The subjunctive past tense
The subjunctive past tense is used for actions that happen before the action in the main clause. This contrasts with the subjunctive present which describes present or subsequent actions.
Je doute quâils aient rĂ©ussi leur examen I doubt they passed their exam (the past subjunctive quâils aient rĂ©ussi happened before je doute).
Je doute quâils rĂ©ussissent leur examen I doubt they will pass their exam (the present subjunctive quâils rĂ©ussissent happens after je doute).
Je doute quâils rĂ©ussissent leur examen I doubt they will pass their exam (the present subjunctive quâils rĂ©ussissent happens after je doute).
The subjunctive past is formed using the subjunctive present of auxiliary verbs avoir avoir, subjonctif prĂ©sent or ĂȘtre ĂȘtre, subjonctif prĂ©sent + the past participle of the verb.
appeler â que jâaie appelĂ© that I called (or 'I had called')
comprendre â que tu aies compris that you understood (or 'you had understood')
avoir â que nous ayons eu that we had (or 'we had had')
partir â quâils soient partis that they left (or 'they had left')
comprendre â que tu aies compris that you understood (or 'you had understood')
avoir â que nous ayons eu that we had (or 'we had had')
partir â quâils soient partis that they left (or 'they had left')
Reminder:
We use the subjunctive (present and past) to express emotions (fear, joy, etc), doubt, obligation, or necessity and after certain conjunctions (bien que, although/though ; Ă moins que, unless ; quoique, although/even if ; pour que, in order to, etc.).
We use the subjunctive (present and past) to express emotions (fear, joy, etc), doubt, obligation, or necessity and after certain conjunctions (bien que, although/though ; Ă moins que, unless ; quoique, although/even if ; pour que, in order to, etc.).
Muriel a peur que son chien ait mangé du poison. Muriel is scared that her dog ate poison.
Je vais en parler Ă Muriel et Marcel immĂ©diatement Ă moins quâils ne soient dĂ©jĂ partis. I'll speak to Muriel and Marcel immediately unless they have already left.
Je vais en parler Ă Muriel et Marcel immĂ©diatement Ă moins quâils ne soient dĂ©jĂ partis. I'll speak to Muriel and Marcel immediately unless they have already left.
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