Subordinating and Coordinating Conjunctions

CONTENT
  1. Conjunctions: the Basics
  2. Subordinating Conjunctions
  3. Coordinating Conjunctions

Conjunctions: the Basics

Rule 1: A conjunction creates a logical connection between parts of sentences, whole sentences, or individual words. In French, conjunctions don't change the word order in the sentence.

Native

Translation

J'ai nettoyé la maison pendant que Marta étudiait.

I cleaned the house while Marta was studying.

Subordinating Conjunctions

Rule 2: Subordinating conjunctions connect main and subordinate (dependent) clauses in complex sentenses. Dependent clauses provide additional information (time, reason, purpose, ...) to the sentence - they can't stand alone as a sentence.

Here are a few subordinating conjunctions in French:

si if
parce que because
comme like, as
après que before
tant que/pendant que while

Native

Translation

Je ne peux pas venir parce que je suis malade.

I can't come because I'm sick.

Coordinating Conjunctions

Rule 3: Coordinating conjunctions connect main (independent) clauses with one another without establishing a hierarchy. Independent clauses can form complete sentences and stand alone.

Here are the seven most common coordinating conjunctions in French:

mais but
ou or
et and
donc also
ni ... ni neither ... nor
car because

Native

Translation

Je parle français mais je ne parle pas allemand.

I speak French but I don't speak German.

To learn these coordinating conjunctions, you can use a simple mnemonic:

Mais où est donc Ornicar ? - mais ou est donc or ni car.

Quiz

1/3

___ vous étiez à l'étranger, nous avons étudié.

0

correct answers.