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Aussitôt

The adverb “aussitôt” means “immediately” or “as soon as” in French. It is often used in time expressions and conditional structures, particularly in concise or literary language. A common feature is its use in elliptical clauses, where auxiliary verbs are omitted, and with past participles, forming concise expressions.

1. “Aussitôt” in Elliptical Clauses (Omission of Words)

An elliptical clause is a construction where words (like subject and auxiliary verb) are omitted because they are understood from context.

🔹 Example:
➡️ Aussitôt dit, aussitôt fait.
(Literally: “As soon as said, as soon as done.”)
(Meaning: “No sooner said than done.”)

This is an elliptical form of:
✅ Aussitôt que cela a été dit, cela a été fait.

💡 Key point: The auxiliary verb (“avoir” or “être”) is omitted, and only the past participle remains.

2. “Aussitôt” with a Past Participle (Without Auxiliary)

“Aussitôt” can be followed by a past participle without an auxiliary verb. This structure is common in formal, literary, or written French.

🔹 Example:
➡️ Aussitôt arrivé, il a pris la parole.
(Literally: “Immediately arrived, he started speaking.”)
(Meaning: “As soon as he arrived, he started speaking.”)

This is a shortened version of:
✅ Aussitôt qu’il est arrivé, il a pris la parole.

💡 Key points:

• The past participle agrees with the subject if needed (e.g., aussitôt arrivée for a woman).
• The auxiliary verb (“être”) is omitted, making the sentence more concise.

3. More Examples

📌 Elliptical Clause:
➡️ Aussitôt rentré, il s’est couché.
(As soon as he got home, he went to bed.)

📌 Elliptical with Passive-Like Meaning:
➡️ Aussitôt la décision prise, ils ont commencé le projet.
(As soon as the decision was made, they started the project.)

📌 Another Example with Agreement:
➡️ Aussitôt rentrée, elle s’est mise à travailler.
(As soon as she got home, she started working.)

4. Why Does This Work?

✅ Ellipsis (Omission of Words) → The auxiliary verb is left out because the meaning is clear from context.
✅ Concise and Formal Style → This structure is commonly used in literary or formal French rather than in casual speech.
✅ Agreement of the Past Participle → The participle agrees with the subject when necessary.

Summary

✔ “Aussitôt” frequently appears in elliptical clauses, where auxiliary verbs are omitted for conciseness.
✔ The past participle remains without “avoir” or “être”, making the structure more formal and direct.
✔ This is common in written or literary French but is less frequent in casual speech.

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