The subjunctive - other uses
1 Use in relative clauses The
subjunctive
is sometimes used in a
relative clause
when the sense
of the sentence is to put something into a certain class. There are three
contexts which generally require the subjunctive:
1.1
After superlatives
After a
superlative
and words acting like superlatives
such as seul , premier ,
dernier , unique :
C'est l'homme le plus intelligent que je connaisse
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He's the cleverest man I know
C'est la fleur la plus belle que j'aie
jamais vue
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It's the prettiest flower I have ever seen
C'est la première personne que j'aie
rencontrée ici
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He / she's the first person I met here
Pierre, c’est la seule personne que j’ aie rencontrée pendant mon séjour.
Pierre is the only person I met during my stay.
C’est la pièce la plus amusante que nous ayons jamais vue.
It’s the funniest play we’ve ever seen.
Voici la chambre la plus confortable que nous ayons à vous proposer.
This is the most comfortable room we have to offer you.
C’est la pire chose que tu puisses faire.
It’s the worst thing that you could do.
C’est le plus beau poème que j' aie jamais lu.
It’s the most beautiful poem I’ve ever read.
1.2 Hypothetical person / thing
Where a person or thing is being sought but is hypothetical rather than
real. For example:
Je cherche quelqu'un qui fasse
ce genre de travail
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I'm looking for someone who does this type of work
Y a-t-il quelqu'un ici qui sache
parler japonais?
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Is there someone here who speaks Japanese?
Trouvez-moi quelqu'un qui soit
capable de le faire!
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Find me someone who is capable of doing it!
Je cherche quelqu’un qui puisse m’aider.
I’m looking for someone who can help me.
Nous voulons embaucher un cadre qui soit très fort en comptabilité.
We want to recruit a manager who’s very good at accounting.
N’y a-t-il pas une seule personne ici qui sache parler anglais?
Isn’t there a single person here who can speak English.
Trouve-moi une personne qui puisse le réparer.
Find me a person who can fix it.
Nous cherchons quelqu’un qui soit très fort en informatique.
We’re looking for someone who’s very good at computing.
1.3 After negative structures
After the
negative
structures such as ne ... pas ,
ne ... rien , ne ... personne
etc.:
Je n'ai pas trouvé de traitement qui puisse
me guérir
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I haven't found a treatment that can cure me
Je n'ai rien trouvé qui me plaise
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I've found nothing I like
Il n'y a personne ici qui sache
la bonne réponse
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There's no-one here who knows the right answer
Je ne connais personne qui puisse nous aider.
I don’t know anybody who can help us.
Je ne vois pas de maison qui corresponde à celle décrite dans l’annonce.
I cannot see a house that corresponds to the one described in the advert.
Il n’y a pas de solution qui puisse satisfaire tout le monde.
There’s no solution that can please everyone.
Je n’ai pas trouvé de solution qui paraisse bonne.
I haven’t found a solution that’s good.
Il n’y a rien qu’elle craigne tant que les araignées.
There’s nothing that scares her more than spiders.
2 Clauses beginning whoever ,
whatever etc.
The
subjunctive
is also used in a
subordinate clause
beginning with whoever ,
whatever , whatever ,
wherever and however .
For example:
Table 27.2a: Clauses beginning whoever, whatever etc.
French English Qui que vous soyez whoever you are Quoi que vous fassiez whatever you do Quelle que soit ta décision whatever your decision may be Où que vous alliez wherever you go D’où que tu viennes wherever you come from Si difficile que soit la tâche however difficult the task is
Où qu’il aille, tout le monde le reconnaît.
Wherever he goes, everyone recognizes him.
Où que tu ailles, les gens te diront la même chose.
Wherever you go, people will tell you the same thing.
Quoi que vous décidiez, tenez-moi au courant.
Whatever you decide, keep me up to date.
Quels que soient ses problèmes, cela n’excuse pas sa conduite.
Whatever his problems may be, that doesn’t excuse the way he* / she* has behaved.
Si occupée qu’elle soit en ce moment, elle a pris le temps de m’aider.
However busy she is at the moment, she took the time to help me.
3 Use in set expressions
As in English, the
subjunctive
in French is also used in certain set
expressions expressing a wish, command or hypothesis:
Qu'il vienne me le dire!
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Let him come and tell me that!
Vaille que vaille
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Somehow or other
Dieu vous bénisse !
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God bless you!
Vive la France!
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Long live France!
