French Oral Exam Soon

Dwellingdweller

Patchy~ wrote: »

We havent done the subjunctive yet (I know :rolleyes:), but is there a reason you used it here? Does 'avant que' trigger it? Also, that ne, its not actually negative, is it? Is that the ne expletif or whatever its called?
(Why exactly is the ne even there? If you dont mind answering :P)

The subjunctive is used when you're talking about something that's uncertain or, what's the word... hypothetical! And opinion, as in your personal view. That's why it's put in the subjunctive, I think. Avant qu'il ne soit trop tard - 'before it's (not) too late'. It's not definite and you're expressing an opinion or a possibility. If something has already happened and it's already too late ya could say 'c'est trop tard' - "it's too late", it's definite, and it's already happened, so the subjunctive isn't used. Hope that helps

Canard

Dwellingdweller wrote: »

The subjunctive is used when you're talking about something that's uncertain or, what's the word... hypothetical! And opinion, as in your personal view. That's why it's put in the subjunctive, I think. Avant qu'il ne soit trop tard - 'before it's (not) too late'. It's not definite and you're expressing an opinion or a possibility. If something has already happened and it's already too late ya could say 'c'est trop tard' - "it's too late", it's definite, and it's already happened, so the subjunctive isn't used. Hope that helps

Hmm but wouldnt hypothetical just be the conditional? :P are you sure that that ne means not? Theres no pas, and before its not too late doesnt make much sense :P

But I always see things like 'je pense que c'est incroyable' - personal opinion but no subjunctive. its a really confusing tense! we should be doing it soon but ugh, my teacher's damn slow :pac: Thank you for your help

Dwellingdweller

Patchy~ wrote: »

Hmm but wouldnt hypothetical just be the conditional? :P are you sure that that ne means not? Theres no pas, and before its not too late doesnt make much sense :P

But I always see things like 'je pense que c'est incroyable' - personal opinion but no subjunctive. its a really confusing tense! we should be doing it soon but ugh, my teacher's damn slow :pac: Thank you for your help

Conditional is conditional :P It's an 'if' thing, if this, then that. Hypothetical's different, somehow. The ne is just there to put emphasis, there's a few french phrases where it's used, like 'je n'ai que deux livres' - 'I've only two books'. Putting the 'pas' in would double negative it, i.e 'I haven't only two books'. Hope that helps, sorry if I'm coming across as a stickler* :pac:

Double sorry if what I've told you is wrong :P

Canard

Dwellingdweller wrote: »

Conditional is conditional :P It's an 'if' thing, if this, then that. Hypothetical's different, somehow. The ne is just there to put emphasis, there's a few french phrases where it's used, like 'je n'ai que deux livres' - 'I've only two books'. Putting the 'pas' in would double negative it, i.e 'I haven't only two books'. Hope that helps, sorry if I'm coming across as a stickler* :pac:

Double sorry if what I've told you is wrong :P

ne + que is a standard negation like rien and jamais :P But that ne has nothing going with it and I've never really understood that I read about it once and it just fried my brain :pac:

Claregirl5

Patchy~ wrote: »

We havent done the subjunctive yet (I know :rolleyes:), but is there a reason you used it here? Does 'avant que' trigger it? Also, that ne, its not actually negative, is it? Is that the ne expletif or whatever its called?
(Why exactly is the ne even there? If you dont mind answering :P)

You are right. It is called a "ne expletif". Its use is optional, as shown below:

Je n’irai pas la voir avant qu’elle parte
OR
Je n’irai pas la voir avant qu’elle ne parte.

To me, however, it sounds better.

These are the "locutions conjonctives" followed by the subjonctive and the ne expletif:
à moins que unless
avant que before
de crainte que for fear that
de peur que for fear that
sans que without

Canard

Claregirl5 wrote: »

You are right. It is called a "ne expletif". Its use is optional, as shown below:

Je n’irai pas la voir avant qu’elle parte
OR
Je n’irai pas la voir avant qu’elle ne parte.

To me, however, it sounds better.

These are the "locutions conjonctives" followed by the subjonctive and the ne expletif:
à moins que unless
avant que before
de crainte que for fear that
de peur que for fear that
sans que without

Thank you! Just to be sure, do you mean that those phrases cause the subjunctive and you could also choose to use the ne expletif? And would you advise doing it in the exam? I'd be afraid they'd think I forgot the pas and then take away marks, haha

Mysteriouschic

Will we get tested on using the subjunctive verbs and conditional verbs? I can't remember these since last year an my teacher just reads texts all the time.

Claregirl5

Yes, they require both. Have a look at the following examples, that you may use in your oral:


J'espere aller a l'universite l'annee prochaine, à moins que je n'obtienne les points necessaires au Leaving Cert.

De crainte que OR de peur que je n'obtienne les points necessaires, je vais travailler d'arrache-pied.

Je vais aller a la discotheque le weekend prochain, sans que mes parents ne le sachent.

Je vais arreter de perdre mon temps sur ce forum, avant qu'il ne soit trop tard pour mes revisions.

Do not worry too much about the subjonctive. Learn a few phrases including it and you will be fine.

Bonne chance.

PS: I still do not know how to add accents!!

Canard

Claregirl5 wrote: »

Yes, they require both. Have a look at the following examples, that you may use in your oral:


J'espere aller a l'universite l'annee prochaine, à moins que je n'obtienne les points necessaires au Leaving Cert.

De crainte que OR de peur que je n'obtienne les points necessaires, je vais travailler d'arrache-pied.

Je vais aller a la discotheque le weekend prochain, sans que mes parents ne le sachent.

Je vais arreter de perdre mon temps sur ce forum, avant qu'il ne soit trop tard pour mes revisions.

Do not worry too much about the subjonctive. Learn a few phrases including it and you will be fine.

Bonne chance.

PS: I still do not know how to add accents!!

Thank you!! I'll learn these
You can add some accents with Alt Gr button Also think you might have made a little mistake there with mon temps, non? :P

edit: ah, touché :P

Claregirl5

You're very welcome, Patchy and thanks for the info re: accents !


perdre mon temps is rightl "Temps" always takes a "s". Remember: Quel temps fait-il aujourd'hui?

Mysteriouschic

Claregirl5 wrote: »

Yes, they require both. Have a look at the following examples, that you may use in your oral:


J'espere aller a l'universite l'annee prochaine, à moins que je n'obtienne les points necessaires au Leaving Cert.

De crainte que OR de peur que je n'obtienne les points necessaires, je vais travailler d'arrache-pied.

Je vais aller a la discotheque le weekend prochain, sans que mes parents ne le sachent.

Je vais arreter de perdre mon temps sur ce forum, avant qu'il ne soit trop tard pour mes revisions.

Do not worry too much about the subjonctive. Learn a few phrases including it and you will be fine.

Bonne chance.

PS: I still do not know how to add accents!!

Oh thanks I forgot we needed to know them.
Do you know have any good links for learning the subjunctive or conditional?
I can't find my last years work sheets that I had.

ImApumpkin

ahh lads right so my document is about the gaeltacht T_T cool huh? well anywhoo...so it's actually about Skellig Michael and my time in the gaeltacht last year..haw haw real interesting..so um What kind of Questions could the examiner ask? Thanks bros (:

jack.h

Hi has anyone else not had their French mock oral yet? As well does anyone have any tips for it? Should i go over grammar/tenses or try and learn my paragraphs on the different topics(Moi Meme, le weekend,... etc) or both? Thanks for any advice in advance.