Past Subjunctive: Understanding the Unlikely or Uncertain

In French, the past subjunctive is used to talk about uncertain or unlikely events that have already happened. It adds a level of doubt or subjectivity to the statement. This tense is primarily used in written French, and in more formal or literary contexts.

Formation of the Past Subjunctive

The past subjunctive is formed by using the past tense of the auxiliary verb "avoir" or "être" followed by the past participle of the main verb. The choice of auxiliary verb depends on the verb being conjugated.

Verbs using "avoir" as the auxiliary verb:

To form the past subjunctive, take the present subjunctive form of the auxiliary verb "avoir" and add the past participle of the main verb:

J'aie parlé
Tu aies parlé
Il/Elle/On ait parlé
Nous ayons parlé
Vous ayez parlé
Ils/Elles aient parlé

Verbs using "être" as the auxiliary verb:

To form the past subjunctive, take the present subjunctive form of the auxiliary verb "être" and add the past participle of the main verb. The past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject:

Je sois allé(e)
Tu sois allé(e)
Il/Elle/On soit allé(e)
Nous soyons allé(e)s
Vous soyez allé(e)(s)(es)
Ils/Elles soient allé(e)s

Note: When using "être" as the auxiliary verb, make sure to follow the agreement rules for the past participle based on the gender and number of the subject.

Using the Past Subjunctive

The past subjunctive is used to express doubt, uncertainty, unrealized possibilities, or hypothetical scenarios in the past. It is often used after certain conjunctions and expressions, such as:

• "bien que" (although, even though)
• "pour que" (so that)
• "avant que" (before)
• "sans que" (without)
• "jusqu'à ce que" (until)
• "à moins que" (unless)

Here are some examples of how to use the past subjunctive in sentences:

• J'ai trouvé étrange qu'il ait pris cette décision. (I found it strange that he made that decision.)
• Il est venu avant que nous soyons partis. (He came before we left.)
• Elle a étudié la leçon pour que ses parents soient fiers d'elle. (She studied the lesson so that her parents would be proud of her.)
• Nous sommes allés au cinéma sans qu'il ait vu le film. (We went to the cinema without him having seen the movie.)

Exceptions and Irregularities

Like many tenses in French, there are some irregular verbs in the past subjunctive. These irregularities must be memorized, as they do not follow a specific pattern. Some common irregular verbs include:

• Avoir: j'aie, tu aies, il/elle/on ait, nous ayons, vous ayez, ils/elles aient
• Être: je sois, tu sois, il/elle/on soit, nous soyons, vous soyez, ils/elles soient
• Faire: je fasse, tu fasses, il/elle/on fasse, nous fassions, vous fassiez, ils/elles fassent
• Aller: j'aille, tu ailles, il/elle/on aille, nous allions, vous alliez, ils/elles aillent
• Savoir: je sache, tu saches, il/elle/on sache, nous sachions, vous sachiez, ils/elles sachent

It's important to familiarize yourself with these irregular verbs to use the past subjunctive correctly.

Conclusion

Understanding and correctly using the past subjunctive can add depth and subtlety to your French writing. Remember to pay attention to the formation, usage, and irregularities of this tense to accurately express uncertain or unlikely events that have occurred in the past.