Top answers

How do I know whether or not I should use the subjunctive mood after "que"?

The subjunctive mood is by definition a way of speaking that shows the speaker's personal attitude towards what they're saying. I'm sure that the textbook you're using explains all the basic situations when ...
JM
Answered by Jakub M. • French tutor
2943 Views

When should you use the past historic (passé simple)?

You can use the passé simple in any formal piece of writing, but as it is quite a literary way of writing, it's generally more appropriate to pieces of writing in which you might be narrating a story. It is ...
CW
Answered by Carys W. • French tutor
2847 Views

What's the difference between 'on' and 'nous'? I've heard that both mean 'we' but I don't know which one to use.

It is true that ' on ' and ' nous ' both mean ' we ' and can be used pretty much interchangeably but there are subtleties to be aware of when using them. Although you can use both, they are used in different...
GD
Answered by George D. • French tutor
17204 Views

How do I know when to use le passé simple or l'imparfait ?

In French, both le passé simple and l'imparfait are used for past situations. However, they are not used the same way. Le passé simple is used for short, sudden actions such as : "Out of the blue, she s...
LA
Answered by Lou A. • French tutor
2849 Views

In what way is the following sentence grammatically incorrect? - "Il faut que je fais un effort."

Certain phrases in french trigger the subjunctive mood; 'il faut que...' is an example of this. In terms of grammar, this means that 'faire' must be conjugated differently to how you would usually conjugate ...
GB
Answered by Gemma B. • French tutor
3014 Views