Have you found an error or do you want to add more information to these pages?
You can contact me at the bottom of the home page.

Avez-vous trouvé une erreur?
Vous pouvez m'envoyer un message au bas de ma page d'accueil

Conjunctions

These connect various parts of a sentence together, words, phrases and clauses within a sentence (don't get them confused with prepositions which are words used in front of a noun or pronoun to relate it to the rest of the sentence - sometimes the infinitive is used after prepositions e.g. pour aller ...)
These may be easily confused with prepositions as some are related e.g.
après (preposition)
après que (conjunction)

Some have to use the future tense where you would use the present tense in English:
Dès que le magasin ouvrira, je l'achèterai = As soon as the shop opens, I will buy it
or even if the first verb is the future tense (the 'will' tense) then you use the future perfect for the other (the "will've tense")
Je vous dirai quand il sera parti = I will tell you when he has gone (when he will've gone)
That is not to say you can not use these with past tenses because you can.

I don't believe it's important to remember the three names for the conjunctions except "subordinate conjunctions" may be useful to remember. There are three types:

Subordinate

Remember that a subordinate clause develops more fully the ideas expressed in the previous clause. Here is a list of them showing whether they need the subjunctive following them (the "doubt" tense). The ones that are marked + PossibleSub means that you use the subjunctive if the event hasn't happened at that time (because it may not have happened which implies doubt), otherwise use the indicative (all other factual tenses).

Conjunction	Notes
à condition que	provided that (on the condition that) + subjunctive
à moins que (... ne)	unless + subjunctive the 'ne' (without 'pas') is not spoken in informal speech and the use is slowly disappearing
à supposer que	assuming that + subjunctive
afin que	so that (in order that) + subjunctive
ainsi que	just as / so as
alors que	whereas
après que	after + indicative but people frequently the subjunctive informally. You hear journalists or authors use the indicative. I believe this uses the future tense where we would expect the present but I'm unsure of this useage. Have you any information on this?
aussi	so, therefore Swap the verb around if you are using a subject pronoun il s'ennuyait aussi est-il parti = He was bored so he left but donc would be used without an inversion: il s'ennuyait donc il est parti = He was bored so he left aussi bien ... que is a conjunctive phrase: vous savez aussi bien que moi = you know as well as I do but it can mean 'also' or 'as well as' (it can be used as an adverb) moi aussi = me too J'y vais aussi = I'm going too Note that it is used in comparisons too (aussi ... que = as ... as, like she isn't as tall has him)
aussitôt que	as soon as When starting sentences with this, use the future tense when we use the present (but past tenses can be used for both verbs)
avant que (... ne)	before + subjunctive the 'ne' is not spoken in informal speech. je le ferai avant que vous ne soyez prêt = I'll do it before you are ready 'avant' is also a preposition, meaning 'before'
bien que	although + subjunctive
car	since, because
de crainte que (... ne)	for fear that + subjunctive the 'ne' is not spoken in informal speech
de façon que	so that + subjunctive when indicating a purpose e.g. do something in order that something else happens + indicative when indicating a result e.g. something happens and as a result, something else happens
de manière que	so that + subjunctive when indicating a purpose e.g. do something in order that something else happens + indicative when indicating a result e.g. something happens and as a result, something else happens
de peur que (... ne)	for fear that + subjunctive the 'ne' is not spoken in informal speech
de sorte que	so that + subjunctive when indicating a purpose e.g. do something in order that something else happens + indicative when indicating a result e.g. something happens and as a result, something else happens
depuis que	since depuis without que is a preposition
dès que	as soon as When starting sentences with this, use the future tense: Dès que le magasin ouvrira, je l'achèterai = As soon as the shop opens, I will buy it
en admettant que	assuming that + subjunctive
en attendant que	until + subjunctive
en même temps que	at the same time that
encore que	although / even though + subjunctive
jusqu'à ce que	until + subjunctive
lorsque	when When starting sentences with this, use the future tense (when we would use the present in English)
où	when / where / that Use this with definite expressions of time l'instant où il s'est allé = the moment he went
parce que	because
pendant que	while / during Il est arrivé pendant que je cuisinais = He arrived while I was cooking. Use the future tense when we would use the present tense. Pendant is also a preposition
pour que	so that (in order that) + subjunctive remember that you don't need to use the subjunctive if the subjects are the same: Je suis venu pour vous voir = I've come (in order) to see you
pourvu que	provided that (on the condition that) + subjunctive
puisque	since / as
quand	when Quand j'habitais à Paris, j'allais souvent à la bibliothèque = When I lived in Paris, I used to go the library a lot This uses the future tense where we would expect the present tense: Mangeons quand il arrivera = Let's eat when he arrives But with an indefinite expression of time (not expressing exactly when), que is used: un jour qu'il faisait du vent = one day when it was windy
que	This has many meanings. It can mean 'that' ... it can mean whether + subjunctive que je parte ou non = whether I leave or not it can replace 'si': Comme il neigeait et que je n'avais pas d'argent ... = As it was snowing and I didn't have any money ... It is used in replacement of a conjunction to avoid repeating it such as when you ... and when you ... It can be used in comparisons, and indefinite expressions of time: un jour qu'il faisait du vent = one day when it was windy also: que ... que = whether ... whether soit que ... soit que (this is literary)
qui que	whoever + subjunctive
quoi que	whatever + subjunctive (note the possible confusion with quoique)
quoique	(al)though / even though + subjunctive (note the possible confusion with quoi que)
sans que (... ne)	without + subjunctive the 'ne' is not spoken in informal speech je suis parti sans qu'il m'ait vu = I left without him seeing me sans is also a preposition e.g. sans effort = without effort, sans dire un mot = without saying a word also: sans frère ni sœur = without brother or sister
si	if
si + il(s) = s'il(s)	Je ne sais pas s'il est possible = I don't know if it's possible s'il vous plaît = please (literally: if it pleases you)
si ... que	however + subjunctive
tandis que	while / whereas
tant que	as long as Use the future tense for the verbs where we would use the present tense
une fois que	once This uses the future tense where we would expect the present tense

Coordinate

Conjunction	Notes
et	and - note there is no 'liason' with this (the t makes no difference in speaking)
mais	but
ou	or

Correlative

These are pairs of conjunctions

Conjunctions	Notes
et ... et	both ... and on m'a pris et mon portefeuille et mes clés but in speaking, a simple 'et' is used more
ni ... ni ... ne	neither ... nor Ni lui ni elle ne ont me parler = Neither he nor she had spoken to me
non seulement ... mais encore	not only ... but also
ou (bien) ... ou (bien)	either ... or (else) Il est ou courageux ou stupide = he is either brave or stupid but in speaking, a simple 'ou' is used more
soit ... soit	either ... or Je veux choisir soit l'un soit l'autre = I want to choose either one or the other but in speaking, a simple 'ou bien' is used more

Have you found an error or do you want to add more information to these pages?
You can contact me at the bottom of the home page.

[FRANÇAIS]

Avez-vous trouvé une erreur?
Vous pouvez m'envoyer un message au bas de ma page d'accueil

Home page / ma page d'accueil