What is a conjunctive phrase in French?

It is a conjunction made of more than one word, nearly always ending in que: parce que, bien que, avant que, à condition que. Its job is to attach a subordinate clause to the main one, the same job single-word conjunctions like quand and si do.

Which conjunctive phrases take the subjunctive?

Concession (bien que, quoique), purpose (pour que, afin que, de peur que), anteriority (avant que, jusqu'à ce que, en attendant que), and restriction (à moins que, à condition que, pourvu que, sans que). The cause and time phrases — parce que, puisque, pendant que, dès que, après que — take the indicative.

Why is there a ne in avant qu'il ne pleuve?

That ne is the ne explétif and adds no negation at all: the sentence means before it rains, not before it doesn't rain. It is optional and belongs to careful French, appearing mainly after avant que, à moins que, and de peur que.

Does après que take the subjunctive?

Strictly, no: après qu'il est parti is the correct form, because the action is presented as accomplished. Many native speakers say après qu'il soit parti anyway, but in writing the indicative is expected, and après avoir plus a participle avoids the question entirely.

How do I avoid the subjunctive after these phrases?

If both halves of the sentence have the same subject, drop the que and use an infinitive: pour te voir instead of pour que je te voie, avant de partir instead of avant que je (ne) parte, sans dire un mot instead of sans que je dise un mot.

French grammar · Advanced

French Conjunctive Phrases: Parce Que, Bien Que, Pour Que, and the Rest

Written by Camille Laurent, Lead French Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Conjunctive phrases are multi-word conjunctions built out of a preposition or adverb plus que: parce que, bien que, avant que, pour que, jusqu'à ce que. They all introduce a subordinate clause, and the only thing you really have to learn about each one is whether it takes the indicative or the subjunctive.

Préviens-moi avant qu'il ne soit trop tard.

Let me know before it's too late.

What it is

A locution conjonctive is a conjunction made of several words, almost always ending in que. French builds them by taking a preposition or an adverb — parce, bien, avant, pour, sans — and adding que so that it can govern a whole clause instead of a noun. That final que is what turns a preposition into a conjunction.

avant le départ → avant que nous partions — before the departure → before we leave

How to spot it

If the phrase ends in que and is followed by a subject and a verb, you have a conjunctive phrase. Your next question is always the same: indicative or subjunctive?

Je reste parce que j'attends un appel. — I'm staying because I'm waiting for a call.
Partons avant qu'il ne pleuve. — Let's leave before it rains.
Il travaille pour que ses enfants réussissent. — He works so that his children succeed.
Reste ici jusqu'à ce que je revienne. — Stay here until I get back.

Roughly speaking: if the clause states something that has happened or is happening, the indicative follows; if it states something aimed at, feared, or not yet real, the subjunctive follows.

Conjunctive Phrases Quick Reference

The commonest conjunctive phrases and the mood they take

Phrase	Meaning	Mood
parce que, puisque, vu que	because, since	indicative
pendant que, tandis que, alors que	while, whereas	indicative
dès que, aussitôt que, depuis que	as soon as, since	indicative
après que	after	indicative (despite appearances)
si bien que, de sorte que (result)	so that, with the result that	indicative
bien que, quoique, encore que	although	subjunctive
pour que, afin que, de peur que	so that, for fear that	subjunctive
avant que, jusqu'à ce que, en attendant que	before, until, while waiting for	subjunctive
à moins que, à condition que, pourvu que, sans que	unless, provided that, without	subjunctive

Common Conjunctive Phrases Examples in French

Conjunctive phrases grouped by the relationship they express:

Cause and Justification

Nous avons annulé parce que la météo était mauvaise.: We cancelled because the weather was bad.
Puisque tu es là, aide-moi.: Since you're here, give me a hand.
Étant donné qu'il est mineur, il faut une autorisation.: Given that he's a minor, permission is needed.
Vu qu'il n'y a plus de place, nous attendrons.: Seeing that there's no room left, we'll wait.

All of these take the indicative, because a cause is presented as a fact.

Time

Je lisais pendant que tu dormais.: I was reading while you were asleep.
Dès qu'il aura fini, nous partirons.: As soon as he's finished, we'll leave.
Attends jusqu'à ce que le feu passe au vert.: Wait until the light turns green.
Depuis qu'elle est arrivée, tout est plus calme.: Since she arrived, everything has been calmer.

Time phrases take the indicative except the ones that look forward to something not yet done: avant que, jusqu'à ce que, en attendant que.

Purpose and Concession

Parle plus fort afin que tout le monde entende.: Speak louder so that everyone can hear.
Il a menti de peur que ses parents ne le sachent.: He lied for fear that his parents would find out.
Bien que ce soit difficile, elle ne se plaint pas.: Although it's hard, she doesn't complain.
Quoiqu'il fasse froid, ils campent dehors.: Although it's cold, they're camping outside.

Quoique in one word means although; quoi que in two words means whatever, and both take the subjunctive.

Condition and Restriction

Je viendrai à condition que tu me préviennes.: I'll come provided you let me know.
Il sortira pourvu qu'il fasse beau.: He'll go out as long as the weather is good.
Elle est partie sans que personne s'en aperçoive.: She left without anyone noticing.
Nous signerons, à moins que le prix ne change.: We'll sign, unless the price changes.

Si is the one conditional conjunction that never takes the subjunctive: si tu viens, not si tu viennes.

How Conjunctive Phrases Are Built and Used

Four principles cover the construction, the mood, and the shortcuts French uses to avoid the whole apparatus.

Preposition Plus Que Equals Conjunction

Avant, après, pendant, pour, sans, and depuis take a noun. Add que and the same word can take a subject and a verb. English uses one form for both, which is why the que goes missing in learner sentences.

Pendant les vacances, il a travaillé ; pendant qu'il travaillait, nous nous reposions.

During the holidays he worked; while he was working, we rested.

Noun after the preposition, clause after que.

The Phrase Decides the Mood, Not the Meaning

Bien qu'il soit malade uses the subjunctive even though the illness is a plain fact, and après qu'il est parti uses the indicative even though the leaving may be hypothetical. The mood is a property of the conjunction itself.

Bien qu'elle ait raison, personne ne l'écoute.

Although she's right, nobody listens to her.

Learn the phrase with its mood attached.

The Clause Can Come First

Unlike coordinating conjunctions, a conjunctive phrase can bring its whole clause to the front of the sentence. This is a useful test for telling subordination from coordination, and a useful way of varying your sentence rhythm.

Bien que le musée soit fermé, la boutique reste ouverte.

Although the museum is closed, the shop is still open.

Subordinate clauses can lead.

Same Subject, No Clause at All

When both verbs share a subject, French drops the que clause and uses a preposition plus infinitive. Pour que becomes pour, avant que becomes avant de, sans que becomes sans, afin que becomes afin de. This is not optional style: the subordinate clause sounds wrong when the subjects match.

Je suis parti avant de dîner.

I left before having dinner.

One subject → infinitive, two subjects → que.

Common Mistakes with Conjunctive Phrases

Incorrect: Bien qu'il est en retard, on l'attend. — Although he's late, we're waiting for him.

Correct: Bien qu'il soit en retard, on l'attend. — Although he's late, we're waiting for him.

Bien que always governs the subjunctive. The lateness is a fact, but the choice of mood belongs to the conjunction, not to the situation.

Incorrect: Je suis venu pour que je te voie. — I came to see you.

Correct: Je suis venu pour te voir. — I came to see you.

Pour que requires two different subjects. When the subject is the same on both sides, French uses pour plus an infinitive.

Incorrect: Attends jusqu'à je reviens. — Wait until I come back.

Correct: Attends jusqu'à ce que je revienne. — Wait until I come back.

Jusqu'à takes a noun, as in jusqu'à midi. To introduce a clause you need the full phrase jusqu'à ce que, followed by the subjunctive.

Incorrect: Elle est partie sans que nous le savons. — She left without our knowing.

Correct: Elle est partie sans que nous le sachions. — She left without our knowing.

Sans que belongs to the subjunctive group. Sachions is the subjunctive of savoir, and the indicative savons cannot appear here.

Two Complications Worth Meeting Early

A meaningless ne and a set of infinitive shortcuts account for most of the strange-looking sentences you will read with these phrases.

The ne that means nothing

Avant que, à moins que, de peur que, de crainte que, and sans que may insert a ne that carries no negative force at all. It belongs to careful style and can always be left out.

Rentrons avant qu'il ne fasse nuit.: Let's go home before it gets dark.
Je viendrai à moins qu'il n'y ait une grève.: I'll come unless there's a strike.
Il a parlé bas de peur qu'on ne l'entende.: He spoke quietly for fear of being overheard.

If a real negation is needed, pas appears as usual: à moins qu'il ne vienne pas, unless he doesn't come.

Replacing the clause with an infinitive

When the two clauses share a subject, the conjunctive phrase reverts to its prepositional form and the second verb becomes an infinitive.

Elle a téléphoné pour prévenir. Elle a téléphoné pour que nous soyons prévenus.: She rang to warn us. She rang so that we'd be warned.
Réfléchis avant de répondre.: Think before you answer.
Il est sorti sans dire un mot.: He went out without saying a word.

This is also the standard way of dodging a subjunctive you are unsure of, and it sounds more natural, not less.

Après que, the phrase nobody gets right

Prescriptively, après que takes the indicative because the action it describes has already happened. In practice a great many speakers use the subjunctive by analogy with avant que.

Après qu'il est parti, nous avons fermé.: After he left, we closed up.
Après qu'elle aura signé, tout sera réglé.: Once she has signed, everything will be settled.

In writing, keep the indicative. Better still, use après plus a past infinitive: après avoir signé, elle est partie.

Conjunctive Phrases FAQs

What is a conjunctive phrase in French?: It is a conjunction made of more than one word, nearly always ending in que: parce que, bien que, avant que, à condition que. Its job is to attach a subordinate clause to the main one, the same job single-word conjunctions like quand and si do.
Which conjunctive phrases take the subjunctive?: Concession (bien que, quoique), purpose (pour que, afin que, de peur que), anteriority (avant que, jusqu'à ce que, en attendant que), and restriction (à moins que, à condition que, pourvu que, sans que). The cause and time phrases — parce que, puisque, pendant que, dès que, après que — take the indicative.
Why is there a ne in avant qu'il ne pleuve?: That ne is the ne explétif and adds no negation at all: the sentence means before it rains, not before it doesn't rain. It is optional and belongs to careful French, appearing mainly after avant que, à moins que, and de peur que.
Does après que take the subjunctive?: Strictly, no: après qu'il est parti is the correct form, because the action is presented as accomplished. Many native speakers say après qu'il soit parti anyway, but in writing the indicative is expected, and après avoir plus a participle avoids the question entirely.
How do I avoid the subjunctive after these phrases?: If both halves of the sentence have the same subject, drop the que and use an infinitive: pour te voir instead of pour que je te voie, avant de partir instead of avant que je (ne) parte, sans dire un mot instead of sans que je dise un mot.