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Week 9: Mandarin Textbook Notes!

   Early on one learns to qualify adjectives with 很, in fact sometimes you have to, so it doesn’t feel all that emphatic and you need some new modifiers. So there’s 非常 and 特别–but what if you want to sound a little more formal too?

十分 shífēn 

十分 originally is sort of like saying 100%, ten parts! But it also has a literary meaning of “very,” “extremely,” “the most” etc.

十分宝贵  shífēn bǎoguì very precious

十分难过 shífēn nánguò very upset, badly affected

You can use it almost exactly like 非常, except not spoken in casual conversation, and it is best with two syllable adjectives. So no 十分好. (for more on rhythm in chinese An Anatomy of Chinese is has a whole decent chapter)

几分 jǐfēn

On the flip side, maybe you want a break from 有点儿儿儿(/一点): there’s 几分, a few parts! “A little bit,” “somewhat.” This is less strictly formal depending how it’s used, but again with two syllable verb/adjective gives it that literary flavor.

几分心疚 jǐ fēn xīn jiù have a bit of a guilty conscience 

几分睡意 jǐ fēn shuìyì a little sleepy

more casualish uses:

你能给我几分钟吗？ nǐ néng gěi wǒ jǐfēn zhōng ma? Can you give me a couple minutes? 

我的牙痛好了几分 wǒ de yátòng hǎole jǐfēn My toothache is a bit better

(For the PDF version, click here.)

While the indicative mood is used when a statement is given or probable, the subjunctive mood is used for unlikely statements. It expresses conditions of subjectivity, uncertainty, and unreality. The subjunctive is typically found in subordinate and relative clauses.

When to use it:

1. imposition of will, of necessity on someone else

The subjunctive can be used when imposing one’s will on someone else. This is expressed through verbs of order, advice, desire, or preference.

e.g.:

Je veux que tu fasses tes devoirs. – I want you to do your homework.

Le PDG a besoin que sa secrétaire soit à la réunion. – The CEO needs his secretary to be at the meeting.

2. emotions

The subjunctive is necessary to express emotions such as fear, surprise, happiness, sadness, and annoyance in French.

e.g.:

Ils ont peur qu’il fasse froid en Norvège. – They are afraid it might be cold in Norway.

Nous sommes heureux que tu sois arrivée. – We are happy you have arrived.

3. negation of facts and opinions

When verbs in the main clause negate those in the subordinate clause, the latter require the subjunctive mood. Such verbs include douter and nier.

e.g.:

L’inspecteur doute que le restaurant soit propre. – The inspector doubts the restaurant is clean.

Il nie qu’il ait parlé avec cette femme. – He denies having talked to this woman.

EXCEPTION: When douter and nier are negative, the indicative mood is used, because they are no longer negating the subordinate clause.

e.g.:

Je ne doute pas que tu dis la vérité. – I don’t doubt that you are telling the truth.

Elle ne nie pas qu’elle a commis le crime. – She doesn’t deny having committed the crime.

The verbs penser, espérer, and croire use the subjunctive only when in negative or interrogative sentences. Affirmative sentences require the indicative.

e.g.:

Nous ne croyons pas que ce soit une erreur. – We don’t think it was a mistake.

Elle pense que l’enseignante a raison. – She thinks the teacher is right.

N’espères-tu pas que ce soit une mauvaise blague? – Don’t you hope it’s a bad joke?

NOTE: It is possible to use the indicative in the negative and interrogative forms of penser to convey certainty.

e.g.:

Il ne pense pas qu’il a entendu un bruit. – He doesn’t think he heard a noise (and is fairly certain about it).

Il ne pense pas qu’il ait entendu un bruit. – He doesn’t think he heard a noise (but isn’t sure).

4. after superlatives

Sentences with superlatives that express an opinion or evaluation take the subjunctive in the dependent clause. It is also used after the words principal, seul, unique, premier, and dernier.

e.g.:

Elle est l’enfant la plus studieuse que j’aie connue. – She is the most studious child i have ever met.

Cette pièce de théâtre est la moins intéressante que ma mère ait vue. – This play is the least interesting one that my mother has seen.

Le français est la seule langue qu’il puisse parler. – French is the only language he can speak.

However, if the speaker is confident in what they’re saying, or there is no opinion being expressed, the indicative mood is used.

e.g.:

La salle de bain est la pièce la plus petite qu’a la maison. – The bathroom is the smallest room in the house.

Valentina Terechkova est la première femme qui est allée dans l’espace. – Valentina Tereshkova is the first woman to go to space.

5. personal and impersonal expressions

Many impersonal expressions (expressions that start with il est or c’est) require the subjunctive in French. These can be divided into expressions of doubt, necessity, desirability and insistence, and fear.

e.g.:

Il est possible que nous soyons en retard. – It’s possible we might be late.

Il est nécessaire que tout le monde aille voter. – It is necessary that everyone go vote.

Concessive statements that begin with où que, quoi que, quel que, or si…que also require the subjunctive.

e.g.:

Je te promets que, où que tu sois, je te retrouverai. – I promise that, wherever you are, I will find you.

Si triste que la situation puisse paraître, tout n’est pas perdu. – As sad as the situation may seem, all is not lost.

Specific expressions always take the subjunctive:

Que je sache

Ainsi soit-il

Vive le roi

Advienne que pourra

Command sentences that begin with que require the subjunctive.

e.g.:

Qu’il vienne à mon bureau immediatement! – Let him come to my office immediately!

Qu’on m’apporte un café! – Let someone bring me a coffee!

6. relative clauses

If the noun tied the relative clause is indefinite, not yet found, or does not exist, the relative clause will require the subjunctive mood.

e.g.:

Nous avons besoin d’une personne qui soit très forte. – We need a person who is very strong.

Je veux une voiture qui puisse voler. – I want a car that can fly.

7. negative and indefinite pronouns

If a subordinate clause is preceded by ne…personne or ne…rien, or if it’s preceded by quelqu’un or quelque chose, it requires the subjunctive mood.

e.g.:

Je ne connais personne qui sache parler allemand. – I don’t know anyone that speaks German.

Il n’y a rien que tu puisses faire. – There is nothing you can do.

Il doit avoir quelque chose qui puisse servir! – There must be something that works!

8. after conjunctions

Certain conjunctions that express a type of dependence (constrait, expectation, etc.) require the use of the subjunctive, provided the subjects of the main and dependent clauses are different. It is worth noting that some conjunctions can use the ne explétif with the subjunctive.

The conjunctions can be divided into several categories:

a. to express intention and purpose

Pour que

Afin que

De sorte que

De façon que

b. to express fear and threat

De crainte que

De peur que

c. to express wait and time constraint

Jusqu’à ce que

En attendant que

Avant que

EXCEPTION: Après que is followed by the indicative mood, but the use of the subjunctive has seen a rise in popularity recently.

d. to express obstacle and restriction

Bien que

À moins que

Quoique

Encore que

Sans que

e. to express condition

À condition que

Pourvu que

Subjective verbs vs objective verbs

Verbs can be divided into “objective” and “subjective” categories. Objective verbs (constater, affirmer, penser) require the indicative mood, while subjective verbs (désirer, redouter, vouloir) take the subjunctive.

e.g.:

Je constate que personne ne m’a écouté. – I see no one has listened to me.

Je veux que vous m’aimiez. – I want you to love me.

EXCEPTION: Objective verbs can take the subjunctive in certain cases, such as:

1. in negative sentences

e.g.:  Il ne croit pas que le livre soit réellement perdu. – He doesn’t think the book is really lost.

2. in interrogative sentences with an inversion

e.g.: Pensez-vous que Marie ait trompé Nicholas? – Do you think Marie cheated on Nicholas?

3. when an adjective expresses judgement

e.g.:  Nous ne trouvons pas normal que les femmes soient considérées inférieures. – We do not find it normal that women are considered inferior.

also me, after reading one sentence in Romanian with no Romance cognates:

↳ 19.02.05. tuesday