(We had a nice day without my changing my mind).
Query timing of sub clause
- « Back to Q&A Forum
- « Previous questionNext question »
Query timing of sub clause
It is a common misconception that the subjonctif passé is simply used to express past actions. Rather, it serves to emphasize the sequence of events when one action has definitely occurred before another. Otherwise, the subjonctif présent is generally used, even for actions in the past.
This situation arises because, in French, there are really only two tenses of the subjunctive, compared to a much larger number of tenses in the indicative. As a result, the subjonctif présent functions as the default subjunctive tense, regardless of the actual time frame.
N.B.: Actually, there are also other tenses of the subjunctive mood in French but they have fallen out of use and live only in very high register literary French.
thank you, Chris….and because ‘changing my mind’ didn’t definitely happen before ‘we had a nice day’, one uses the present subjunctive?
Don't have an account yet? Join today
Find your French level for FREE
Test your French to the CEFR standard
Find your French level