m'endorme

Question

Ma mère me berçait dans ses bras jusqu'à ce que je m'endorme.

This sentence confuses me. What tense is m'endorme? Is that present tense? Why is it present tense here? Shouldn't it be l'imparfait as well? Merci.

Accepted Answer

Bonjour Dzoan ! This is indeed a complicated case, which shouldn't probably feature in an A2 lesson. But as it's here, I'm going to explain it :) The second part of the sentence is introduced by the expression "jusqu'à ce que" (= until does ) which is always followed by Le Subjonctif (Subjunctive mood). "S'endormir" here is conjugated in Le Subjonctif Présent, hence the confusing ending. Here is the glossary article link about Le Subjonctif: https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/glossary/verb-tense-mood/french-present-subjunctive I hope it helps! À bientôt !