Subordinate clauses with conjunctions add information to the main clause and are introduced by subordinating conjunctions. They express various logical relationships between the clauses.
Cause (introduced by "parce que", "puisque", "comme")
- Je reste à la maison parce qu' il pleut. (I stay at home because it’s raining.)
- Puisque tu es là, nous pouvons commencer. (Since you’re here, we can start.)
- Comme il était tard, nous avons décidé de partir. (As it was late, we decided to leave.)
Purpose (introduced by "pour que", "afin que")
- Je t'ai envoyé un message pour que tu sois informé. (I sent you a message so that you would be informed.)
- Il étudie afin que ses parents soient fiers. (He studies so that his parents will be proud.)
Consequence (introduced by "si bien que", "de sorte que")
- Il a beaucoup plu, si bien que les rues étaient inondées. (It rained a lot, so the streets were flooded.)
- Elle a parlé doucement, de sorte que tout le monde a dû se taire pour écouter. (She spoke softly, so everyone had to be quiet to listen.)
Condition (introduced by "si")
- Si tu viens, je serai content. (If you come, I’ll be happy.)
- Si elle avait su, elle aurait agi différemment. (If she had known, she would have acted differently.)
Concession (introduced by "bien que", "quoique")
- Bien que je sois fatigué, je vais sortir. (Although I’m tired, I’m going out.)
- Quoique jeune, il est très responsable. (Although young, he is very responsible.)
Time (introduced by "quand", "lorsque", "tant que")
- Quand tu arriveras, appelle-moi. (When you arrive, call me.)
- Il était déjà parti lorsque j'ai atteint la gare. (He had already left when I reached the station.)
- Tant que tu seras là, je me sentirai en sécurité. (As long as you’re here, I’ll feel safe.)
These structures allow for expressing a wide range of relationships and nuances between ideas, thereby enriching discourse and communication in French.