81 Quoi qu'il en soit

Subordinating Conjunctions and Subjunctive Mood

Subordinating conjunctions:

• bien que (although)
• quoi que (whatever)
• pourvu que (let’s hope that, provided that, as long as)

Examples:

• Bien que nous soyons amis, je ne peux pas vous aider. (Even though we’re friends, I can’t help you.)
• Quoi que tu fasses, rien ne changera. (Whatever you do, nothing will change.)
• Pourvu qu‘il vienne ! As long as he comes!

Pourvu que

Pourvu que: provided that, as long as, is an invariable conjunction that automatically introduces a condition and therefore requires the subjunctive.

• Ma fille peut faire ce qu’elle veut de sa vie, pourvu qu’elle soit heureuse. (My daughter can do what she wants with her life, as long as she is happy.)
• Pourvu que nous soyons tous du même avis, je préparerai un communiqué de presse, comme prévu et on le publiera plus tard. (Provided that we are all of the same opinion, I’ll prepare a press release, as planned, and we will publish it later.)
• Pourvu que vous ayez tous les documents nécessaires, tout ira bien. (As long as you have all the necessary paperwork, everything will be fine.)

Quoi qu’il en soit

This expression, formed with the relative pronoun and the subjunctive, means whatever, no matter what.

• Quoi qu‘il en soit, ses idées gagnent du terrain et on doit être sur le qui-vive. (In any case, her ideas are gaining ground and we need to be on the alert.)
• Quoi que nous fassions, nous aurons toujours tort. (Whatever we do we will always be in the wrong.)
• Quoi que tu fasses, ton patron ne sera jamais d’accord avec toi : tu auras tort ! (Whatever you do, your boss will never agree with you: you’ll be wrong!)

être certain que

The use of the subjunctive in the negative forms of être certain que, être sûr que and être probable que is due to the introduction of doubt or uncertainty. When we negate certainty or probability, we express a lack of sureness, which triggers the use of the subjunctive mood in French.

Affirmative Forms

1. “Être certain que” and “être sûr que” (to be certain/sure that):

   • In the affirmative form, these expressions are followed by the indicative mood.
   • Example: Je suis certain que c’est vrai. (I am certain that it’s true.)

2. “Être probable que” (to be probable that):

   • This expression is followed by the indicative mood in the affirmative form.
   • Example: Il est probable qu’il viendra. (It is probable that he will come.)

Negative Forms

1. “Ne pas être certain que” and “ne pas être sûr que” (to not be certain/sure that):

   • In the negative form, these expressions are followed by the subjunctive mood.
   • Example: Je ne suis pas certain qu‘il vienne. (I am not certain that he will come.)

2. “Ne pas être probable que” (to not be probable that):

   • This expression is followed by the subjunctive mood in the negative form.
   • Example: Il n’est pas probable qu‘il pleuve demain. (It is not probable that it will rain tomorrow.)

💬 Examples from the text

• (subjunctive) Il n’est pas certain qu’elle attende la fin des pourparlers avant de déclencher un grand mouvement social.
• (subjunctive) Il n’est pas sûr qu’elle soit d’accord avec nous.
• (subjunctive) Il est peu probable que Madame Laurent comprenne notre stratégie ou qu’elle connaisse notre vraie position.
• (indicative) En revanche, il est tout à fait probable qu’elle suspendra les négociations si elle n’obtient pas ce qu’elle veut.
• (indicative) Il est certain qu’elle sera accord avec nous.
• (subjunctive) Il faut lui répondre dans un délai de deux semaines. Ce n’est pas sûr qu‘il attende le mois prochain.

obtenir

Note that in the present subjunctive:

• The stem changes to “obtien-” for singular forms and “ils/elles”
• The “nous” and “vous” forms use “obten-” as the stem
• The endings follow the regular subjunctive pattern (-e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent)

📔 Grammar Breakdown 1

“Ce qui est sûr c’est que nous ne pouvons pas nous tourner les pouces en attendant que le problème se règle tout seul.”

Clause by Clause Analysis

1. “Ce qui est sûr c’est que” (What is certain is that)

   • “Ce qui” is a relative pronoun meaning “what” or “that which”
   • “est” is the third-person singular present tense of “être” (to be)
   • “sûr” is an adjective meaning “sure” or “certain”
   • “c’est que” is a common French construction to introduce a statement

2. “nous ne pouvons pas” (we cannot)

   • “nous” is the first-person plural subject pronoun “we”
   • “ne…pas” is the negative structure in French
   • “pouvons” is the first-person plural present tense of “pouvoir” (can/to be able to)

3. “nous tourner les pouces” (twiddle our thumbs)

   • “nous tourner” is a reflexive verb construction
   • “les pouces” (the thumbs) is the direct object

4. “en attendant que” (while waiting for)

   • “en attendant” is a gerund form meaning “while waiting”
   • “que” introduces the subordinate clause that follows

5. “le problème se règle tout seul” (the problem resolves itself)

   • “le problème” is the subject of this clause
   • “se règle” is the reflexive form of “régler” (to resolve)
   • “tout seul” means “by itself” or “on its own”

Grammar Points

• The sentence uses the subjunctive mood in the last clause (“se règle”) after “en attendant que”
• The idiomatic expression “se tourner les pouces” (to twiddle one’s thumbs) is used
• The reflexive verb “se régler” is used to indicate the problem resolving itself
• The sentence employs a complex structure with a main clause and a subordinate clause

📔 Grammar Breakdown 2

“Au contraire, il faut patienter jusqu’à ce que Laurent soumette un document avec ses propositions.”

1. “Au contraire,”

   • Adverbial phrase meaning “On the contrary”
   • Used to introduce a contrasting idea

2. “il faut”

   • Impersonal expression meaning “it is necessary” or “one must”
   • “Il” is the impersonal subject
   • “Faut” is the 3rd person singular of the verb “falloir” in present tense

3. “patienter”

   • Infinitive verb meaning “to wait” or “to be patient”

4. “jusqu’à ce que”

   • Conjunction phrase meaning “until”
   • Introduces a subordinate clause
   • Requires the use of the subjunctive mood in the following verb

5. “Laurent”

   • Proper noun, subject of the subordinate clause

6. “soumette”

   • Verb “soumettre” (to submit) in the present subjunctive, 3rd person singular
   • Subjunctive is used here because of “jusqu’à ce que”

7. “un document”

   • Direct object of “soumette”
   • “Un” is the indefinite article, “document” is a masculine noun

8. “avec”

   • Preposition meaning “with”

9. “ses propositions”

   • “Ses” is a possessive adjective meaning “his” or “her”
   • “Propositions” is a feminine plural noun

Time Conjunctions and Subjunctive Mood

Time Conjunctions

Time conjunctions in French are words or phrases used to express when an action occurs in relation to another. They help structure sentences and provide temporal context. Some common French time conjunctions include:

• Avant que (before)
• Après que (after)
• Pendant que (while)
• Jusqu’à ce que (until)
• Dès que (as soon as)

These conjunctions are often used to introduce subordinate clauses, which can affect the mood of the verb that follows.

Subjunctive Mood

The subjunctive mood in French is used to express subjectivity, uncertainty, or emotions rather than objective facts. It’s commonly used in subordinate clauses following certain expressions or conjunctions. Key points about the subjunctive include:

• It’s often triggered by expressions of necessity, doubt, or emotion
• It typically appears when two different subjects are involved in a sentence
• Certain verbs and expressions inherently require the subjunctive

Relationship Between Time Conjunctions and Subjunctive

Some time conjunctions in French require the use of the subjunctive mood in the clause that follows them. This occurs when the action in the subordinate clause is viewed as uncertain or not yet realized. For example:

1. “Avant que” (before) typically requires the subjunctive:

   • Je partirai avant qu’il n’arrive. (I will leave before he arrives.)

2. “Jusqu’à ce que” (until) also triggers the subjunctive:

   • J’attendrai jusqu’à ce qu’il finisse son travail. (I will wait until he finishes his work.)

However, not all time conjunctions require the subjunctive. For instance, “après que” (after) is generally followed by the indicative mood in modern French.

💬 Examples from the text

• Au contraire, il faut patienter jusqu’à ce que Laurent soumette un document avec ses propositions.
• Avant que tu finisses, Yann, j’ai une anecdote qui illustre le genre d’individus à qui nous avons affaire.

📔 Grammar Breakdown 3

“Nous devons avoir fini de dresser la table avant que les invités n’arrivent.”

Clause by Clause Analysis

1. “Nous devons avoir fini de dresser la table” (We must have finished setting the table)

   • “Nous” is the first-person plural subject pronoun “we”
   • “devons” is the first-person plural present tense of “devoir” (must/to have to)
   • “avoir fini” is the perfect infinitive form, meaning “to have finished”
   • “de dresser” is an infinitive used after “fini”, meaning “to set”
   • “la table” is the direct object, meaning “the table”

2. “avant que les invités n’arrivent” (before the guests arrive)

   • “avant que” is a conjunction meaning “before”
   • “les invités” is the subject of this clause, meaning “the guests”
   • “n’” is the expletive ’ne’, often used with “avant que” (not negative here)
   • “arrivent” is the third-person plural present subjunctive of “arriver” (to arrive)

Grammar Points

1. Perfect Infinitive: “avoir fini” is used to express an action that will be completed before another future action.

2. Subjunctive Mood: “avant que” requires the use of the subjunctive mood in the clause that follows. Here, “arrivent” is in the subjunctive.

3. Expletive ’ne’: The “n’” before “arrivent” is not part of a negation. It’s an optional, literary addition often used with “avant que”.

4. Complex Verb Structure: The main clause uses a modal verb (devoir) followed by a perfect infinitive (avoir fini), which is then followed by another infinitive (dresser).

5. Temporal Relationship: The sentence expresses a sequence of events, with one action needing to be completed before another begins.

Pourvoir vs. Fournir

“Pourvoir” and “fournir” are both French verbs that can be translated as “to provide” in English, but they have subtle differences in usage and connotation:

Pourvoir

• Meaning: To give or supply something necessary or useful, often as a one-time action
• Usage: Less common in everyday speech; more formal
• Examples:
  • Sa mère le pourvoit d’une écharpe. (His mother provides him with a scarf.)
  • Ce téléphone est pourvu de toutes les dernières innovations. (This phone is equipped with all the latest innovations.)

Fournir

• Meaning: To supply or provide regularly, often in the context of goods or services
• Usage: More common in everyday language
• Examples:
  • Cette compagnie nous fournit en électricité. (This company supplies us with electricity.)
  • Le boulanger nous fournit en pain. (The baker supplies us with bread.)

Key Differences

1. Frequency:

   • Pourvoir: Often implies a one-time or occasional provision
   • Fournir: Suggests regular or continuous supply

2. Context:

   • Pourvoir: More often used for abstract concepts or essential needs
   • Fournir: Commonly used for tangible goods or services

3. Formality:

   • Pourvoir: More formal, less frequent in everyday speech
   • Fournir: More common in daily language

In many contexts, “fournir” is the preferred verb, while “pourvoir” is often replaced by “donner” (to give) in casual speech

Vocabulaire