past as well: "Il ne savait pas que j'étais professeur (He did not know that I was a teacher)" Thanks!
Concordance of tenses
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Anne D.Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Concordance of tenses
This question relates to:French lesson "Using neuter pronouns le or l' to refer to previously mentioned ideas (French Direct Object Pronouns)"
Asked 2 years ago
Bonjour Anne,
This is an excellent question!
If "savoir que" is conjugated in L'Imparfait, it is still possible to have the verb that follows (of the subordinate clause) conjugated in Le Présent if it refers to something factual and true, such as the fact that dolphins ARE mammals (and always will be). It is called Le Présent de vérité générale.
Saviez-vous que l'eau bout à 100°C ? = Did you know that water boils at 100°C?
Saviez-vous que les dauphins sont des mammifères ? = Did you know that dolphins are mammals?
I hope this is helpful.
Bonne journée !
Chris W. Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
It's actually the same in English: Did you know that dolphins are mammals?
Anne D.Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Thank you, Céline. I guess "I was (or am) a teacher" is neither a general truth nor inevitable.
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