Subordinating Conjunctions in French

Overview

Subordinating conjunctions connect a main clause to a dependent clause, expressing relationships like cause, purpose, concession, time, and contrast. At the B2 level, you move beyond basic connectors like parce que and quand to master more nuanced conjunctions that add precision and sophistication to your French.

A crucial aspect of these advanced conjunctions is that many of them trigger the subjunctive mood. Conjunctions expressing purpose (afin que, pour que), concession (bien que, quoique), and fear (de peur que) all require the subjunctive in the subordinate clause. Others, like tandis que and dès que, take the indicative.

Learning which mood each conjunction governs is one of the key challenges at this level, but it follows a logical pattern: conjunctions that introduce uncertain, desired, or hypothetical outcomes tend to require the subjunctive, while those describing factual or temporal relationships use the indicative.

How It Works

Conjunctions Requiring the Subjunctive

Conjunction	Meaning	Example
bien que	although	Bien qu'il pleuve, je sors.
quoique	although	Quoiqu'il soit fatigué, il continue.
afin que	so that	Afin qu'il comprenne, j'explique.
pour que	so that	Pour que tu réussisses, travaille.
avant que	before	Avant qu'il parte, dis-lui.
sans que	without	Sans qu'elle le sache...
à moins que	unless	À moins qu'il ne vienne...
de peur que	for fear that	De peur qu'il ne pleuve...

Conjunctions Taking the Indicative

Conjunction	Meaning	Example
tandis que	while / whereas	Tandis que je travaillais, il dormait.
alors que	while / whereas	Alors qu'il pleut, elle sort.
dès que	as soon as	Dès que j'arriverai, je t'appellerai.
aussitôt que	as soon as	Aussitôt qu'il a fini, il est parti.
après que	after	Après qu'il est parti...
depuis que	since (time)	Depuis qu'il est arrivé...
pendant que	while	Pendant que tu manges...
parce que	because	Parce qu'il fait beau...

Key rules:

• Bien que and quoique are interchangeable, but bien que is more common
• Dès que and aussitôt que take the future tense when referring to future events (not the present as in English)
• Après que technically takes the indicative, though many native speakers use the subjunctive in modern French
• À moins que and de peur que often include the expletive ne (à moins qu'il ne vienne)

Examples in Context

French	English	Note
Bien qu'il pleuve, je sors.	Although it's raining, I'm going out.	Concession + subjunctive
Afin qu'il comprenne, j'ai tout expliqué.	So that he would understand, I explained everything.	Purpose + subjunctive
Tandis que je travaillais, il regardait la télé.	While I was working, he was watching TV.	Contrast + indicative
Dès que j'arriverai, je t'appellerai.	As soon as I arrive, I'll call you.	Time + future indicative
Pour que les enfants soient contents, on ira au parc.	So that the children are happy, we'll go to the park.	Purpose + subjunctive
Quoiqu'elle soit jeune, elle est très compétente.	Although she is young, she is very competent.	Concession + subjunctive
Avant qu'il ne parte, donne-lui le message.	Before he leaves, give him the message.	Time + subjunctive + ne explétif
Alors qu'il avait promis, il n'est pas venu.	Whereas he had promised, he didn't come.	Contrast + indicative
Aussitôt que le film commencera, éteins ton téléphone.	As soon as the film starts, turn off your phone.	Time + future
Sans qu'elle s'en rende compte, il est parti.	Without her realizing it, he left.	Manner + subjunctive
À moins que tu ne changes d'avis, c'est décidé.	Unless you change your mind, it's decided.	Condition + subjunctive
Depuis qu'il habite ici, il est plus heureux.	Since he's been living here, he's happier.	Time + indicative

Common Mistakes

Using the indicative after bien que

• Wrong: Bien qu'il pleut, je sors.
• Right: Bien qu'il pleuve, je sors.
• Why: Bien que always requires the subjunctive. The indicative pleut must become the subjunctive pleuve.

Using the present tense after dès que for future events

• Wrong: Dès que j'arrive, je t'appelle. (intending future)
• Right: Dès que j'arriverai, je t'appellerai.
• Why: Unlike English, French requires the future tense after dès que and aussitôt que when the action has not yet occurred.

Confusing tandis que (contrast) with pendant que (simultaneous)

• Wrong: Pendant qu'il est riche, il est malheureux. (intended: whereas)
• Right: Tandis qu'il est riche, il est malheureux.
• Why: Pendant que means "while" (simultaneous actions), whereas tandis que and alors que express contrast or opposition ("whereas").

Forgetting que after the conjunction

• Wrong: Bien il pleuve...
• Right: Bien qu'il pleuve...
• Why: These are compound conjunctions — the que is an essential part and cannot be dropped.

Usage Notes

In everyday spoken French, bien que is the most common concessive conjunction. Quoique sounds slightly more literary. For purpose, pour que is more frequent than afin que, which has a more formal tone.

The conjunctions tandis que and alors que can express either simultaneous time ("while") or contrast ("whereas"). Context and intonation usually make the meaning clear, but in writing, the contrast meaning is more common.

Regional variation exists: in Quebec French, à cause que (because) is still used colloquially, though it is considered non-standard in European French.

In formal writing, you may encounter nonobstant que (notwithstanding that) or encore que (although), which are stylistically elevated alternatives.

Practice Tips

1. Create a two-column chart: subjunctive conjunctions on one side, indicative on the other. Write one example sentence for each conjunction, then test yourself by covering the examples and recalling the mood required.
2. Listen to French news or podcasts and identify subordinating conjunctions as they appear. Note whether the speaker uses the subjunctive or indicative — this is especially useful for hearing natural usage of bien que and dès que.
3. Practice transforming simple sentence pairs into complex sentences: Il pleut. Je sors. becomes Bien qu'il pleuve, je sors. or Dès qu'il pleuvra, je sortirai. depending on the relationship.

Related Concepts

• Subjunctive Triggers — the parent concept explaining when the subjunctive is required