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. aprs (preposition) aprs que (conjunction) Some have to use the future tense where you would use the present tense in English: Ds que le magasin ouvrira, je l'achterai = 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 condition que provided that (on the condition that) + subjunctive moins que (... unless + subjunctive ne) the 'ne' (without 'pas') is not spoken in informal speech and the use is slowly disappearing supposer que assuming that + subjunctive afin que so that (in order that) + subjunctive ainsi que just as / so as alors que whereas aprs que after + frequently the subjunctive but it is not formal 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) aussitt 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 (... before + subjunctive ne) the 'ne' is not spoken in informal speech. je le ferai avant que vous ne soyez prt = 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 for fear that + subjunctive (... ne) the 'ne' is not spoken in informal speech de faon 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 manire queso 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 (... for fear that + subjunctive ne) 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 ds que as soon as When starting sentences with this, use the future tense: Ds que le magasin ouvrira, je l'achterai = As soon as the shop opens, I will buy it en admettant assuming that + subjunctive que en attendant until + subjunctive que en mme temps at the same time that que encore que although / even though + subjunctive jusqu' ce que until + subjunctive lorsque when

o parce que pendant que

pour que

pourvu que puisque quand

When starting sentences with this, use the future tense (when we would use the present in English) when / where / that Use this with definite expressions of time l'instant o il s'est all = the moment he went because while / during Il est arriv 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 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 provided that (on the condition that) + subjunctive since / as when Quand j'habitais Paris, j'allais souvent la bibliothque = 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

si

sans is also a preposition e.g. sans effort = without effort, sans dire un mot = without saying a word also: sans frre ni sur = without brother or sister 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 plat = please (literally: if it pleases you) si ... que tandis que tant que une fois que however + subjunctive while / whereas as long as Use the future tense for the verbs where we would use the present tense once This uses the future tense where we would expect the present tense

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

Correlative
These are pairs of conjunctions
Conjunctions Notes

et ... et

both ... and on m'a pris et mon portefeuille et mes cls but in speaking, a simple 'et' is used more neither ... nor Ni lui ni elle ne ont me parler = Neither he nor she had spoken to me

ni ... ni ... ne

non seulement ... mais not only ... but also encore 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