Learning French #4
Today I am going to talk about what I’ve learned about setting up a complex sentence in French.
This will build upon the use of qui and que from last time. A complex sentence in English will look something like this:
"I went to the supermarket, because I was out of groceries."
This sentence could technically be cut off after the first part: I went to the supermarket. Technically we don't need the second: because I was out of groceries. This is a complex sentence, where the sub-sentence "because I was out of groceries" only adds information; it does not complete the sentence. There is a difference between the types of sub-sentences existing in French:
La subordonnée nominale (The principal phrase)
La subordonnée interrogative (Interrogative sub-sentence)
La subordonnée relative (Relative sub-sentences)
La subordonnée adverbiale (Extra info sub-sentences)
NOMINAL:
These are the main complex subordonnée structures we care about in a complex sentence. The interrogative is a sub-type of the nominal. And the nominal is usually what would be functioning as a noun in a complex sentence like this:
Je pense qu’il est noir.
Here "qu'il est noir" functions as the noun for pense (think). So it becomes I think X. You think what? X then becomes the subordonnée nominale. This would also be a subordonnée nominale complétive, because the noun clause completes the sentence. Underneath we will have an example of a nominal subordonnée that is non-complétive:
Que le chat est noir est vrai.
Here "Que le chat est noir" is the subject of the verb est vrai (is true). The whole sentence becomes "That the cat is black is true." It sounds a bit funny in English but there are other expressions that make more sense.
Ce qu’il dit est drôle.
"What he says is funny." Here "what he says" becomes the subject and is also not a complement of the verb — it's the subject of the sentence, so it's non-complétive.
INTERROGATIVE:
So interrogative is a sentence that gets asked like a question. These can be indirect and direct. And they are a subtype of the nominal.
Comment ça va ? (How are you doing?) is interrogative. But this is just a straight-up question, not directly an interrogative sub-sentence.
Je sais où il est. is a completive sentence. "I know where he is." is an interrogative sub-sentence, because "where he is" is a COD of je sais. So interrogative complex sentences usually answer or imply a question.
Interrogative follows the same rules as nominal because it is a nominal — it can be non-complétive or complétive. The sub-sentence can be a subject or a COD (a noun). If it’s a noun of the verb it’s complétive and if it’s a subject it’s non-complétive. This is how a non-complétive looks:
Ce qu’il fait est bizarre. (What he does is strange.)
Here "what he does" (ce qu’il fait) is the subject of "is strange". This makes it non-complétive because it does not complete the verb but is the subject of the verb.
RELATIVE:
This subordonnée in a complex sentence adds a layer of extra information about the thing we talk about, and can be removed. The fact that it can be removed here is key. If it cannot be removed it’s usually a subordonnée adverbiale type (below this section). This is how a relative subordonnée looks:
Le chat qui est noir marche dans le parc.
Here "qui est noir" is a relative sentence because: "Le chat marche dans le parc" still works on its own. This is how we usually can tell if it’s a relative. We usually figure out whether or not it’s a nominal or not, then we check if it’s a relative, and then if nothing fits it’s usually adverbial.
ADVERBIAL:
This subordonnée can be many different types of sentences. Usually they are constructed with an explanation connection word such as because, or if.
Je parle souvent parce que je veux mieux parler. (I speak often because I want to speak better.)
Je danse beaucoup, malgré cela je déteste danser. (I dance a lot, despite this I hate dancing.)
Both these are adverbial because they work as extra information that modify the original clause. Even though we can remove it, the sentence means something slightly different if we remove it. This is usually how we can tell the difference between adverbial and relative. Because relative also gives extra information but it usually doesn’t modify the sentence, so it causes no impact to remove it. There are several categories inside of adverbial:
Le temps (time) La cause (cause) La conséquence (consequence) Le but (reason) La condition (condition) La concession (admission) La comparaison (comparison)
If you take a look at these you can see that, I speak often because I want to speak better is maybe a subordonnée adverbiale de but (reason), since that is the reason for the action that occurred. But it does get a little muddy distinguishing this in extremely complex sentences. So do what the teacher decides is right, and take it up with academics later xd. Something could technically be a reason, a consequence, or a condition, but it gets a bit murky after a while.
Le temps (time): Quand il pleut, je reste chez moi. (When it rains, I stay at home.)
La cause (cause): Je suis fatigué parce que j’ai mal dormi. (I am tired because I slept badly.)
La conséquence (consequence): Il a tellement crié que tout le monde l’a entendu. (He shouted so much that everyone heard him.)
Le but (goal/purpose): Je travaille dur pour que mes parents soient fiers. (I work hard so that my parents are proud.)
La condition (condition): Si tu viens, je serai content. (If you come, I will be happy.)
La concession (concession): Même s’il est malade, il va au travail. (Even though he is sick, he goes to work.)
La comparaison (comparison): Il court comme s’il était poursuivi. (He runs as if he were being chased.)
Thats it for this time, exam season is soon and i am probably going to fail but at least i am learning things see you next time xd!
Bonne jornée!
