Tense guide

Passé du subjonctif (Subjunctive Past)

Language: French

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Introduction

In French, some expressions about feelings, doubts, or opinions require a special verb form. This guide explains the past version of that special form. You use it to talk about an action that was already completed before a main feeling, doubt, or event that also happened in the past. It shows that one past action happened earlier than another past action.

The most frequent use is to express a past feeling or opinion about something that had already occurred. You are looking back at a past event from a point in the past.

J'étais content que tu aies gagné la course.

(I was happy that you had won the race.)

Elle était triste que nous soyons partis si vite.

(She was sad that we had left so quickly.)

Il était surprenant qu'il ait oublié ton anniversaire.

(It was surprising that he had forgotten your birthday.)

C'était dommage que vous n'ayez pas vu le spectacle.

(It was a shame that you hadn't seen the show.)

You also use it to talk about a past doubt or uncertainty. It shows you were unsure about an action that was supposed to have happened before your moment of doubt.

Je doutais qu'elle ait reçu mon message.

(I doubted that she had received my message.)

Il ne pensait pas que nous ayons fini à temps.

(He didn't think that we had finished on time.)

Nous n'étions pas sûrs que tu aies compris.

(We weren't sure that you had understood.)

A very important use is with the connecting phrase avant que, which means "before". It describes something that happened (or didn't happen) before another main action in the past.

Il a fermé la porte avant que je sois entré.

(He closed the door before I had come in.)

Nous avons mangé avant qu'ils soient arrivés.

(We ate before they had arrived.)

J'ai pris mon parapluie avant qu'il n'ait commencé à pleuvoir.

(I took my umbrella before it had started to rain.)

This form is also needed after some other specific connecting phrases, like bien que (although) or jusqu'à ce que (until), when talking about a prior past event.

Il est venu bien qu'on ne l'ait pas invité.

(He came although we hadn't invited him.)

J'ai attendu jusqu'à ce qu'elle ait fini son appel.

(I waited until she had finished her call.)

Elle l'a pardonné quoiqu'il ait menti.

(She forgave him even though he had lied.)

Be careful: This verb form is mainly found in formal writing, such as in literature, journalism, or official documents. In everyday spoken French, people usually find simpler ways to say the same thing.