Normal order: subject – verb – object, in main and subordinate clauses alike: Je sais qu'il travaille à Genève. (I know he works in Geneva.)
« que » (that) can never be dropped, unlike English: Je pense qu'il a raison. (I think he's right.)
| meaning | conjunctions | mood |
|---|---|---|
| cause | parce que (because, answers pourquoi), car (for, written, after the main clause), puisque (since, known cause), comme (as, at the start) | indicative |
| time | quand, lorsque (when), pendant que (while), depuis que (since), dès que (as soon as), après que (after) | indicative |
| time (before) | avant que (before), jusqu'à ce que (until) | subjunctive |
| contrast | mais (but), pourtant, cependant (however), alors que, tandis que (whereas), même si (even if) | indicative |
| concession | bien que, quoique (although) | subjunctive |
| purpose | pour que, afin que (so that) | subjunctive |
| result | donc, alors (so), c'est pourquoi (that's why), si bien que (so that) | indicative |
Comme il pleuvait, je suis resté. (As it was raining, I stayed.) Je suis resté parce qu'il pleuvait. (I stayed because it was raining.) Bien qu'il soit tard, je travaille. (Although it's late, I'm working.)
Emphasis (very common in speech, where English uses the voice):
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